Forum:
Hello All,
I am brand new to this forum this evening,
I have a left hand drive Rocky petrol, manufactured approximately 1986 (one of the first?). It was originally bought and used in Oman then imported into the UK in the early 90s. I bought it on EBay this year!
My local garage has fixed up all of its problems except the very corroded fuel pipes. They were unable to order the spare part.
I have a friend who could in theory fabricate some new ones (ie he has pipe benders and sufficient know-how) but we don't have access to a ramp and without one he doesn't want to do it.
Would anyone have any suggestions about either getting the part or (probably better) someone who could fabricate and fit new ones?
We did discuss using rubber but I would rather replace the metal pipes if possible.
Thanks for reading and any replies.
replacing fuel pipes
Why not make up new fuel pipes from copper microbore central heating pipe.It's its available in 10mm and 8 mm sizes , is easy to bend and cut and will withstand the pressures in the fuel supply system. The price is not too bad a price somewhere like screwfix for a roll. It's not a fun job on the floor , to replace the 4 pipes , Brake, fuel flow and return and the charcoal filter pipe ( which I modified to a high level breather) on my Sportrak took most of a day up on a ramp as the pipes all run side by side up and around the crossmmbers along the chassis and its imprtant that they dont rub on each other.
Thank-you
Thanks very much for your reply Steve.
I think this job is well beyond my abilities, but thank-you for detailing it for me.
Please do see also my reply to Assassin's post regarding wanting to keep it like original for export to France.
All the best,
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
From memory these are 8mm
From memory these are 8mm feed and 6mm return pipes, and softened copper microbore heating pipe comes in these sizes for domestic central heating systems.
This is what I use, you simply buy a roll and do them yourself as at each end they are connected by rubber pipes, but you have to avoid the copper coming into contact with steel as electrolytic reaction rapidly corrodes the steel.
Buy a roll of 8mm microbore copper and a number of plastic clips, flare one end to give the pipe something for the rubber pipe and clip something to sit behind.
Remove the original steel clamps along the chassis and fit the plastic clips by using self drilling and tapping screws (Tekscrews) and unroll some of the pipe, form the end to the shape you require, roughly by hand, then once shaped fit into the clips and secure, connect to the rubber pipe at the fuel tank end.
Feed the pipe up to the fuel filter, replacing clips as you need to with the plastic clips, cut off and flare this end and connect to the fuel filter flexible hose.
Repeat for the return hose, replacing a 6mm return with an 8mm return is fine.
Many thanks
Hello Assassin,
Thank you for going into this in detail.
There are two reasons why I don't think I can do it it this way - one, that such a job is beyond my experience.
Two, perhaps more importantly and I should have mentioned before is that I want to attempt to export this vehicle to France. To stand a chance of this working out and passing their equivalent of the MOT which is quite strict, it is important that no part of it looks modified or non-standard.
My metal-fabrication friend (who I mentioned in the original post) would not have a problem bending other types of metal pipes. The problem here is that we do not have a ramp (and he therefore just doesn't want to do it)
So for now, I am still looking for someone who can, to some reasonable degree, do a "restoration" job for me. Or else find the original part which the garage would be prepared to fit.
Thanks again for your reply, it may yet become the plan B.
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
Fuel pipes
ever thought about using Flexible Nylon Tubing available in all different sizes.
Hi Eagle1, Thank-you, I will
Hi Eagle1,
Thank-you, I will indeed think about that! It sounds easier.
However, as you will see from other replies and my clarifications about what I want to do (and my own complete lack of mechanic skills), I am for now looking for someone who can do it for me *and* make it as much as possible like the original so that I can export it to France.
All the best,
P
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
Brake Pipe replacement
Forget Original, things sometimes move on... I have myself replaced fuel lines in the past with the hard plastic / nylon piping, it's easy, it bends where you want it to, it will not rust and will outlive the truck........Any mechanic worth his salt should be able to do the job for you, and as for exporting it to France, why sell it to them, advertise it here in the UK , you might get just as good a price for it here, you do know that the French don't like us anyway so there's a good chance they will try to knock you down on Price..... and whats the euro worth.? You'll only lose out on the exchange rate. These old leaf Sprung trucks have a good following and if you get a good one were better built than the later ones....I have one myself, It's my JAP Land Rover far better than the series 3 UK equivalent.!..............Anyway it's up to you but I would opt for the easy and simple Fix.
Exporting
I get the impression that our friend is moving to France and wants to take the vehicle with him, so thats exporting it whilst retaining ownership, rather than selling it overseas.
Keeping not selling in France
Thanks Eagle1,
You make a good case and got me thinking. The nylon pipes sound easy and great.
I should point out: I want to take it to France to keep, not to sell. I spend some time there and it was or seemed so far an economical way to buy a 4x4 for use there.
This is why I deliberately jumped at a left hand drive one on EBay.
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
fuel hoses and mot issues
You may not be able to do the job yourself, but any reasonably competent garage should be able to to the job as has been described and mount the pipes back in their original clips. A good spray of Black underseal , (Shutz it's called in the trade) and the job should look as if it was the original pipes and if it looks pretty original the MOT guy is unlikely to pry too far. If it's going to France then you'll need to think about right dipping headlights too, I believe they can get quite funny over those and you would need to change the rear fog light over to the left hand side too.
Back to the garage
Thanks Steve,
I am going to the garage today and this thread has been just great for giving me some ideas with which to hopefully persuade them to do it. Either them or my pal.
Both are really good, I guess they just don't relish this job, it does sound a fiddle. But I don't think nylon pipes had occurred to anyone though.
Thank-you for the tips about lights. It was actually sold to me with a spare set of left handed ( as it were) headlights because the last owner had planned to export to Italy.
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
No legal with replacing steel
No legal with replacing steel fuel pipes with copper as EU legislation regarding this is standard across all EU zone countries, will be some with using nylon though as its not approved for a vehicle of your age.
Steel, copper, nylon pipes
Hi Assassin,
Thank-you for this. Excuse me, I am not 100% clear what you mean.
Do you mean copper is permitted but there may be legal issues with nylon?
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine
Going ahead with nylon pipes.
Hi there,
Thanks again for all your suggestions!
My garage will replace my fuel pipes with the nylon type.
As they have never done this before, could anyone recommend a type / source of nylon fuel pipe.
Also, any tips about fitting and terminating from someone who has done this job?
Best wishes,
SF
Diahatsu Rocky
F85LV-B
1986
3Y petrol engine