TR2/3/3A TR-3B fuel line question

[Vaark01]

Hi,

Does anyone know where I can get a small fuel line to connect from the main fuel line to the fuel pump on my TR-3B (TCF)? I can't tighten the line enough to prevent a small leak from where it attaches to the fuel pump.

Thsnks,

Paul

 

[Don Elliott]

The fitting at the inlet to the fuel pum is an olive shaped ferrule or gland which you slide onto the end of the pipe before you tighten the hex nut. If you remove the old nut and ferrule, clean the surface of the pipe smooth with a bit of sandpaper , then slide the hex nut back on first - then a new olive gland - you can tightenen it and it shouldn't leak. If it does leak, it may be the threads have been cross threaded by some DPO. Use some teflon tape and re-tighten the hex nut.

The olives can be obtained for pennies at any Home Depot or similar store.

 

[Vaark01]

Great. Thanks for the help.

 

[TR3driver]

Perhaps it doesn't affect all cars, but what I've learned is that the original ferrules were effectively larger than the modern replacements; and at least sometimes the nut bottoms into the threads before it compresses the modern ferrule enough to prevent leaking. Overtightening in this case will just break the pump casting.

You may be able to carefully file off the last thread of the nut and get it to go deep enough to compress a modern ferrule. My nut was in bad shape anyway, so I made one on the lathe with an extended tip.

Or, someone (wish I could remember who) has a web site somewhere showing how to 'siamese' together two of the modern ferrules. If you look at the ferrule from the side, it has three sections. A tapered section on each side (which is where it compresses to grab the tube) and a center straight section. Basically you file or sand away one of the tapered sections from each ferrule, then install them with the flat sides together.

The original ferrules actually had a larger flat lip instead of one of the tapered sections, and the nut bore against the flat lip. Since the tapered section slides up inside the nut, the modern ferrules are effectively shorter.