Fuel Line Proximity To Exhaust

[111Robin]

On my "plastic" car, the fuel line was originally routed through the prop shaft tunnel, retained by clips. I found out that the line (nylon) was actually just dangling about an inch above the shaft, completely unconstrained, nice work by a previous owner!!. Anyway, it isn't possible to route a new line this way as there is no way to gain access inside the tunnel for attaching it, this is normally done with the body off the chassis where there is access through the side of the tunnel. So I would like to route a hard line along the underside of the chassis, just as the brake line currently is (as shown on the photo) but on the other side, tucked into the corner as far as possible. However given that the exhaust runs along the centre of the chassis, how close can I afford to be with the fuel line before I need to resort to a heat shield ?. It would probably be about 2" clearance at the moment. I have asked on a Lotus specific forum but everyone there thinks it's a good idea to run the line inside the car, not something I am at all keen to do. I know this is done but personally I don't want to. Any thoughts much appreciated. Apologies for not being Mini related but I genuinely respect the knowledge of folk on here so would rather take advice on here than anywhere else.

[Peter Laidler]

Juast looking Rob, I think that you have an almost ready-made route. The copper (?) brake line (shown) already has a firm/fixed route and secured to the car body. Why not just replace the fastening clips from that line with clips that will take the TWO lines. The brake fluid and the fuel. I'm not too sure that the closeness of the fuel line to the exhaust is a major problem in your case because the cold fuel is ALWAYS moving and therefore relatively cool......., albeit about 2" from some parts of the exhaust pipe - but it is moving along, inside the fuel pipe, well out of harms and ignitions way.

Food for thought

[Oneball]

What Peter said, it’s almost done for you already. You can get also get a heat proof sleeve for the fuel line if you want, probably more beneficial to protect from heat soak on hot restarts in the summer than anything else.

[111Robin]

Thanks folks. The reason for routing it down the right hand side is that there is already a hole through the end plate I can pass it through, as per the brake line on the left. I can then secure it with P clips. I just wasn't sure if a heat shield would be necessary when using a hard line. I was planning on using Cunifer as per the brake line, probably a larger diameter.