[jjb]

During installation of a new rebuilt SPICA, I am finding that the tubing from the pump to the injectors does not quite fit the holder brackets. This requires some force to get them in place. Will that hurt anything ?

Background: my car was missing all the brackets that hold the tubing. Since I was pulling the pump for rebuild, Wes recommended locating a set of the brackets, and also replacing the tubing itself since mine may have been vibration-fatigued running all those years with no support brackets.. Got it all from APE, but I have to use some prying to get the tubes into position and into the brackets. Is that Normal ?

note: I'm referring to the brackets that mount to the underside of the manifold and the one on the SPICA's own bracket that holds all four tubes.

Cheers,

Jeff

 

[conedriver]

Hi Jeff,

I sometimes need to force the original hard fuel lines into place after removal. However, no more than 1/8 in. or so. I suspect this results from tightening the ends before installing the brackets. As you know, the two center fittings on the pump must be tightened before installing the outer two, and this likely results in some misalignment. I have removed and re-installed the lines on my autocross Spider many times, and have seen no consequences of clamping slightly off-position fuel lines.

During installation of a new rebuilt SPICA, I am finding that the tubing from the pump to the injectors does not quite fit the holder brackets. This requires some force to get them in place. Will that hurt anything ?

Background: my car was missing all the brackets that hold the tubing. Since I was pulling the pump for rebuild, Wes recommended locating a set of the brackets, and also replacing the tubing itself since mine may have been vibration-fatigued running all those years with no support brackets.. Got it all from APE, but I have to use some prying to get the tubes into position and into the brackets. Is that Normal ?

note: I'm referring to the brackets that mount to the underside of the manifold and the one on the SPICA's own bracket that holds all four tubes.

Cheers,

Jeff

 

[Andrew]

The pipes suffer a lot of bending and the like over the years on assembly and disassembly, especially from non-Alfa-experts. So some misfit is common. I've gently bent pipes back into shape and fit them fine, but as George says, 35-year-old steel may start to get brittle if it's bent too many times back and forth. For minor adjustments I wouldn't worry about it. Major ones, maybe I'd look for another pipe and/or make sure your trying to fit the right pipe to the right cylinder, as they're each different.

Andrew

 

[144]

The fuel pipes can be bent gently. However, if they are kinked, they'll can break or form a stress crack. The problem with salvage fuel pipes is that if a gorilla that removed them from the salvage engine, he might not have been gentle about it. Go ahead and use a little force to gently bend them into the shape needed. The metal is kind of soft, but the walls are pretty thick. You'd be surprised at how small the inner diameter is if you cut a cross section of the pipe. And yes, each pipe is cylinder specific.

 

[jjb]

Thanks for the info all,

I'll be on it this weekend and hope to have it running by Sunday.

Cheers,

Jeff