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Topic: Fuel line replacement (Read 1327 times) previous topic - next topic

Fuel line replacement

Is there info on replacing fuel lines on 1998 36' u295  It looks like a 2 man job
Leonard and Sherry Casteen                             
1998 u295 36'   
Build # 5257                     
2001 Jeep Cherokee                                             
Springdale SC                                       
Australian Labradoodle    Ginny

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #1 –
2 people can do it. Pull the fuel tank, all the ceiling bay covers and go for it. Generator Lines are the hardest.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #3 –
Did the job by my self but two people would be nice.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #4 –
One person? Sure. But what is your skill level. Handling the fuel tank is a pain. Equally important is do you have space to do it? So lots of factors. You will need to be able to manage fuel you remove from the tank too. Those like Peter are skilled craftsmen that have done this their entire life and do it without even giving it much thought. Just what they do. Pulling the new lines in with the old helps a lot. Routing the lines correctly when reinstalling the fuel tank is difficult. Good luck, and keep us posted preferably with pictures too. Glad that's behind me!

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #5 –
May be better now - it took me weeks to get all of the supplies.

Did it myself.  I added a fuel cooler.  I could not use the existing routing to the generator, so I ran the new lines in conduit.

I can't really think of much that a second person would add.  It is a filthy job - plan on throwing your clothes out at the end of the day.
Matt B
1998 u-320

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #6 –
Does your 295 have a A/H unit?  If not then fuel line replacement is a lot easier. One can do the job but a gopher really helps when you are in the bowls of the beast.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #7 –
I have done them by myself and on a couple had a helper. It worked both ways and probably quicker with a helper, especially when pulling the lines they could guide them in to keep from binding. I bought a pump, 12 volt and depending how much fuel some 55 gallon barrels. And like was pointed out very dirty job.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #8 –
Quote from: red tractor –
And like was pointed out very dirty job.
Kinda had forgot about that. My coach has silt everywhere. Dirty job for sure. I also sealed the forward and aft bulkhead pass thru holes with stainless steel wool to slow down the critter getting in there. Leave the finish time open because you'll find other stuff that will need attention and that's the time to do it.

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #9 –
I have been following this thread and have read all that I could find in the archives on the subject of replacing the fuel lines. Thanks to all the ones who documented their experience especially the ones who posted pictures. In my 99 U320 40' My generator will not run without having a separate fuel source with hose going to the fuel pump and my Aqua hot looses it's prime if I do not run it every other day.  I have taken the cover off the passenger side fuel tank but am confused About removing the  drivers side fuel tank cover. The side wall extends downward to bottom side of the top battery tray. It does have triangular shaped cutouts but screws are not very accessible.  Has anybody had the folks in Nacogdoches  replace their fuel lines and if so how much and how long did it take?  Most of you who have been through the process, how long did it take you? 
Daniel & Sandy
1999 U320 40'
Build # 5573
WTFS 4010
Piper PA 24-260B

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #10 –
I have done several so I kind of have some short cuts and what needs to be done in what order. For me I can do a 320 in 4 days and not kill myself, another half day if something comes up out of the ordinary. With all the A/H hoses running to the rear a helper is almost a must to get the fuel hoses pulled out and back in.

Mike

Well I just reread your post and with the sidewall support frame it will take another day to work around that and the problems it brings to the job.
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #11 –
Did you change any of the aquahot fluid hoses?
Daniel & Sandy
1999 U320 40'
Build # 5573
WTFS 4010
Piper PA 24-260B

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Ndnflyr –
Did you change any of the aquahot fluid hoses?

Yes, if I'm spending time to change the engine fuel lines then the generator and A/H are getting swapped out also. There isn't much to changing those as they are short pulls.  The hardest thing depends on where the hoses are located in the tank. Some coaches you can access the fittings with the tank in place, some coaches the hoses have to be disconnected as you pull the tank.

Mike

Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Ndnflyr –
  Has anybody had the folks in Nacogdoches  replace their fuel lines and if so how much and how long did it take?  Most of you who have been through the process, how long did it take you?

Realmccoy had it done at Foretravel.  They told him is was going to take longer then a day, but they finished the same day.  I believe he posted about it on foreforums.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #14 –
I have done several with the slide out and that means that the tank can only go out the passenger side. Lots of fun putting the tank back in without kinking the lines. The aqua hot lines run to the front left bay where the fuel filter is located. You can do it probably 14-15 hours actual time pulling the tank and the lines, not counting the time to prep for the job, like getting the lines, pump and barrels and fittings to hook the new lines to the old lines which I used to pull the new lines with. Probably total time 18 to 20 hours.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #15 –
Call Foretravel and they will give you an estimate. They have all the fittings, supplies, and equipment for transferring the fuel plus a team of guys to work on it. Can you do it by yourself? Mostly but much easier with two. Just the research and gathering of materials will take time. As a full timer with osteoarthritis in my hands and limited movement in my neck it was possible that my chiropractic bills and physical rehab would exceed their labor cost. They did it in under a day, it would have taken me a week to two weeks if you include gathering materials, tools, etc. Just closing up the cover hiding all those wires and hoses takes an octopus and will use up your monthly allotment of cussing if you remove it.  On the other hand, you might clean out an old mouse nest or two for bonus points.

There is a certain satisfaction in doing it yourself if you have the time, a place to do it, the skills, strength, flexibility, and patience. Upon honest reflection, I lacked a couple of those and could plan a trip to FOT.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #16 –
Thank you for your informative reply. Fortunately I am mechanical , have a place to do it,  and do not depend on it for my home. Unfortunately I am getting old and have less ambition, strength, and desire and have a slide to deal with. I can see getting bogged down and there it sits in the middle of the hangar. I see my self as the month guy! 2 years ago I did the airbags in a day thanks to Elliott's generosity with his tools. The slide mechanism went on for a month before it was back together.  I will give the mother ship a call for estimate and am hoping to be pleasantly surprised!
Daniel & Sandy
1999 U320 40'
Build # 5573
WTFS 4010
Piper PA 24-260B

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #17 –
I did mine solo....Pulling the tanks was a nightmare on mine but eventually got it out. I do have a tractor to aid in pushing/pulling lifting.

Some tips.
Long Metal barbed fittings in all the line sizes to aid in the pulling in of the new
Spool of heavy nylon thread, use in unison with the barbs, in case things get tough and you pull the barb out. I actually left a few sections of thread in place for any future pulls.
IF your still running an OE lift pump and have ever given though to doing a FASS or AIRDOG fuel system upgrade, now is the time to do it.
Get fuel tank as low as possible before doing this. If you can get a diesel transfer pump, I used 30 Gallon trash cans with 55 Gallon heavy trash bags to store my diesel in until job was over, then put the fuel back in the tank. Last few gallons come out the plug on the bottom of the tank.
Plug MUST be out to remove the tank.
Mike in AL
2001 U295
8.3 ISC 350
Build 5918

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #18 –
I use braided vinyl sleeving to install everything from wires to fuel lines. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=braided+vinyl+sleeve&crid=1A2JJWRS2Z4LW&sprefix=braided+vinyl+sleeve%2Caps%2C375&ref=nb_sb_noss You can pull long distances without a problem. I pulled an HDMI cable from the front console to the rear by myself where it wound around body parts but was EZ with the sleeving. Best if it's the same size or slightly smaller as you can expand it as you install it on the cable, hose, etc. It even expands over fittings as the end of hoses.

It also protects against chafing and rodents. Use shrink tubing over the ends to make it neat. It stiffens whatever it's over and makes it super slick.

Replacing fuel lines from the tank to the side generator is super simple using a long steel brake line, the braided sleeving, and a crow's foot for the tank fittings, all without even sliding the generator out. 

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #19 –
Quote from: mkc1962 –
I used 30 Gallon trash cans with 55 Gallon heavy trash bags to store my diesel in until job was over, then put the fuel back in the tank.

I can see if I did this I would probably win American Funniest Videos.

It's a neet idea.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #20 –
Drained and pulled the fuel tank , pulled all the covers in the bays( could have never pulled them through on mine). Replace all the  lines ( fuel cooler feed and return) . 2 of us 2 days
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #21 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
I use braided vinyl sleeving to install everything from wires to fuel lines. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=braided+vinyl+sleeve&crid=1A2JJWRS2Z4LW&sprefix=braided+vinyl+sleeve%2Caps%2C375&ref=nb_sb_noss You can pull long distances without a problem. I pulled an HDMI cable from the front console to the rear by myself where it wound around body parts but was EZ with the sleeving. Best if it's the same size or slightly smaller as you can expand it as you install it on the cable, hose, etc. It even expands over fittings as the end of hoses.

It also protects against chafing and rodents. Use shrink tubing over the ends to make it neat. It stiffens whatever it's over and makes it super slick.

Replacing fuel lines from the tank to the side generator is super simple using a long steel brake line, the braided sleeving, and a crow's foot for the tank fittings, all without even sliding the generator out. 

Pierce

Hello Pierce

I'm trying to picture this...

Did you put the fuel line inside the Braided Vinyl Sleeve before or after pulling it into position?

What diameter Braided sleeve did you use?

Thanks!

David
David Shores
2002 U320 Model 3620, Build 5985
TOAD:  2024 GMC Sierra 1500
Motorcade 19200

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #22 –
"Unfortunately I am getting old and have less ambition, strength, and desire..."

Amen!
Kevin & Nancy
Okawville, IL
1999 U320 WTFE 40'
Build #5498
Motorcade #19092
2020 Jeep Gladiator

"The harder I work, the luckier I get."

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #23 –
Quote from: Shave Dores –
Hello Pierce
I'm trying to picture this...
Did you put the fuel line inside the Braided Vinyl Sleeve before or after pulling it into position?
What diameter Braided sleeve did you use?
Thanks!
David
David,

The fuel line is put inside the sleeve before you try to install it. It makes the whole thing slighltly less flexable and has a very low friction coefficient plus protecting against any sharp edges. Since it's available in several colors with different stripes, you can color code the hoses, etc.

The best way is to take a piece of hose and a little vinyl sleeve and experiment. I buy a rolls of different sizes  I like it the same size or smaller than the hose as you can expand it as you put it on as it makes a tight fit and the whole thing slides through passages, etc very easily. Takes about a 30 seconds to see what the whole process is. If a fitting is at the opposite end, I like to slide a piece of shrink tubing on first and then the sleeve. Then,  you can slide the sleeve inside the shrink tubing, heat the shrink tubing and you have a very neat package. Nice to have a pair of sharp small sizzors to trim any errant bits before sliding it inside the shrink tubing. It also works great for wires, either one or several in the same sleeve. Protects the wires against sharp edges.

You don't want the sleeve to have a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of what you are running through it.

We used high heat, fire resistive type in aircraft engine compartments. Not much more expensive.

So, go to NAPA and buy a little and try it. I use Ebay for rolls.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Fuel line replacement

Reply #24 –
Quote from: Ndnflyr –
I have been following this thread and have read all that I could find in the archives on the subject of replacing the fuel lines. Thanks to all the ones who documented their experience especially the ones who posted pictures. In my 99 U320 40' My generator will not run without having a separate fuel source with hose going to the fuel pump and my Aqua hot looses it's prime if I do not run it every other day.  I have taken the cover off the passenger side fuel tank but am confused About removing the  drivers side fuel tank cover. The side wall extends downward to bottom side of the top battery tray. It does have triangular shaped cutouts but screws are not very accessible. 

There's always the Jerry Whiteaker method for doing the generator fuel lines (one of my favorite photos ever posted on the forum):

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Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320