Talk to me about Teflon fuel lines

H. Paul Shuch is a Light Sport Repairman with Maintenance ratings for airplanes, gliders, weight shift control, and powered parachutes, as well as an independent Rotax Maintenance Technician at the Heavy Maintenance level. He holds a PhD in Air Transportation Engineering from the University of California, and serves as Director of Maintenance for AvSport of Lock Haven.

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FastEddieB
Posts: 2880
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA

Talk to me about Teflon fuel lines

Post by FastEddieB »

I’m about to get started on my 5-year rubber parts replacement.

Fuel lines are straightforward enough I can do them myself, as I did last time. Planning to get help on the other rubber parts.

If you switch to Teflon fuel lines, the 5-year replacement requirement goes away, so it seems like a good option.

I have a friend with an RV12 who made the change. But it was a custom kit for an RV12, and was around $600, involving lots of custom fittings. Too rich for my taste just to avoid a few hours of work every 5 years.

His source: https://www.tsflightlines.com/home.html

Looks very slick on his plane, but again, that’s a lot of money.

Question: can one just buy Teflon lines and use stock fittings? I think I read that Teflon lines and barbed fittings don’t mix, so I’d have to track down how many of those I have and replace them with “bulb” fittings.

Or am I missing something fundamental here?
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
[email protected]
roger lee
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Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:47 am
Location: Tucson, Az. Ryan Airfield (KRYN)

Re: Talk to me about Teflon fuel lines

Post by roger lee »

"If you switch to Teflon fuel lines, the 5-year replacement requirement goes away, so it seems like a good option."

The 5 year doesn't go away. Nothing wrong with Teflon except it's expensive and only addresses what's in the engine compartment. You'll still have to do the 5 year rubber change which is everything else. The fuel hose in the engine compartment is only a small portion. So you spend $600 plus new fittings vs $15-$20 for standard fuel hose. It takes me about 40 minutes to change fuel hose in the engine compartment.
Is it worth $600 for that difference? Only a few make the change, but only you can decide that.
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
LSRM-A, Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
(520) 574-1080 (Home) Try Home First.
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FastEddieB
Posts: 2880
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA

Re: Talk to me about Teflon fuel lines

Post by FastEddieB »

roger lee wrote:
The 5 year doesn't go away...You'll still have to do the 5 year rubber change which is everything else.
Yes. I just meant the fuel line part “goes away”.

Thanks. Do you remember the one fuel line that we had to team up on in the Sky Arrow last time?
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
[email protected]
User avatar
FastEddieB
Posts: 2880
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA

Re: Talk to me about Teflon fuel lines

Post by FastEddieB »

I don’t think my question was answered...

Can I just buy the right sized Teflon hose, cut it to length, and slide it over the hose fittings and secure with hose clamps, as long as I stay away from barbed fittings?
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
[email protected]
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