Corey Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 While installing new spark plugs I noticed the rubber sheath surrounding the return fuel line had moved enough to allow heat from the rear cylinder head cover to slightly mar the return fuel line (see photos). To me the damage looks rather minor, but based on the looks of the return fuel line, do you think it needs to be replaced? How exactly does the return fuel line work? What does it do? Any input/opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted July 2, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 2, 2014 No clue what it does, but from the pictures I'd say wrap some (electrical) tape around it and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer AnikMankar Posted July 2, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 2, 2014 Nothing is really wrong with your Return pipe. looks like just a superficial wear and tear. The fuel pump pressure is fixed and does not change with acceleration. to avoid any backpressure the fuel is being pumped at constant pressure to rail and the return line feeds it back to the tank... in theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dedofnite Posted July 2, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 2, 2014 Hi Cork, Vorsicht! Ich höre Dutchy kann manchmal ein bischen verrucht sein... A fuel return line returns fuel from where it went, back to where it came from, as in: from the fuel injector rail back to the fuel tank. It may or may not be a high pressure line. On your bike it is not. It is hard to tell from just the picture, and as was stated, may be just degraded from heat. I think it may be from exposure to some chemical, like a degreaser or carburetor cleaner. Either way, I would re-think the advice so far. That fuel line might cost $15 or $20 from Honda. Sounds a little expensive, until you consider what can happen, and does, if it fails. Best case is your pants and shoe get soaked with gas, (it burns, and makes you smell funny walking in to work), the gas leaks down onto your rear tire, (it slips, and makes you fall down, with various outcomes), or, the gas fumes ignite from heat or an errant spark from a coil or spark plug wire and the bike, maybe including the rider, explode in flames and melt. Not usually a happy event, as you may imagine. ("Is mine Toast?) I don't know about you, but to me...not an acceptable risk to save 15 or 20 bucks. It is never a good thing to ignore an old piece of rubber holding an extremely flammable liquid above, and in close proximity to, a hot engine with high voltage wires everywhere. Another forum that I visit has frequent pictures and accounts of very expensive melted vehicles because someone said: "yeah, that 20 year old cracked rubber hose looks ok to me..." My advice? Replace the hose. Even if just for the peace of mind that you won't be the new "Melted Viffer Thread" on VFRD. Just my 2 cents. (Dutchy uses Pfennings) Ride safe, Ded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Maybe the fuel rail does not remain pressurized after the engine is turned off, so the fuel needs to go back the tank. The fuel pump pressurizes the fuel through the injector rails up to the injector, and then the piezo type pulse pump in the injectors provides most of the pressure to do the spray/vaporizing at the injector tips, so I don't think the pressure at the rails and the return hose can be that much.........or could it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dedofnite Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 Yeah, Beck. You can see from the picture that the return line is not "high pressure", like I said, but upon closer inspection of the 3rd pic, it appears the return hose has already split. Look at the right side of the pic. The low pressure hose will still leak, it will just take longer to notice it. That could be worse. Ich glaube, für die Kraftstoffversorgung Sicherheit, gut "genug ist zu wenig! " Ded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 The fuel pump runs at only one speed and must supply enough volume for the engine to run at idle as well as at wide open throttle. The pressure regulator must maintain pressure at about 35 psi no matter what volume is needed. At lower throttle settings un-needed fuel is bled off and returned to the tank which keeps pressure at the proper level. If I'm undecided on whether fuel system components are in sufficiently good condition or might leak, I just remind myself that it's all directly beneath my crotch. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 After looking at the 3rd photo I too was convinced that the return fuel line was split, but after triple checking it, I couldn't find a split. I'm not sure what caused it to look like that in the photo. The marring looks almost like it could be either some sort of adhesive and/or a thin glossy film layer of the line. Interestingly enough the marring is also on the other side (although to a lesser degree) of the line that was not in direct contact with the cylinder head cover. Were those sheaths adhered to the fuel lines from the factory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 ok for starters. the return line is indeed hooked up to a regulator next.. the fuel pump is NOT steady it does indeed speed up and slow down according to how much pressure at the regulator.. last but not least .. your line is FINE.. if your that worried about it. get a foot long section of 3/4inch heat shrink tubing and place it over the line. DONT shrink it!! any excess heat will shrink the it.. then you worry ! ... honestly i seriously doubt it will get hot enough to shrink the shrink wrap. but it does help make a good heat indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 Hi Cork, Vorsicht! Ich höre Dutchy kann manchmal ein bischen verrucht sein... Nein, ich rieche sehr gut.. Just my 2 cents. (Dutchy uses Pfennings) Nope, geography never your strong point I guess.... If any, I would use cents (gulden prior to 2002, euro ever since) That line doesnot look cracked to me but if peace of mind is at the top of your list...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 Forgetaboutit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Thanks for all of the input. Nobody said to immediately stop riding and pull it, so I suppose I am OK for a short time at least. Hopefully. My gut tells me to replace the part, but my time tells me it will be a pain in the shorts to do so. How easy or hard is it to swap this line and how long should it take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted July 3, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2014 do yourself a favor a leave it alone. if you prop the tank up.. see if you can ball out the area that has you worried. it looks like melted glue to me. as in a cover was on it before or glue from the black sheath further down.. got on it when it was built... i am a honda tech and seems like much ado about nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworth Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 do yourself a favor a leave it alone. if you prop the tank up.. see if you can ball out the area that has you worried. it looks like melted glue to me. as in a cover was on it before or glue from the black sheath further down.. got on it when it was built... i am a honda tech and seems like much ado about nothing. Quite correct, the stuff you see is glue used to keep the larger protective tube in place. Slide the outer tube back up in place. It's up to you to decide how to secure it and keep it from sliding back. There is no indication from the photos that the return fuel line is in need of replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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