Chainsaw Repair

How To Basics - Carb Fixes + Mods - IPL and Service Manuals => How To Basics and Fixes => Topic started by: Peter Davies on February 19, 2013, 09:59:52 am

Title: fuel lines
Post by: Peter Davies on February 19, 2013, 09:59:52 am
I have just replaced the fuel lines in our old Jonsereds 111s; used plastic hose (green in this case) instead of the original black rubber(?) ones. This plastic hose is much stiffer and caused a problem; it would not allow the filter to fall into the gas when the saw was on its side for felling! The solution has been to use a longer length of hose, soak it in hot water and wind it into a "pig tail". This does allow the filter to follow the gas.
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: Al Smith on February 19, 2013, 10:12:14 am
If you use most plastic tubing which is not actual fuel line it will work but shortly becomes stiff as a board .I've done it myself but it's not the best plan .

I fiddley farted around with Tygon which is fuel line on a 2100 Husqvarna .After I set the damned thing on fire from using stiff plastic .It worked but I finally gave up ,ponyed up the 20 bucks for an original molded line which I should done to begin with rather than play my usual tight wad self . I spent more time trying to save a buck than it was worth .

If you can find the correct sized buna-n type fuel line I think it would work better than platic fuel line.It will stay limber .
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: aclarke on February 19, 2013, 01:29:54 pm
The vinyl tubing sucks. Takes a set and causes issues.   As Al said Tygon works but the reg Buna-n is hard to beat for gasoline
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: Al Smith on February 19, 2013, 02:48:29 pm
I've never had much luck in finding small enough lines to use on a chainsaw .I have used a hodge podge collection of old vacuum lines I saved off of junked out cars .I can't tell buna from rubber .The only way I ever knew if it would hold up it wqs to toss a chunk in a can of gas for couple of days .If it was buna n it would be okay ,if not if it became mush .

I'm sure you could probabley find it if you wanted to spend a couple hours in google land .
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: Peter Davies on February 19, 2013, 07:54:15 pm
Thanks guys! The green plastic tube is sold as fuel line by my local agricultural equipment supplier. I would agree that the black buna-n would be best. It is designed to withstand the aromatics in gasolene. I think that finding the right size is the problem. This plastic stuff has changed color (gone pale) in less than a week and swelled by over 10% That means that the fittings I struggled to fit, just about fell off the line!
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: dynodave on March 01, 2013, 03:38:27 pm
Tygon is a generic family of plastics. The only tygon I use is formula 4040. It is specifically fuel resistant line. I get it 10 feet at a time from McMaster Carr. I understand there is a second formula, but I'm not familiar with it. I have 3 sizes for motorcycles, OPE like garden tractors, and 2 sizes for chainsaws. Holds up well to E-10.
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: 660magnum on March 01, 2013, 04:22:04 pm
For several years I have just been going up to the local surplus store  (it's a large place and we call it the "Mall") and buying Tygon in what ever size I needed. I keep it on hand for when ever I need it. I have never had any trouble with this Tygon unless it was several years old. After reading your post, I got a piece out and found the number . . .  It is Tygon F-4040 just like you said.

There's a couple other members of this site that live close to me that get their Tygon at the same place.

I notice that the hardware store down the street carries clear vinyl tubing in the usual sizes but I have never used it for I figured it would get stiff quickly?
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: Cut4fun . on March 01, 2013, 04:29:36 pm
Jim that dolmar echo dealer we both know put some kind of very (cant come up with choice word) grey fuel line in a poulan I worked on. Wrong size and all but it was very bendable and slick actually ( slide off easy and fuel filter slipped out easily too) etc.  I told the owner of saw I left it in and made the ends fit tight so I could see what this grey line did with ethanol gas.

(http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g289/doemaster789/2002envoy/36cccraftsman505dawgs001.jpg)
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: Cut4fun . on March 01, 2013, 04:32:28 pm

I notice that the hardware store down the street carries clear vinyl tubing in the usual sizes but I have never used it for I figured it would get stiff quickly?

I tried that stuff when I 1st started repairing saws etc.  Lasted about 1 year or less and had to go through and redo all the saws I did with the clear vinyl crap. Got stiff as a board.
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: 660magnum on March 01, 2013, 04:53:42 pm
You will find that the gray is Viton but what I've seen from McMaster Carr is a little darker in color.
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: 660magnum on March 01, 2013, 05:01:22 pm
60 years ago all we could get was that clear junk. I had to replace it every year.

I don't know just when Tygon came out but it is pretty nice.

Like was said in a previous post, there are different versions of Tygon and some is the same as that clear junk we don't like.

At work we had all sizes that was called Tygon but it was the clear junk. It work fine for what we were using it for.
Title: Re: fuel lines
Post by: 660magnum on March 01, 2013, 05:04:36 pm
I was at that Dolmar place this morning and bought a full 100' roll of #5-1/2 Dacron/Polyester double braid starter cord for the big saws for $20.