Topic: 5.5 mm ID Fuel Line

[HondaMan]

I need to correct the statement I just made. On my K6 project, this hose pushed on very tightly to the carb tees (the one between #1 and #2 carb and the one between #3 and #4), and the tee before the fuel tap. HOWEVER, when I slipped this new hose on the original fuel tap (petcock), it went on far too easily. I dug around in my bins and found a nice clean clip (as pictured above) that fit snuggly on the hose. Definitely better. Interestingly, when I measured the brass nipple on the tap, it is quite a bit smaller than the other connectors. Use the clip there!

Many of the OEM fuel tees for the K5/6 fuel setup seem to have vanished over the years(?). The original ones were the same pipe diameter as the one on the petcock, and had 2 little 'ribs' on them. Five years ago I was treated to seeing one of them on an unmolested K5 I rebuilt (had lotsa miles on it, sat too long), reminding me how they looked. I have never been able to find one aftermarket, though, like when I got a K4 bike (in a basket) with a custom 'cafe' tank (Carpy) that only had 1 outlet. I ended up using one of the brass ones with 2 ribs on each spigot, but turned them down in the lathe so they were easier to fit the hose onto. It probably would have worked without any ribs at all, with a clip?

[TideWater2]

Thanks for the replies. I will be cleaning the carbs soon and will be replacing the lines with the 5.5.

[Deltarider]

Although I have them, I never use the wire clips. When you have 5,5mm lines in the correct length, tubes will fit real snug. Never had one come loose. A spot where you definitely don't need - and where they are a nuisance imo - is at the T-joints.

[newday777]

When you use the wire clips, do you just put the clip on and then install the hose? And then just pull the hose/clip off to remove? I've always found getting any sort of tool up in there to get them off when removing the hose is tough to do.

You do need to use pliers to use the wire clips, and yes it is tight to get in there especially with the 2 outlet petcocks. I learned back in the 70s from the guys out back, old Yankee wrenches with experience, to use needle nose pliers and hold the pliers nose up, squeeze the rings together to open the the clamp and slightly twist the pliers as the rings mate to open it further,  bringing the pliers upward to @ 90° to the hose, parallel with the bottom of the tank, holding the clip open with a little more pressure grip and sliding the clip down the hose beyond the barb when removing the hose, release the clip, then use the pliers to work the hose to gently massage the hose to loosen it's grip on the barb (a little heat from a heat gun to warm up/soften the rubber helps too!) before pulling the hose off the outlet so you don't accidentally pull out the brass tap from the petcock. It takes a little finesse to get in there to gently work the clip, use good lighting on the clip (and glasses if you need them....) to see how it opens as you use the pliers on it. They don't need ham fisted power.

[HondaMan]

Although I have them, I never use the wire clips. When you have 5,5mm lines in the correct length, tubes will fit real snug. Never had one come loose. A spot where you definitely don't need - and where they are a nuisance imo - is at the T-joints.

Yeah, what he said ^^^.
Ever since Honda came out with this new "ethanol resistant" 5.5mm fuel line (with the red stripe on it) I haven't needed the clips at all.