Gas lines - flexible or not?

**scrambler** · 20th September 2006, 05:05 PM

The Gas Fitter doing the certificate for my County took it on himself to remove the gas line that, as far as I can tell, had been there 11 years and fit, according to his invoice, 5 lengths of flexible filler hose from the tank to the condensor. His reasoning was that as the County has a separate, rubber-mounted body the line needed to be flexible to make sure it didn't get kinked. he claimed this was required to meet the Australian Standard. I don't mind so much the $99 in parts, it's the $360 in labour that seems over the top.

Since the setup has been installed and then recertified at least 2 other gas fitters disagreed with him.

Can anyone tell me what the AS (I gather it's 1425) actually says?

Does this sound like BS to anyone else?

If this is standard for all non-monocoque vehicles, why doesn't anyone make the hose in sufficient lengths to get from the cargo area to the engine?

Depending on how he values his time, I'm guessing 6 or 9 hours of labour - seems a lot of time to run a flexible hose 110 inches.

I know this is approaching a rant, but I would like advice please (so please, Inc, leave here

)

Steve

**discoute** · 20th September 2006, 05:18 PM

Your county has a solid mount body system. it is an intrigal part of the chassis, therefore he is full of crap.

glen

tombraider · 20th September 2006, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by discoute

Your county has a solid mount body system. it is an intrigal part of the chassis, therefore he is full of crap.

glen

I'm with Glen on this one!!! You got snaked... Go back and have a go!

Tombraider

**rangieman** · 20th September 2006, 06:20 PM

i agree ive had two rangies on lpg and both had solid lines from tank to the converter
i will add tho that both cars had just before the converter about two loops in the gas line to allow for flex of the gas line between chassis and the converter which was monted to the inner gaurd

**p38arover** · 20th September 2006, 06:22 PM

Hmm, I'll have to drag out the Aust Standard. I seem to recall something about reuse of gas lines.

Having said that, I notice that DieselGas Australia use the rigid pipe on their conversions and they do a lot of 4WDs. My P38A has flexible hoses.

Ron

**Blknight.aus** · 20th September 2006, 06:55 PM

not sure if its from the same number that you specified but

ADR's do require that where a pressureised line is mounted between 2 points of varying geometry that some kind of flexable coupling is used.

Makes sense. think brake lines and radiator hoses...

That said...

ADRs also specify that for a given length of fixed piping a certain amount of flexation is tolerable providing its within the manufacturers specification of the pipe/tubing used...

Id think hes within his rights to replace the exisiting pipe work if for some reason its faulty or out of date... putting flex lines in is a bucket load easier than bending pipe/tube to fit then installing it...

That said Id be tearing a strip off of him for the simple fact that every bend, joint, union or connection is a potential failure point and daisy chaining 5 flex lines is WRONG. Per length flex line is a good 2-3 times more expensive than pipe/tube.

AS a minimum youve had a lazy assed mech do the work and he fleeced you for the amount of time to do the job properly and charged you for the parts he did use and not what he should have used...

At this point If it was me... I'd crack one of the unions on a near empty tank, let it drain, drive it back or tow it in leave a copy of the ADR's on the passangers seat and demand he do it right and request a copy of the leak test results.

But thats only cause Im still narky at mechanics in general because of the git who charged my wife to change the spark plugs in Big Red. When I walked in later in the day with the service reciept and asked if I could have the plugs to keep as spares I was given 8 plugs. Only 2 were the same type.

**scrambler** · 20th September 2006, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by p38arover

Hmm, I'll have to drag out the Aust Standard. I seem to recall something about reuse of gas lines.

Having said that, I notice that DieselGas Australia use the rigid pipe on their conversions and they do a lot of 4WDs. My P38A has flexible hoses.

Ron

Thanks all, you're confirming what I thought. I haven't paid yet and I can't see that I will - the fitter had no authorisation before he went and did the job - the mechanic I had the car with was gobsmacked at the cost and knew nothing of the work until the car was returned. I knew about it yesterday because I decided I'd hastle the fitter over taking 4 days to do a simple inspection.

I quoted your response, Ron, to say that there was no re-use of the gas line - it was resurveyed last year and there was no modification of the system required this time - just the $50 certificate for registration. It should have been like falling off a log. And that's all he had the authorisation to do. As I've said to the mechanic, I would have asked for a second opinion if I'd been given the cost and an explanation. But the job was under way before I realised what was involved.

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