I was hoping to have put my new engine in my Mini this weekend for its "test run", but unfortunately there was a bunch of stuff which I totally forgot about before running the new engine.
One of the things which I wanted to do was to run the fuel lines inside the car, and to have a Facet electronic fuel pump in the boot replacing and removing the manual fuel pump since it probably won’t be quite man-enough to supply the fuel for the Weber. I managed to get the fuel lines done anyway, and I am quite pleased with how that went.
Gaz on the Mini club forum asked how I did it. Without being rude to him, but I honestly didn’t think it would need explaining. However, I answered his question and also decide to take some snaps and blog about it.
First of all, the fuel lines used in Mini’s (or most of them) are 5/16th inch diameter, or about 8mm. I managed to get my hands on a length of copper fuel pipe which was 8mm and decided on my fuel line route. I started at the back of the car in the boot and drilled a small hole through the metal rear seat into the cabin. I then cut another hole in the rear bench and began to feed the pipe through.
A few people have advised me to use a copper pipe bending tool, which I managed to borrow from someone. I tried using it, and it didn’t really work. So I just used my hands and firmly bended the pipe into the right places. My finished route was down the exhaust tunnel, along side the passenger footwell and up to the bulkhead.
All that’s needed now to finish the job is to get some small rubber grommets for the fuel pipe to run through to avoid any nasty rubbing on the sharp metal edges on the bulkhead and rear seat.
Watch this space for the instalment of my Facet fuel pump later this week. I hope.
portfolio
14 Feb 2007 at 8:11 pm
That looks good mate. The only thing that really worries me is the main power lead running right next to it.
Sparks and fuel don’t mix…
14 Feb 2007 at 9:54 pm
True, but the battery lead is very high quality and sealed. I’d say impossible to make a spark, surely?
Anyway, its like that below the car as standard…
16 Feb 2007 at 12:52 pm
An update on this actually – Like you said Collin it’s not the smartest move in having the fuel and battery cables running next to each other. I’ve got a plan on how to solve this and It’ll be posted up here soon
16 Feb 2007 at 2:11 pm
What changed your mind mate?
16 Feb 2007 at 2:41 pm
Just been thinking about what you said, I also asked on TMF and things. In case of a major accident it could be pretty serious. Plan is to move the Facet pump to the rear subframe (outside the cabin completely) move the battery itself to the rear bench. Fuel line will remain down the centre of the car, battery lead will run down the drivers side of the car.
16 Feb 2007 at 5:28 pm
Hey Daze,
I like how you have been using HDR in a practical way. It works well to show how it looks in real life.
Oh yeh and cool mini. Though I know sh*t all about cars!
16 Feb 2007 at 5:42 pm
Thanks! Yeh, I use HDR quite a bit on car photos to show all detail, even the bits that were once in shadow, if you know what I mean?
And thanks!
16 Feb 2007 at 5:45 pm
I wasn’t going to say anything, but as Adz has brought it up I will. While the first photo is fine, I think the second one doesn’t really work. It looks too sharp and overworked.
A simple unsharp mask in PS CS2 and bringing the colour saturation up will make it look much better. Well, IMHO!
16 Feb 2007 at 5:46 pm
Oh, hang on, It might be the flash that’s too harsh in that second pic.
16 Feb 2007 at 6:29 pm
Interesting you say that. The flash was direct and non-bounced, the first photo was bounced off the inside of the car making it less harsh. It wasn’t sharpened on photoshop, that’s just how sharp my lens is!