Injector Return Lines Leaking

[chicklin]

It's probably been covered elsewhere, but I just wanted to stick another post out here for the search gods. My truck has been hard to start since I got it. Usually taking at least two attempts and 10 seconds each. Holding the pedal to the floor and letting the in-tank pump run helped, but it still was not up to par as compared to the last truck I had.

While checking over the fuel system after adding some WMO to the tank, I found several of the injector return lines were cracked right at the fittings above each cylinder. It was most obvious when I turned on the in-tank pump while watching the lines. You could see fuel bubbling out from the fittings. When I got them apart, several were cracked.

Anyway, $8 and a trip to Home Depot later, I can home with some 1/4" OD poly tube and brass ferrules. Using the brass inserts would've been better, but they didn't have them there in bulk. Anyway, I replaced all the lines above the injectors, ran it around some last night and then went out to fire it up this morning. Started on the first crank. With the air leaks in the lines, the fuel had been draining back to the tank overnight causing me to have to pump it all the way back up each new day.

Needless to say, much happier now and hopefully it will increase the life of my starter and batteries. Now, if I can just figure out why the Bendix on my starter randomly fails to engage....

 

[doghead]

The cheap poly tubing you used, will not last long. It wills soften and swell.(I had to use cheap(LOWES)poly line in a roadside emergency once. It lasted 2 weeks). You need to use fuel rated line. The most common line we use is DOT approved air line. If you do not use inserts, you will get leaks eventually also.

This has been covered many times.

 

[chicklin]

You're probably right, but it's exactly what was in there from the military, including the lack of inserts, so it's good enough for now. If it leaks, I'll get better stuff and fix it.

 

[doghead]

Your correct, the military did not use the inserts in all trucks (but they did tell you to use them later when it became a problem). But, they did not ever use the poly tube you bought. They used fuel rated hose. So, with no inserts and the wrong kind of hose, your really looking for trouble.