Some of my rubber fuel lines are dangerously cracked and need replacement. On the car part websites it looks like replacement lines are sold as a length of tube that you cut to size. Is it just a case of choosing one with the same diameter and wall thickness, or are there other specs I need to be careful about (like the right type of rubber , for instance)?

Have they received comment at an MOT?

As with rubber brake hoses, superficial damage may look dangerous, but if you look at a cross-section of the hose structure, there's an outer rubber layer, then some braiding reinforcement, then an inner rubber layer. It's this inner layer and the braid that provide all the strength and fluid containment.

A few years back I changed engines on our Fabia. Had a leak from the original (175k old) hose to the fuel rail when reconnected, so I bought a length of suitably rated fuel hose 'by the meter' from GSF.

A couple of years later I did have an MOT advisory* for it. This brand new hose had degraded incredibly fast. Ended up buying a genuine Skoda replacement instead.

Edit: according to a previous post/pic on here, this was 18 months after purchase!

*May have just been a verbal observation actually.

I remember the tester saying he (privately on own vehicles) struggled and failed to find a supplier of hose that didn't go that way, lately.

Edited 3 December, 20253 Dec by Breezy_Pete
added pic and link

I havnt had any MOT comments on this (do they even check this)? But some parts have deep gashes that looks several mm deep and it looks terrifying 🫣

I can see stamped on the old hoses: '7.3 x 3.65' (plus a bunch of other numbers and letters). I think 7.3 is the internal diameter in mm and 3.65 is the wall thickness. On this website there is a part listed as 'pressure hose 7.3x3.5' for my vehicle, which I guess is the correct replacement, but it costs 52 Euros. If I look on some other websites there are lots of alternative fuel lines, with similar diameter and wall thickness, that cost only £3 to £5, such as this one. An I ok to use the cheaper ones?

See photo and link added to my previous post just now, if you want to gamble on cheap generic fuel hose.

If you'd like me to look up genuine part numbers (and prices) for your car, let me know the VIN.

Thanks i'll DM you the VIN tomorrow (car isn't with me at the moment) although I suspect the 'pressure hose' listed on that Czech website is correct.

Most of the uk parts websites only stock the cheap hoses (or none at all) for my vehicle which made me think that the cheap ones would be ok.

When you gambled on the cheap hoses, what sort of car was it? I have the diesel VRS which apparently uses some type of very high pressure fuel injection although i dont know whether those hoses see the maximum pressure the selves.

Duplicated post...

Edited 3 December, 20253 Dec by tham383

Duplicated post

Edited 3 December, 20253 Dec by tham383

Ours is a 1.2 petrol.

On the TDI diesels, the higher pressure stuff is only from tandem pump to injectors, I think, which is internal to head?

Reading around a bit I think you're right in regard to the hoses attached to the fuel filter these are low pressure. I'm less certain about the hose at the back with the duct tape (in my original photo in the first post).

I believe I found the part number for some of the hoses (6Q0130307AJ) and prices are astronomical for what it is. But this seems to be for a pre-cut length of two hoses (fuel filter discharge and return) taped together. Hopefully there should be something out there with a suitable pressure and temperature rating that I can just cut to size.

8 hours ago, tham383 said:

and prices are astronomical

I see what you mean.

The single hose for ours seemed pricey at £35 or so inc. VAT. 😆

Is the hose at the back maybe the brake servo vac hose?

Edited 4 December, 20254 Dec by Breezy_Pete

I think the hose with the duct tape is connected to the coolant tank, part number 6Q0122447CE .

21 hours ago, Breezy_Pete said:

f you'd like me to look up genuine part numbers (and prices) for your car, let me know the VIN.

VIN number TMBWU46Y644******

Well that should be easy enough to sort if it were to start leaking.

42 minutes ago, tham383 said:

VIN number TMBWU46Y644******

Sorry, didn't see this post until now. I'll message you so you can reply to me with the complete number.