Tom,
About three or four days after putting Unleaded Mogas into my XS ready for
the first start-up of the motor, there was a strong smell of fuel which got
steadily worse. I checked and tightened EVERY connection on the entire
system without finding the cause but eventually found that after grasping
the filler-hose, my hand stank of the stuff!
I spoke to Andy at the Yorkshire factory and, though he said he hadn't come
across this problem in the past, he agreed to send me a new hose. This was
identical to the original and had to be shortened by about 2 inches. After
fitting the new hose, I cut the surplus into two 1 inch bits, one of which I
immersed in Mogas. Within 36 hours the wet one had increased from 50mm ID
to 60mm ID which, I think, shows it was NOT fuel proof?
Within a further day or so the cockpit stank to such an extent that David,
my test pilot, refused to fly the thing!
Fortunately, the fuel-filler pipe for the Classic has the same ID and also
has a 45degree bend in it. Andy very kindly agreed to cut a spare hose for
me and since fitting this there is no smell at all.
I seem to recall that 3 or 4 years ago there was a similar problem with the
early filler pipes and replacements were issued, these having a fabric outer
layer. My new pipe is of this type.
Hope this helps,
Regards, Ron Jones.
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