Fueling & Injection - Russell hardline Alu leak ?

Ive a 1/2 red anodised hardline tube from rear to front of car.

Now fair enough it has been installed for say 4-5 years now, but in that time, twice it has sprung leaks.
Is this normal ??

Im not talking at fittings....Im talking in the middle of a run. The first time I thought it may have been from some form of impact damage, as the leak was sprung very close to where the brake caliper may touch occasionally if I'm removing the rear axles etc and the caliper isnt bolted up.
Although oddly...the leak was almost directly under a rubber coated P clip.

I replaced that section with new hardline.

Now a year or two on, Ive discovered another leak. Absolutely no chance of impact damage, and once again a microscopic pinhole...almost directly under a rubber coated P clip.


WTF ???

Both leaks are in the rear wheel well area, and there is no sign of impact damage to the tubing at all. You cant even see the hole, but you can see the fuel coming out soaking everything.

Am I just unlucky, or is this stuff not too great ?

The reason I do not like aluminum line is that it will work harden, meaning it gets brittle from making it flex. I have seen the line crack where it is subject to vibration, where it runs too long of a distance unsupported, or where fastened to the car as the stress is concentrated in this area.

Also there is a thicker tubing for EFI applications. Many are intended for carbureted applications which is thinner & may not hold up to EFI pressures.

The reason I do not like aluminum line is that it will work harden, meaning it gets brittle from making it flex. I have seen the line crack where it is subject to vibration, where it runs too long of a distance unsupported, or where fastened to the car as the stress is concentrated in this area.

Also there is a thicker tubing for EFI applications. Many are intended for carbureted applications which is thinner & may not hold up to EFI pressures.

X2...
It would be interesting to see what the wall thickness variations are, in a piece of failed tube.
It would also be good to look at possible corrosion of the inner wall.
We use stainless.

It'd be whatever their std hardline tubing is ?? No idea of wall thickness, but it certainly isnt paper thin.

Its well supported, every 12-14" at most, and not subject to anything that should cause harm. Pipe was shaped before supports added, so it isnt pulled or twisted at all.
It's only ever been used with pump gas, so dont see how it would corrode from the inside.

When I remove this section, I'll try and get a pic. But it really is a minute pinhole.

I may eventually replace this section under the car with an alternative. Space is tight where it has to pass through, so 1/2" OD is a maximum. When I do...I'll shorten it and use some Pro-Lite 350 at each end for the bent parts, as the hardline is a nightmare to work with, and I hate stainless overbraid stuff.

The stuff that Jegs and Summit sells isn't rated for EFI. I did however find line from Speedway Motors that was rated for 250 psi. I haven't installed it yet, but it is noticeably thicker than the Jegs stuff.

update.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7481/russell2b.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/russell2b.jpg/) http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/russell2b.jpg/1/w743.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img25/russell2b.jpg/1/)

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4455/russell.jpg (http://img709.imageshack.us/i/russell.jpg/) http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/russell.jpg/1/w613.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img709/russell.jpg/1/)

Damn, is that corroded from the outside or a defect in the line?

Havent a clue. Its anodised, so corrosion shouldnt be an issue. Oddly though, it is pretty much where a rubber P clamp was situated.

Pretty much the same problem that occured a year or two ago on another section of the pipe.

Cant be arsed replacing it all just yet, but will do soon. Just replaced a couple of feet to repair it with Pro-lite 350 hose instead

Since they were in the wheelwell, could the damage possibly be from road debris being thrown against it? Sand can be rather abrasive and alum isnt the most durable

The location the wheel well is along the chassis leg. Nowhere near the outer boundary of the wheel, and away from any debris that could every be thrown at it. So the chances of such damage are virtually zero.
As to whether a very small piece of debris ended up within the rubber of the P clamp and this caused some kind of erosion, Ive no idea. Impossible to see. The pipes and clips were also covered with a protective wax to prevent rust on the chassis etc. After installing the lines/drilling any fixing holes etc. I plastered everything with this wax. Car's rust a lot here, even more so old ones like mine. Plus I didnt want stupid looking red/blue fuel lines visible anywhere. So a coating of black sorted that

IMO, it has to be related to the rubber P clamp in some way, just not sure how. As both times it has happened, same type of leak, either directly at a P-clamp, or literally right beside it.

Change to a different style clamp or use steel hardline