I replaced my fuel lines earlier this week with viton hoses cause I use biodiesel. These lines have lasted for a year going 8000 miles on B100. After looking at them I am not so sure vitons are really that necessary. At least in this case.
I did some fuel line taxidermy. I cut a injector return line in half and the line that goes to the pre-filter. I don't know how old the lines are. I imagine they are fairly new since they still look good, and aren't brittle. There was a little bit of cracking on the ends but nothing too bad. All the lines were still soft, no brittle lines. Here are the photos.

Fuel Line Taxidermy


Taxidermy Closeup


Injector Return Line


Pre-filter Line


Pre-filter Line End

__________________

This is exactly what I was hoping somebody would show! Great pics. My next fill-up is going to be B100, well, if it stays warm enough...

__________________
'99 S420, 155k
'91 VW Vanagon GL, 150k
'85 VW Vanagon GL, 120k
'82 VW Westy, aircooled, 165k

Reminds me of when I dissected earthworms in high school biology. I once thought that one needed Viton to run B100, but have since rescinded that opinion. I assume now that it's just 20 year old fuel lines that need replacing with new, Viton or otherwise, that are required. I can't see how bio would cause microcracks like that, that would imply that bio dries the rubber out like gasoline would and I just don't think that's true. Those cracks are due to age and or heat, and that's what causes the leaks. I'm also assuming you weren't leaking and just replaced your hoses as a matter of course.

__________________
'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

This proves that the viton industry has simply created a rumor about B100 to put more $$ in their pockets.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Yeah I just replaced them to prevent problems. Mainly because I noticed the fuel filler neck seal was pretty much goo from the biodiesel. So it made me a bit nervous about the fuel lines.

Those cracks are on the end of the hose that never saw any fuel except a little bit upon filter changes. So I imagine that is a normal thing to happen over time.

__________________

Newer fuel line is supose to be ok with Biodiesel if I recall what I read correctly. Therfore if this line was fairly new it did not need replacing. Older rubber lines of different compounds are a different story.

__________________
"Know other lessons I need to learn? TELL me. Tired of learning'em the hard way".

Glow Plug Wait: [i} Time of silence in homage Rudolph Diesel. Longer you own a diesel. more honor you give". [/i]

Life; SNAFU Situation Normal All Fouled Up, & FUBAR: Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

-Now: Snafued Jeep TJ w/OM617 2Be daily driver & building SS M1079 w/Ambo boxed /live in Adv. Truck, Diesel KLR conversion
-Sold 62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD

I can believe it. This is just the experience I had. So it may not go for everyone. I have heard some diesesl other than MB go through fuel lines running BD like there is no tomorrow.

__________________

I use B100. I have replaced the injector lines on my '83 MB 300D twice and on my '00 VW Golf TDI at least four times. They kept weeping after a few thousand miles. The lines were OEM.

This last time I replaced with viton lines. The problems stopped. I have at least 10K on these lines now. The viton lines show no signs of degrading at all.

The OEM lines would weep and then melt at the ends with B100.

JWJ

What caused this? I assume you mean by "weeping" that they became porous or cracked to some degree?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I thought all fuel lines after 1996 were suppose to be biodiesel "compatible" whatever that means. Maybe B5 compatible? I currently have some type of fuel leak on my signature car --- need to degrease the area, so proper diagnosis can be performed.

B100 for about 6 months and 5200 miles.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

need more photos.

I might still have these photos on my computer. I will check when I get home.

__________________

Hmmmm.... I would like to see those. I have been running B99 on and off for over a year and over 40,000 miles. The tank right now is full of B99. I replaced all the hoses except the strainer hose as it still looked like new. I should have replaced that one too when I had the strainer out last year....

__________________
AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

You could post the pics as thumbnails and I believe they would always be here.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Here are the pics. These pics were taken in 2006.
1. Top - Supply hose from steel line to lift pump
Bottom - Injector return line
2. Injector return line close up
3. Supply Hose close up
4. End of the supply line hose, with needle nose pliers holding it open.

Attached Thumbnails

       

__________________