78 308 fuel filler neck hose

First of all, no this is not simply another thread about fuel hoses, but while taking mine apart I did find something very interesting. It's been a few years since my fuel hoses had been touched and I didn't know if the filler neck had ever been done. I needed to do a filter and pump anyway so figured "while I was in there" I might as well do the fuel hoses too.

After reading all the threads about E10 affecting the hoses I figured it wasn't a bad thing to at least take a look at mine since they just started using E10 where I live last year.

Cutting to the chase of this thread, I started cutting the filler neck hose off and had one heck of a time getting a razor through it. I was thinking to myself, that is one crusty hardened old hose if it's this hard to cut! After I got it off it turns out it wasn't really a hose, but a plastic plumbing flex fitting and let me tell you, there is no way it had even started to deteriorate, and even less possibility that gas could ever leak out of it. I'm thinking someone had stuck this on in the past after fighting to find a hose that would last. I think this thing could have been on there for the rest of this car's life and never leaked, it is tough!!

Has anyone ever seen this type of thing on their car? I also have read in other threads about the filler neck being 1 3/8" or 1 1/2" but mine is actually closer to 2" (and also the size of the Fernco fitting). Did the size change at some point or is mine an oddball?

I've been talking with Dave Helms about his new hose set and will likely buy it just for peace of mind if nothing else, but the other smaller hoses that I've taken apart so far seem to actually be in good shape.

Just curious if any has opinions about this!?

John

 

I managed to get it but ended up with 2 1/4" hose. I couldn't get anything smaller over mine even with the filler neck sitting on the workbench! It clamped up nice and tight though so I'm not worried about it. Once I went to the larger size it was actually fairly easy.