Replacement Fuel Pipes

[Iceman]

Hello everyone.
I have a 1999 Z3 2.8 which broke a rear spring recently and a shard of it flicked off and cut one of the rubber ends to the fuel pipes leading up to the tank. Bit annoying really!!!
Anyway, I changed the springs but didn't notice this until a few weeks later as it is only really an issue when the engine is running and I haven't driven it much. Anyway, these fuel lines appear to have a swaged on rubber section at each end of a more rigid walled pipe.
My question is firstly, is this swaged on end an essential feature or can I run a long piece of flexible fuel pipe as an alternative? I had a look on the OEM lists and it appears if you want to buy a BMW part you have to buy a full set of tank pipes for $$$.
Does anyone have any advice or view on this? This would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[t-tony]

You can buy a very pliable copper pipe to replace steel ones and it's easy to bend without kinking it. I would first look at changing just the rubber section if the original steel pipes are in good order. You can replace steel pipes with rubber ones, only issue is they're always fatter and you can't always make them follow the exact path of the metal ones. HTH.

Tony.

 

[Dickymint]

I had to replace my fuel pipes with Kunifer pipe and just flared the ends, the old pipe looked ok at first glance but was rusted to hell on the inner bends and where it had rubbed on a bit of the car body.......

 

[JackJabba]

Hi Iceman, I have the same problem with the crimped on rubber being cut. Did you replace the whole tube or did you manage a repair. I don't want to drop the tank out to replace the tube if I can avoid it.

 

[Iceman]

Hi Iceman, I have the same problem with the crimped on rubber being cut. Did you replace the whole tube or did you manage a repair. I don't want to drop the tank out to replace the tube if I can avoid it.

Hi there Jackjabba,
When I took off the clips, it became clear that the very short rubber section was damaged far too close to the swaged end. So I removed the clip and cut the long metal fuel pipe back (that goes forward to the engine bay) about an inch. This removes the swaged end. I then bought a top quality bit of rubber fuel hose and slid this about two inches onto the long fixed pipe, securing with two crimp style fuel clips. This has worked just fine. The other end was attached as original. Its not a big issue to repair the metal fuel lines with rubber hose providing you take a bit of care. Hope this helps ..