[align=center]Fuel Line Repair
Pat Goss
[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Seems like everything on automobiles is getting more complicated.[:@] That's for sure `Pat, I hope thatyour post helps `Space & the MCF Members.[8D]Take even basic things like fuel lines...in the past a fuel line was just a simple piece of steel tubing that went from one end of the car to the other, had basic fittings on the end and that's all there was to it. Well, it still may be made of steel, but the problem now is that they have complex fittings on the ends of them to couple to fuel filters, and fuel rails for the fuel injection, and things like that. [/align][align=center][/align][align=center]What that essentially means is that if you have a rusted steel fuel line, you may have to replace the entire thing, and that may come as a big complex assembly that runs from one end of the vehicle to the other. In some cases the replacement even requires jacking the body off of the frame of the car and can be horrific as far as expense is concerned.[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Well, Dorman Products has a repair kit for steel fuel lines, and it comes with all of these special connectors, and it has tools and fittings to connect those to replacement steel lines. So it can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Now this isn't do-it-yourself but if you need fuel line repair, look for a shop that has one of these Dorman kits.[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Another thing that has been going on is that on many cars, the fuel line has moved from steel to plastic. You may say plastic isn't going to rust out, and that's absolutely true because it does not, but it can be damaged by debris from the highway, it can be damaged from running over bumpers in the parking lot, all sorts of different things, even jacking the car up improperly. So what do you do? Again, it's back to Dorman products. They have a kit that includes repair pieces: pieces of the plastic tubing, the tools to install these pieces, and all of the specialty ends to couple the fuel line to the fuel filter and the fuel rail. Now this stuff is impossible to find in most cases but it's all included in these Dorman kits, so that's something that you want to look for if you need a fuel line repair on your car.
[/align][align=center]



[hr]



[/align][align=center]If you have a question or comment, write to me.[/align][align=center]Please don't write to `Space, he's dumb : )
The address is MotorWeek, Owings Mills, MD, 21117.[/align]

 

I have experience with the plastic fuel line repair kits and they work excellent. Another great toolis the hydraulic steel fuel line/brake lineflaring tool kit marketed by a company called Mastercool. Its alittle pricey but worth every cent if you do alot of this type of work. This tool is capable of fabricating all of the quick disconnect styleGM steelfuel lineconnections along with all of the normal double and ISO type flares used on brake lines also.

 

I don't know how safe I would feel about that in the northern states. When it gets cold up here plastic just shatters. I think it would need to be like a PVC compound or something.

 

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Replace fuel lines with the plastic lines a fuel line can hold 50 PSI in a line just replace with OEM

 

Many GM cars & trucks are equipped with plastic fuel lines and have been for years. The plastic fuel linerepair kits mentioned are for repairing OEM plastic fuel lines,not substituting plastic in place of a steel OEM line. My 1996 Oldshas OEM plastic fuel lines from the fuel tank all the way to the engine with about 50 psi of fuel pressure!

 

 

I just use rubber hose and fuel grade clamps on the Caravan. Cheap, but effective