Stupid plastic fuel lines

[martin]

anybody know how to join them? ie. to repair them or to change a fitting.

 

[kunar]

this is the way i did it, it's worked fine for me for probably 6 or 8 months now. you need a 1/4" repair barb and a 3/8" compression union. basically i used the hose barb to hold both halves together and the compression fitting to clamp down on the tube. i had to drill through the inside of the compression fitting to remove a step so the repair barb would fit inside. i also had to use some hot water (boiling) to heat the tube up enough the hose barb would slip in. start with one half of the fuel line and put the nut and compression ring on it. press in the hose barb and slip on the body of the compression fitting. put the nut and sleeve on the other half of the line and slip it on the hose barb. center the body of the compression fitting on the hose barb so when you tighten the fitting, it crushes it down onto the hose barb.

i hope that makes sense, kinda hard to describe. if you need any more help let me know. btw, make sure everything you buy is brass. should only cost like $6 or so total. all of this is from memory so double check on the sizes and everything.

 

[martin]

Good thinking. I had forgotten about using compression fittings, I've used many of them on pneumatic control circuits for machinery. Don't even need the barb, they make metal inserts that support the inner of the tube. the only thing I remember is that plastic tubes need plastic olives. Now I wonder where I can find the necessary parts. when I was working with them the parts came from europe and was many years ago and I don't remember getting them from any supplier here.

Any other ideas would also be appreciated.

 

[LittleHorse]

auto parts stores usually sell a repair kit with a barb fitting. I used one on my Bronco II. You have to heat the line in super hot water to get it flexible enough to fit on the barb, and then when it cools off it's ON THERE.

 

[That Baker Guy]

2 words, duct tape??
but seriously, got to the jy and pick up a new one, im sure its like 3 dollars?

 

[kunar]

Good thinking. I had forgotten about using compression fittings, I've used many of them on pneumatic control circuits for machinery. Don't even need the barb, they make metal inserts that support the inner of the tube. the only thing I remember is that plastic tubes need plastic olives. Now I wonder where I can find the necessary parts. when I was working with them the parts came from europe and was many years ago and I don't remember getting them from any supplier here.

Any other ideas would also be appreciated.

those metal inserts look a little chincy and i would rather err to the side of caution, so i ditched them in favor of the barb. i know its overkill, but its also a fuel line.

btw, like i said, all my parts came from like home depot or lowes. very easy to source.