I have a 95 Ford Ranger 2.3L 5 Speed standard cab. The rubber fill hose has gone bad and the dealer wants $400 for a new one. My answer to this was the truck ain't worth much more than that. Are there any aftermarket replacements out there? What happened to the good ole days when stuff was made out of steel? It would seem you could buy a whole gas tank for that.
Is there not anyway you can use part of a radiator hose or even a universal flexible radiator hose?
Very bad idea. Don't use an ordinary rubber hose unless you wish to get killed. The fuel flowing in the hose will create static electricity and Kapow! I will pull out some links and post them.
Note also the explosion usually happens when the static gets a chance to earth and that's usually when you take off the fuel cap or you poke an earthed pump hose in so you get close up look and feel of the outcome.
STATIC ELECTRICITY WARNING
Serious bodily injury,death,property damage or other loss, can result from the use of hose in hazardous or explosive atmospheres due to the buildup of static electricity from the movement of conveyed materials through the hose as well as movement or vibration of the hose against the other surfaces. Hose, as well as the entire system or application,used in such atmospheres must be properly grounded or bonded.
For this reason,HBD/Thermoid recommends only hose with static wire be used. Static electricity, as a source of ignition for flammable vapors, gases and dusts, is a hazard common to a wide variety of industries. A static spark can occur when an electrical charge accumulates on the surfaces of two materials that have been brought together and then separated (between two solids, between a solid and a liquid, or between two immiscible liquids, i.e., incapable of mixing). One surface becomes charged positively and the other surface becomes charged negatively.If the materials are not bonded or grounded, they will eventually accumulate a sufficient electrical charge capable of producing a static spark that could ignite flammable vapors, gases and dusts.Some common processes capable of producing a static ignition are as follows:
ï The flow of liquids (for example, petroleum or mixtures of
petroleum and water as well as any flammable fluids) through
hose, pipes or fine filters.
ï The settling of a solid or an immiscible liquid through a liquid
(e.g.rust or water through petroleum).
ï The ejection of particles or droplets from a nozzle (e.g.water
washing operations or the initial stages of filling a tank with oil).
ï The vigorous rubbing together and subsequent separation of
certain synthetic polymers (e.g.the sliding of a polypropylene
rope through PVC gloved hands).
Preventing and/or dissipating static electricity as an ignition source can be accomplished through bonding, grounding or possibly selecting a different non-static conducting material. Bonding is the process of connecting two or more conductive objects together by means of a conductor.Grounding, or earthing, is the process of
connecting one or more conductive objects to the ground.
**
Certain Thermoid hose incorporates a static wire, which if properly coupled can be used to ground the hose assembly. Other parts of the application or equipment may have to be grounded as well. Hose that does not contain a ground wire will nevertheless have to be grounded if used in an explosive or hazardous atmosphere. In all
applications, it is the user�*s responsibility to ensure the hose assembly and equipment it is used on, is properly grounded to earth.
**Excerpts from Process Safety Handling Hazardous Chemicals, 1/97:Standards &
Guidelines ñ Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Note bonded here means electrically bonded (not glued).
And if there is ethanol in the fuel you use the risks with not using fuel filler hose increases:
Certain materials commonly used with gasoline may be incompatible with high-level ethanol blends, causing them to degrade and contaminate the fuel. Metals that have been shown to degrade over time in the presence of high-level alcohol blends include brass, lead, zinc and lead-based solder. Degradable nonmetallic materials include natural rubber, polyurethane, cork gasket material, leather, polyvinyl chloride polyamides, and certain thermoplastic or thermoset polymers.
Black iron, bronze, and unplated, nickel-plated and stainless steels have shown resistance to ethanol corrosion. Nonmetallic materials like reinforced fiberglass, Neoprene rubber, polypropylene, nitrile rubber, Viton and Teflon meet acceptable usage standards.
and sometimes even conductive rubber isn't enough:
Electrostatic ignition hazards in motor cars – occurrence, detection and
avoidance
Lately the most prominent example has been the release of a new minicar in England. 500 new models had already been delivered when the manufacturer stopped the production on 3rd September 2001 after two fires had occurred during the first refuelling of the new model in England. According to the German newspaper "Handelsblatt" [3], it was found that the conductive but insulated fuel hose inside the car got so highly charged by the flowing fuel that sparkover took place. As this sparkover happened in the area of explosive fuel vapours an ignition of these vapours could result. For this reason the cars were called back and an earth cable between fuel hose and car body was installed. This modification solved the problem. The ignition hazard arose because the minicar had been tested in countries with gas recovery systems only. England is, however, a country without gas recovery system. As a consequence, more fuel vapours were set free during refuelling creating an explosive atmosphere in the sparkover region.
snip-----------------------------[
3.3.4 Fuel pipes and hoses
When fuel flows in a pipe or hose, charge separation occurs between the fuel and the internal surface of the pipe producing electrostatic charges of opposite polarity on the liquid and the inner pipe wall. The extent to which the charges are retained depend on the liquid, the pipe material and the flow velocity. Highly charged insulated pipe surfaces could even lead to electric breakthrough and puncture of the pipe wall. Such a wall puncture will lead to fuel leakage which is hazardous and harmful to the environment. Low breakthrough voltages are acceptable only in the case of very short pipes in combination with flow velocities lower than
1 m/s.
The big risk is that fuel flowing or splashing in the wrong type of rubber hose will cause static electricity and a big explosion. It needs to have sufficient carbon black in it to make it conductive.
Straight rubber is not impervious to fuel as well it needs the right blend to make it fuel resistant.
Also see for the types of rubber suitable for fuel hose. Trelleborg AB - Rubber Types
Quote:
Nitrile rubber (NBR) - for use with oil
Nitrile rubber is a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. It is the most common polymer for products that are in contact with oil and fuel.
Nitrile rubber is used in inner tubes for fuel and oil hoses, for example.
Recall Campaigns: Vehicle CAR Between: 01/07/20 and 31/12/20
Reference: R2001/119 Launch 05/09/01
Concern: STATIC DISCHARGE FIRE RISK DURING REFUELING.
Mnfr/Importer: BMW (GB) Limited
Make: BMW
Model: Mini One/Cooper
Vehicle Identication Various
Build Dates: 27/08/2001 Numbers Involved: 1600
Description of Defect:
When filling the fuel tank it is possible in extreme circumstances for static electricity to accumulate in the fuel filler tube.
Should this occur a spark may jump to the vehicle body. This could ignite fuel vapour in the area causing a brief flash.
Remedial Action:
Recall affected vehicles and fit a modified fuel filler pipe which will incorporate an additional earth lead which will
prevent the build up of static electricity.
435,000 Settlement- Wrong fuel hose leaves trucker with severe burns
Fairfax, Va.; truck driver burned when fuel vapor ignited while he refueled his truck. The hose sold to driver's employer was nonconductive, allowing a dangerous build up of static electricity. The defective hose sparked a fireball when it discharged.
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Sorry if I have laboured the point somewhat but using a radiator hose or anything other than the correct fuel filler hose is suicidal and I have seen what happens when this trick was tried. Unfortunately the issue doesn't get enough attention and many people in the automotive trade even don't appear to know about the risks of using the wrong hose and the ready availability of both after market model specific and universal fit correct filler hose.
Fortunately (or is it unfortunately for some) fuel filler hoses are one of those items that usually last a very, very long time (often outlasting the car) and as they are not often replaced the need for the correct type of hose isn't something that comes up often. Therefore it is a common mistake to think any old rubber hose can be used. So don't feel bad I suspect 90% of forum members might have suggested the same solution.
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