fuel hose longevity?

[andydormer]

How long should I expect petrol fuel hose to last?

Two years ago I replaced the fuel hose on my van. At the end of last summer I smelt the whiff of petrol again (van's been in storage since). Last month I started up the engine to find petrol spraying all around the engine bay. I blamed a hose clip that didn't look fully tightenned, the spray stopped but braid was already wet. Today I checked the engine before starting and the braided hoses were dry, ran the engine for 30 secs, and all the hose was wet.

When I stripped back the braid the hose was completely perished.

I understand about checking the hose frequently and the need to investigate any whiffs of petrol, but how frequently should I expect to replace the fuel hose??

[Dazco]

Where did you get the hose from? New hose should last . I bought mine from a local car spares place. Forget the crappy braided stuff , just get proper fuel hose made for modern fuels

[andydormer]

Local shop didn't have the right size in stock so ordered online from brickwerks.

[CovKid]

Agree. The braided stuff that was the mainstay of VWs now doesn't cope with modern fuels. This question has come up more than once but some outlets seem hell bent on clearing old stock so be mindful of that if you replace it. Any decent privately owned motor factors will be able to advise you on the right stuff to use and it generally doesn't cost that much. Place near me matched the size perfectly.

That said, after two years you should be checking fuel lines anyway.