Ok, I need to find out what size are the fuel lines, And what size is the vaccum lines for a 96 gs 500??

fuel lines are 5/16...i don't know what size the vacuum hose is but they are thin  :dunno:

I finally found some "hard data" on the fuel hose size.  The Ron Ayers "FUEL chicken" page for my '99 lists one of the hoses from the petcock to the fuel switch (item 5) as being 7X11X600.  So the inner diameter is 7mm, the outer diameter is 11mm, and the length of this particular hose is 600mm.

According to my trusty calculator, 7mm is darn close to 4 and 1/2 sixteenths of an inch.  So technically 1/4" hose is too small and 5/16" hose is too big.

As someone mentioned in the current thread 1/4-inch ID fuel hose too small?, you may just want to get the correct metric-dimensioned hose at the Suzuki dealership.  The thick-walled 5/16" stuff that most auto dealerships seem to have in stock makes for a too-tight fit where you have to attach two hoses side-by-side at the fuel tank outlets.

So far I haven't been able to find the metric dimensions of the vacuum hose.

Thanks Kerry.  I don't feel so bad now.  I have been fighting with the fuel lines for the past two weeks.  1/4 inch fuel line is too tight. I can't find any 5/16 fuel lines anywhere.  All the semi-local motorcycle shops I have gone to only carry 1/4 inch lines.  I may just have to order OEM from Suzuki.  That will take a couple of weeks  :x .

I haven't been able to ride for a week now.  Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Someone in another thread suggested buying some "clear" fuel hose.  I assume they were talking about something like the hose in the 2nd picture on my Float Height Check page.  I don't know if an RC car/airplane hobby shop will carry fuel line quite as big as you need, and if they do it will probably be fairly pricey per foot.  But if the alternative is NOT RIDING, then a few feet of the stuff is worth it, right?  :mrgreen:

Bring along a ruler with millimeter markings so you can measure the inner diameter.  Better yet, you could:

* Turn off the petcock under the fuel tank,
* Drain the hoses from the tank into a container,
* Remove the frame-mounted petcock from the bike, and
* Haul the petcock around with you so you can TRY different fuel line (and

vacuum line!) as you find it.[/list:u]I suggested that because the RC-type fuel hose may be more flexible than the OEM Suzuki stuff, so you might get away with using 1/4" hose made of those cool materials and colors....

This may be a good idea for more reasons than one: my Chaparral and Dennis Kirk catalogs have pages of fuel line, fuel filters, T-connectors, petcocks, quick-disconnects, etc. but they are all listed as either 3/16" or 1/4" or 5/16".

If you want to be "safe" you could try ordering the "real" stuff from BikeBandit.  I have never ordered from them, so I don't know what the shipping charge and the wait time is like.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net.

In reply to Kerry's talk about Bike Bandit, I would recomend ordering from them. I ordered progressive springs from them. The shipping was 6 bucks and they delivered in about 6-8 business days.

Thanks Kerry.  I will do just that.  I will let everyone know what fuel line works and fits once I'm done.

I think I finally bought the right size of fuel line.  I went to Cycle Gear and took the old fuel line.  I purchased Polyurethane Fuel Line 5/16 I.D. x 7/16 O.D.  They seem to match up perfectly.  I will soon let you know.

ive actually got the thick walled stuff to work. had to stagger the ends and the hose clamps but its worked for quite sometime now :dunno:

Quote from: jag69I think I finally bought the right size of fuel line.  I went to Cycle Gear and took the old fuel line.  I purchased Polyurethane Fuel Line 5/16 I.D. x 7/16 O.D.  They seem to match up perfectly.  I will soon let you know.

Awesome!  Hey, you know that I'm a "visual" kinda guy; any chance you can take pictures of the original line and the new stuff side-by-side?

Maybe even next to a ruler with millimeter markings?  (Ducks and runs....)

The local bike shop here told me that they dont carry and have never carried 5/16  fuel.  They tried to push me into buying 1/4,  I told them, no way.  Beause I have it from a good source that the 1/4 fuel line is too small.  They told me I didnt know what I was talking about.  And something to the fact that I was an idiot for question their information, they didnt even check the parts list for my gs.
 At that point I pushed the plugs, oil, filter, sprocket, chain, and oil back over to their side of the counter.  I told them that I would find a shop with better customer service to do my business with in the future.
 That will be the last time I go into that shop!!!!!!!!!!!
Time to order online, or go to Fresno

I will take some pictures this weekend when I attempt the change (FOR THE THIRD TIME).  I will let you know if it works  

According to Kerry, the stock hose is 7mm I.D.  For reference, 1/4" would be  6.35mm and 5/16" would be 7.9375mm., so the stock tubing is right in-between.

For kicks, I tried fitting just one onto the tank, but it really didn't want to go.  That may be due to the thickness of my hose (way too big outer diameter).  I would bet that some 1/4" thin-walled tubing (especially the clear stuff used for small engines and dirt bikes) would stretch enough.

Also, if you are trying to buy an inline filter at an auto parts store, then you may only be able to fit a  1/4" filter, since 5/16" will probably be too big, and you may not find 7mm (Note: you can find 7mm filters if you do a websearch).

If you want to have an easier time replacing the hose or filter in the future, going 5/16" I.D. all-around may be the easiest solution.  However, it is possible that the looser fit at the tank could cause leaks (but I doubt it).

I put on the 5/16 I.D. fuel line and it worked perfectly.  I did use different clamps.  I bought some automotive clamps that you have to tighten with a screw just in case.  I changed the hoses on Friday and I have ridden about 350 miles since then and everything looks good.  I will take some photos tonight of the original fuel line next to the new line I purchased.

Thanks

I replaced the two hoses from the tank to the petcock with 1/4 inch Urathane tubing a bought at a dealer.  It was tight but went on ok with a drop of oil to help it slip on, and I just used the stock clamps.  Here a a couple of pics of the tubing, its more blue than the pictures look.  I don't have any pics of what the old stuff was because I tossed it already, and it wasn't the origional style hose either.





I put about 60 miles on the bike when it was warm this past weekend, no problems.  It might be a little tight if you plan on taking the tank off a lot but should be fine if it isn't every other day.    Personnally I'd rather it be a little tight than a little loose.  Hope this helps.  

Quote from: jag69I put on the 5/16 I.D. fuel line and it worked perfectly.  I did use different clamps.  I bought some automotive clamps that you have to tighten with a screw just in case

The stock hoses are pretty soft, and you can chew them up pretty easily.  I chewed-up the hose-end when I used a screw-drive clamp (below middle), and made a pinhole leak (that only leaked when the hose was twisted a bit ).  I cut-down the end of the hose and tried again, and got no leaks this time.  But next time I take-off the hoses, I'm going to switch to fuel-line hose clamps (below right), which should not have the same problem.  I got the fuel-line-specific hose clamp at a Red Rooster auto parts store, but they were more than $1 each!

This thread seems to be a good center of info, and I never posted my solution: 5/16" I.D. polyurethane hose, and 5/16" fuel filter.

A brief summary:

Anything 1/4" to 5/16 ID can work.
OEM hose is 7mm ID, but you have to special-order from the dealer; if you do so,  you can use 1/4" fuel filters from an auto-parts store.
Typical 5/16" hose from auto parts store is for pressurized fuel, is very thick, and may be hard to connect to the tank petcock due to clearance issues.
5/16" I.D. poly hose is sold at bike shops and hobby stores, slips on easily, pulls off easily, yet doesn't leak (for me), and fits 5/16" auto-store filters.
1/4" I.D. poly hose is similar, may be slightly harder to use, but should have a tighter fit to prevent leakage.


My favorite is 5/16 I.D. poly hose, for ease of use.  It's larger I.D. than stock, but I've had good seals against the tank and petcock fittings with it.  The poly is also more resistant to getting chewed-up by the straps on hose clamps, pliers, etc.

One note: the plastic in my hoses got quite soft after a few days of use, but this may be due to my choice of fuel (85% alcohol).  The result is that they pull off really, really easily, with barely any twisting needed... but still haven't leaked.  Hooray!

Quote from: KerryThe thick-walled 5/16" stuff that most auto dealerships seem to have in stock makes for a too-tight fit where you have to attach two hoses side-by-side at the fuel tank outlets.

So far I haven't been able to find the metric dimensions of the vacuum hose.

The thick walled hose sucks! Its hard to get on the petcock, and it doesn't fit very well around the air box either. If you have to get 5/16 hose, get thinw alled hose, like a vacum hose.

Any long term test updates on the different fuel line options?

Also, has anyone found a common replacement for the vacuum lines?


I was wondering if smaller(1/4") or larger(5/16") fuel lines changed performance?  Not in the sense that it would make you faster or slower, but whether a smaller line wouldn't allow enough fuel or a larger line would create some kind of vacuum problem...

Also, for those that went with polyurethane lines, how has that held up over a couple years use?  Does it harden quicker than OEM stuff would?