Hello all, I had a slight hiccup when I was re jetting my machine. The Fuel lines from the tank to the petcock dry rotted and split in half leaving a few bucks worth of gas in the parking lot.

So my question is where can I get new lines on short notice? Will an automotive store have rubber fuel lines that I can just cut to length and use? Any special things I have to worry about?

While I have my bike in pieces I figured I would remove the smog crap too. What kind of plugs are recommended? Do I completely remove the hoses and plug the ports they went over? or do I cut the hoses a little longer than the port and plug the hose? If that makes sense..

Thanks.

 

On the fuel lines, most of the stuff in automotive parts stores in the available fuel line is often too stiff for many motorcycle applications. Don't just buy and fuel line of the proper diameter. I get replacement hose from my local motorcycle shop that's especially suitable for the tight, confined spaces under our fuel tanks. The kind I use is from Motion Pro, and is heat resistant, flexible, and won't kink easily. Theirs is not the only suitable line, but whatever you get make sure it fits those criteria. Many automotive fuel lines are braided and thick. It's good stuff but hard to work with and fit to many bikes. And many auto parts stores have soft, flexible hose like emission hose, but it is for fuel vapors and not constant contact with gasoline as a fluid.

 

+1 on what TNC said about automotive fuel line, learned that the hard way. Kinked a hose I was trying to replace(after buggering it myself during carb removal).

To plug the smog stuff, I went to Home Depot and bought an assortment of vinyl caps. For the hose coming out near the header, you can get a block off plate from Bill Blue or do what someone else here did and leave the hose coming from above the header, put a bolt in the hole and hose clamp it in place. I used some high temp silicone to keep the vinyl caps and bolt in place and air leak free. I zip-tied the hose with the bolt to the frame, just in case it could bounce around and hit the radiator.

 

I did something similar earlier today with the reserve fuel line. Anyone know the diameter or a proper replacement for the primary and reserve hoses on the 250s?

 

I just went to local hardware store and bought some fuel line by the foot. came home and test fit it on the petcock laying on my counter. Fit just as snug as the stock line. Hound, to answer your question I bought 1/4 inch line that says "fuel line" on the side.

Like Max and TNC said it was a stiff and if I tried to bend it the hose would kind. so what I did to loosen it up was put it in a pot of boiling water for about a minute. now it just sags under its own weight.

Now to go see if it'll work!

 

Parts unlimited has some really nice blue urethane fuel line in various diameters if you can find a vendor that sells it. I bought a bunch of it a few years back from Dennis kirk and have re-plumbed all of my carbed bikes with it.

Great stuff, very tough and kink resistant and looks good too if you like semi-clear blue fuel lines

 

Did the exact same thing, couldn't find any high quality moto tubing that would flex, so i had to make do with the common stuff the hardware store had, which was pretty stiff. Put it in some hot water for about a minute, bends around a bit easier now. After hooking it all back up to the fuel tank/petcock, It seems to be doing its job, fits snug and doesn't leak.

Since I replaced my reserve line, I took it out for a test run with the petcock on RES and everything seemed fine, no surges or anything.

Will definitely be ordering some actual 1/4 moto grade line sooner than later, but for now the common stuff is working fine.

 

Went for a little test ride to see if everything worked. Made it .9 miles before I smelled gas. Looked down to see my tank wizzing on itself. Pulled into the parking lot to have a look. Turns out one of the hoses didn't seal/hose clamp wasn't strong enough and was leaking.

Had to walk home to get some hose clamps and came back to fix my bike.

Lesson learned, be sure your hose clamps are tight.

 

the fuel line hoses should fit pretty snug over the nipple already...the hose clamps just seems like extra measures when i was putting all the fuel line back on...maybe the size is too big?

 

They do fit pretty darn snug even without the clamps, but i could see something getting snagged/pulled out while riding without them on.

The primary and reserve lines on my bike were different sizes, the reserve was 1/4, not sure what the primary is but it is smaller for sure. Not sure if it's like that for your bike cody, but that might be why one of your lines came loose...ie what ahnh666 said about the sizing being wrong if you used the same diameter for both (not even sure if you changed both but im just covering all the bases here). Might wanna check that out.