[T3] Oetiker clamps?

[Jim Adney]

On 13 May 2017 at 9:28, Daniel Nohejl wrote:

> Here´s a link to what happened with the OG filler hose.
> 
> https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1642368 

I have a couple of good used OE hoses here that are still perfect inside. 
They are 2-3 years newer than your original.... I think these last forever, 
unless someone screws them up.

> The new filler hose, sold by a place that specializes in Ghia and
> Beetle parts (this hose was sold as being suitable for Ghia and Type
> 3) , was about 1/2" too long and had to be trimmed down. It also has a
> slightly narrower ID than the original hose and despite using contact
> cement to secure the rubber bands in place there was absolutely no way
> to get the hose on without peeling the rubber bands up and having them
> bunch up at the ends of the hose. It has been leak free without
> the?rubber bands for more than 2 months. ITMm sure that will come to an
> end, but weTMll probably just deal with it again when that happens. 

Getting the hose in place, over the sealing rubber bands is a really hard job. 
I suspect that at the factory, they preglued the sealing bands onto the tank 
and filler pipe, and installed the hose onto the tank. Then they installed the 
tank, with hose, into the car. Finally, they installed the filler pipe, pushing it 
straight in with the outer fender not yet installed. That would probably make 
this job easy.

Yes, I've managed to do this job, but it's a real bear to get everything in there 
without disturbing the seals. If your replacement was not an OE part, that 
might be impossible.

> For hose everywhere else, I´m using 5/16" from Gates and I´ve always
> used smooth clamps like these: 
> 
> http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/16046/10002/-1 

That's a reasonable price for a pack of 10.

> I´ve had mixed luck with clamps though. The best I´ve used were from
> Advance Auto Parts. The ones I linked to above seemed slightly larger
> than any other I´ve bought and required a lot of cranking on the
> screwdriver to get them to snug up. But aren´t they all probably made
> in the same factory somewhere? 

The problem may be that 5/16 hoses from different makers are not all the 
same OD. Thus there are probably a variety of sizes available behind the 
scenes, and probably made by lots of different places.

> What are the plastic snap clamps you referred to? 

Look here:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-hose-clamps/=17mgfwo

Then scroll down to "Easy-Install Snap-Grip..." near the bottom, and click on 
that. Note that the double snap-grip ones have wider temp ratings, 
appropriate for use around the engine, but I've used the plain ones 
everywhere without problems.

> With all the different brands of 5/16" hose I´ve used, I´ve found
> clamps to be essential even where there are bulges like at either end
> of the injector rails, the fuel pressure regulator, etc. I seem to
> remember you saying before that clamps there are almost redundant but
> I´ve always had leaks at those places unless I had tight clamps in
> place. WhatTMs your secret, Ji?? 

I've never done long term testing without clamps. Just seems too dangerous. 
But I've found that my pressure gauge hose seals fine without a clamp, for 
stationary or short drive tests. I suspect that the important criterium is 
whether there's sufficient "tension" between the OD of the pipe and the ID of 
the hose when just pushed on. For most of my life I've used the same hoses 
that you've tried, but for the last 3-5 years I have a hose with a slightly 
smaller ID and OD, which seals better, takes slightly smaller clamps, and 
has a slightly smaller min. bend radius. That's an adjustment I've had to 
make, but it's worked out fine.

Yes, I've had occasional leaks, but those have been mostly at the 
connections to the long straigth tubes on the pressure side. That's where the 
plastic snap clamps have come to the rescue.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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