Series 2 Fuel T

Pascal please read Stew's comments on little parts of rubber.

George Camp

George: Now that its all back together as it left the factory I have to say I'm not at all worried about the system. With my other LBC's I have experienced a lot of flooding only to find little pieces of rubber in the float bowls. They hang up in the jet and cause flooding at the most inopportune times and the rubber also deteriorates quicker than I'd like.
Thanks to everyone who helped solve my problem. Hot water was the answer to the T just like it was for the fuel line which I think is actually made of clear polyethylene and comes in different grades; some soft grades melt in hot water and some stiff grades won't slide on even after boiling in the water, a medium grade is what's required, kind of like porage.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

I knew you'd say that... I know... if it ain't broke don't fix it... true I guess. Not sure about XK engine but on the V12 there is enough space to slide the tee and one of the little piece of hose to take out gently.

Pascal Gademer
72 E-type 2+2

Gee Pascal I guess the 300k I put on my coupe and the fuel lines was a fluke? The origional (not repro) lines that were used do not decompose as does rubber. They also do not send little bits into the carbs. In normal work if they are removed and not just bent out of the way they will ladt forever. In my three "E"s and my Mk 2 all have "origional" fuel line and they will probably outlive me. This is one case where you are just wrong. The problem with the tees is that you have to pull both carbs to get the "T" off or it will crack with age. What I think you are talking about is folks who purchase clear or white line that is not rated for fuel. It does not last. Origional fuel line is perfect!!!

George Camp

Point well taken, Pascal. When I get my "new" car, that's one of the things I'll be looking at. As you know, I drive my cars, like you do, and opt for reliability over originality in most instances.

Steve Weinstein, JTC-NJ
'72 E-type 2+2
'70 XKE FHC (awaiting pickup this Sat.)

I know originality is probably a big concern in this particualr case but I wouldn't drive my car with these nylon Tees and clear hoses... in case of a minor leak and the start of a fire, I think the fire would go thru them before you can even get the bonnet up to put the fire out.

The steel tees and fuel hose are an imporvement. I've upgraded mine with marine hose which following Coast Guard regulation is fire retardant. In case of a fire (broken clamp, stuck flaot...), it is supposed to withstand flames much longer.

but again, in my originaility takes a back seat to reliability... :-)

Pascal Gademer
72 E-type 2+2

Stew,

The metal T in the background in your picture is just like the ones used in the Ser. III cars, on both sides, between the carbs (4 carbs on the V-12 engine, 2 on each side). They connect to the carbs with short pieces of fuel hose, just as you show, with clamps of course. I've seen many Ser. III cars where those short pieces of hose have been ignored for years and leak, sometime profusely. A bit of a PITA to change them, but well worth avoiding an engine fire.

Steve Weinstein, JTC-NJ
'72 E-type 2+2
'70 XKE FHC (awaiting pickup this weekend)

George: Just got Jerry's picture, he had to twist and turn to get this one. It does show one clamp, identical to the ones that I've used, on the vertical leg of the T. IPL 5/2 only lists two clamps (clips) on page 22, presumably for the horizonal legs. So the vertical clamp is suspect (politically correct for wrong). Does your original S1.5 IPL list the T (Part No. C.28915) for the S1.5's?
Thanks
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George:
Here's another picture of the clamps. The old T is on its way to the dump. Forgot to mention it was split on the right rear side too. You'd never see it there. I saw it when I took it off. Do these clamps look right to you, I think they're what you described. Car is running fine know, took it out after installing the new T. Nice to have full throttle for a change.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George:
I guess I can only upload one picture at a time; here's the close up of the clamps. When I took that cracked tee off, I found it had split on the rear right side too, same length as front left side; you'd never see it there. That tee's on it way to the dump now. Took the car out for a short run after putting the new tee on - its running better than ever with full throttle for a change.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George:
I guess I can only upload one picture at a time; here's the close up of the clamps. When I took that cracked tee off, I found it had split on the rear right side too, same length as front left side; you'd never see it there. That tee's on it way to the dump now. Took the car out for a short run after putting the new tee on - its running better than ever with full throttle for a change.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George:
I guess I can only post one picture at a time here's the fuel tee clamps.
Thanks.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George:
I guess I can only post one picture at a time here's the fuel tee clamps.
Thanks.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George and Jeff:
Thanks, I just finished putting the NOS tee back on after soaking it in boiling water for 5 minutes. I steel wooled the tubes (I had bead blasted them with the bodies) and put a little synthetic grease on them. It worked great. I've uploaded some pictures. The T in the background is the one I mistakenly thought was correct; it came of a 69+/- XJ6. I've tried to get better shots of the clamps for you George, they are very similar to the ones I think your describing; take a look and tell me if they're right or not.

George, I didn't get your e-mail but thanks anyway. I just came back from the ABFM at VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver BC. There was a 70 FHC E-type, variation 3, with the same nylon tee but no clamps. Jerry Luidahl had his digital and took some pictures of it. I'll get copies when he gets back tomorrow.
Thanks again.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Here's the first picture the next picture will show clamps.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Here's the first picture the next picture will show clamps.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Here's the first picture, second one coming next.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Here's the first picture, second one coming next.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George and Jeff:
Thanks, I just finished putting the NOS tee back on after soaking it in boiling water for 5 minutes. I steel wooled the tubes (I had bead blasted them with the bodies) and put a little synthetic grease on them. It worked great. I've uploaded some pictures. The T in the background is the one I mistakenly thought was correct; it came of a 69+/- XJ6. I've tried to get better shots of the clamps for you George, they are very similar to the ones I think your describing; take a look and tell me if they're right or not.

George, I didn't get your e-mail but thanks anyway. I just came back from the ABFM at VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver BC. There was a 70 FHC E-type, variation 3, with the same nylon tee but no clamps. Jerry Luidahl had his digital and took some pictures of it. I'll get copies when he gets back tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

George and Jeff:
Thanks, I just finished putting the NOS tee back on after soaking it in boiling water for 5 minutes. I steel wooled the tubes (I had bead blasted them with the bodies) and put a little synthetic grease on them. It worked great. I've uploaded some pictures. The T in the background is the one I mistakenly thought was correct; it came of a 69+/- XJ6. I've tried to get better shots of the clamps for you George, they are very similar to the ones I think your describing; take a look and tell me if they're right or not.

George, I didn't get your e-mail but thanks anyway. I just came back from the ABFM at VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver BC. There was a 70 FHC E-type, variation 3, with the same nylon tee but no clamps. Jerry Luidahl had his digital and took some pictures of it. I'll get copies when he gets back tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Place in hot water to soften up for a few minutes, works every time.

Stew- did you not get my mail? Heat it in water and it will do fine- do not drill or modify. If it is cracked you must get another one as this will continue to split. The picture is of a correct setup with the exception of the clamps. They should be very small versions of the vac. or brake feed clamps.
George Camp

Shame on both of you!!

Patrick McLoad
1966 E-Type, Right-hand Drive Roadster
#1E1445, 2002 C5 National Champ
SERIES 1

Stew, I'm sorry but I am still low tech since I do not have a digital camera. If I can borrow one from a friend I will see what I can do. The Tee on mine is all plastic it is flared down to the size of metal inlet tubes into each Stromberg carb. Inboard of each flare it has 2 beads. From the fuel filter into the tee is the clear opaque tubing I have seen on most E-Types with no clamp. Out of the tee to each carb is the same type tubing over the beads on the tee and clamped down on each metal tube going into the carbs. The clamps appear simular to the ones in your picture. At the intersection of the tee it says "TS 8" . Hope this helps. Can we pick on the "big mouth" series III's next?

Stew,

I will shortly become familiar with this situation, as I just bought a 1970 FHC. On the Ser. III cars, the connection for the fuel line to the 2 ZS's on each side is made with a brass T and fuel hose, with clamps. Having seen many of these with old fuel line, leaking, I can say that not only is the nylon T in your picture a potential hazard, alternate setups with flexible fuel line can be as well if not properly maintained.

At a recent outings, one of our members with a Ser. III car was complaining about fuel odor from his engine. A quick inspection showed leaks from virtually every connection. A few turns of the screwdriver later, no more leaks and no more smell. Fortunate for him it hadn't ended in a fire.

Steve Weinstein, JTC-NJ
JCNA Slalom Committee Chairman
JTC Slalom Chair
'72 E-type 2+2
'70 XKE FHC (soon to arrive)

David: Can you furnish a picture of your fuel T? I'm certain the one I have on my S2 is now correct. But I'd still like to see what was supplied on the S1.5. I'll try to get the pictures I promised up tomorrow night. Wife had to use machine all evening:-(
Its those vertical directional lights they stole from the saloons, turned horzontal, bent to fit, then mounted too close to the chrome bumpers that make the S1 so ugly. Let's remember, it was the press that told the world how beautiful the S1's were, and everybody fell in line - who believes what the press says today? And thank goodness for the S1.5's without them we wouldn't have the superior S2's with the directional/stop lights under the bumpers where they always should have been.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

On my 68 1.5 my T-fitting does not look at all like this one. It is all plastic and the clamps on it appear to say "CANADA TRITON ALL STAINLESS". I am not at all sure if this is the original set up but it also looks like it would be very difficult to replace as the tubing is very stiff from age. Just to keep the argument going I will add here that the 1.5's look the best since they don't have those terribly ugly (kidding) headlight covers or the oversize tail lights. The heck with streamlining or safety.

Patrick: The T material is rather soft when new. You can indent it with your fingernail with slight presure. It reportedly gets brittle with age.
If its nylon, its not like the nylon auto parts that I'm familiar with - those are harder and less flexible, but perhaps more ductile (I'm thinking of nylon washers and gears that I've seen and felt over the years - those don't yellow like these T's do).
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

Judging from the size of the little clamps and the hardness of the T material, you'd think they would have little, if any, chance of actually clamping and sealing around the tubing.

Patrick McLoad
1966 E-Type, Right-hand Drive Roadster
#1E1445

Patrick: Thanks for your response. The T is not very flexible and gets brittle with age. Both carbs must be removed in order to remove the tee without breaking it. Most S2's are missing this part. A combination of a hard to get part and a part that's a pain to work with. The bottom metal tube is cast into the "nylon" (I'm not sure if this material is in fact nylon but some refer to the part as the "nylon T") so this is not part of the problem. You remove the T from the bottom by unwrenching the two nuts; there's an acorn (compression fitting) inside over the cast-in-place verticle tube. The clamps are unique and I'm very fortunate to have found them in a junk yard attached to a shaterred "T", I believe them to be original as IPL 5/2 lists an unique # for this part. There is no mfg's. name on the clamps. I will try to post a better picture of the clamp tonight. A knowledgible S2 judge claims he never deducts for this T if found missing, so long as there is a neatly installed substitute, as he feels there is a safty issue with the original T. The fuel T on the S1 XJ6 of the same era is different, using short rubber hoses with crimped clamps; it will come off without taking both carbs off first. Will try to post picture of it tonight. Thanks again.
Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's

By the way, I've never seen little clamps like that on the T. Are they Jubilee or Cheney (or Hi-Lo Auto)?

Patrick McLoad
1966 E-Type, Right-hand Drive Roadster
#1E1445

Interesting dilemma. I'm a Series-1 guy, (so what do I know). I assume the T is not very flexile given its short length. You're fortunate to at least have clamps on both ends. If it were mine, I would definitely either drill, ream or file out the material in the tee, up to the point of a tight slip fit over the pipes. I would then use a small film of clear silicon sealer just to be sure it doesn't leak when the clamps are tightened. If the T is not flexible enough to be bent and placed with the carbs in place, it looks as though you'll need to loosen one carb, slip the tubing over the fitting, then re-install the carb.

In regards to the single center connection, it looks as though it should be done first. If it's really difficult or near impossible to slip this on, I'd try some heat from a heat gun...I don't think a hair dryer will get hot enough, but you can try. Don't get the nylon melting hot; just enough for it to expand over the fitting. And shove it on quickly since the tubing will want to cool it. Use WD-40 on the tubing before shoving it on. Since, you don't have a clamp on this fitting; you should not file or remove any of the nylon material.

But above all...have two or three spares around because the chances are good that you'll mess up the first (or it will split again).

Good Luck!

Patrick McLoad
1966 E-Type, Right-hand Drive Roadster

Forgot to point out the split is on the left side and I thought I was being careful - didn't even think about using a hammer. Used silicon spray lube though.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's