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Help with oil gauge line

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LastDeadLast

LastDeadLast

Jedi Knight
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OK, so lately I've noticed a little more oil on garage floor than usual.. not a whole lot more, but enough to get me investigating. Anyway, long story short, there was a worn spot in the plastic line for the oil pressure gauge was leaking right were it went into the engine block.

"No problem!" I said to myself (famous last words I know), I'll just cut the end off off the plastic line and shove the metal adapter thingy back into the plastic line and I'll be good to go.

That's where the problems started; I can't get the metal adapter back into the plastic line. Has anyone had to do this in the past? It appears to be a specialized fitting because a trip to the auto parts store didn't give me anything that would help. I've got a new line on order, but it's supposed to be such a nice weekend!.. but I don't want to be without an oil pressure gauge either.

Here's a pic of the culprit:

normal_Oil_gauge_line_002.jpg


Thanks guys in advance!
-s
 
Shannon,

When I had the engine rebuilt, I replaced my entire plastic line, which came complete with fittings installed from TRF. I ignored the actual assembly of the original line and parts when it went in. I will check my boxes of used parts, but I'm pretty sure that I jut threw it away. I felt that after 34 years, it owed me nothing.

If I were you, I would replace the entire line. With the pressure that goes through there, you don't want any leaks developing. I think that Ted Schumaker now sells a braided stainless line to replace the plastic unit.

Until then, try heating the end of the line to allow it to expand when you put this piece in.

And don't forget the leather washer on the back of the gauge!
 
Assuming it's 1/8" OD plastic tubing, you could go back to your parts store and buy a generic 1/8" copper line kit for the gauge. They typically come with several feet of tubing and both male and female 1/8" NPT compression fittings for the tubing. Some people don't like the copper line kits but if you leave a storage loop or two in the line to handle vibration they last very well. Even if you don't want to run it as a long term installation, the generic kit will allow you back on the road until you buy a hose kit you're happier with.
 
Doug,

I have 1/8" compression fittings.. but they don't match the size of the what the current block adapter uses (don't know about the gauge end, haven't taken that off yet). The flange end is probably twice the size of a OD of a normal 1/8" compression fitting.

Brosky,

I've tried using a heat gun for two hours last night...I think the age of the tube has made it almost impossible to do. The tube would either be rock hard, or melting.

I'll call Ted Schumaker on Monday to see if he has one in stock.. meanwhile, I've got a replacement on order from Moss.

Any other suggestions are welcome.

-s
 
I've done a similar fitting, by drilling a hole in a block of hardwood (metal might be better) just the size of the plastic tubing. Then slice through the hole lengthwise with a hacksaw; so that you wind up with two pieces each with a semi-circular groove.

Fit the two pieces around the plastic line, leaving perhaps 1/4" of line protruding, and clamp the whole mess firmly in a vice. If you've ever used a flaring tool, this setup will look very familiar. I also used a reamer to cut just a bit of taper in the end of the line, and remove any burrs leftover from cutting it.

Add the nut or whatver, then start driving the fitting into the line with a brass hammer. After it moves in a bit, loosen the vice, move the line up and reclamp it, then drive some more. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I did this with one of the fuel injection lines on a VW Rabbit, and it was still holding fine when my stepson sold the car some 5 years later.
 
I did the same thing as well and was able to salvage the line. Try using a drill bit to put a bit of a taper in the opening of the tube as TR3driver mentioned. It has been a while but I may have used a small tapered wood screw to stretch the line a bit. I think I also heated the brass fitting/insert so that it would help slide in a bit easier (only hot to the touch, 150-180 degrees or so).

Good Luck
 
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