FUEL LEAK/FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT

[NeverEasy]

On the way back from the western side of Virginia, we developed a fuel leak.  We could smell diesel so we pulled over and found it.  It was on the output of the secondary fuel filter.  I cleaned it with brake cleaner to get it as dry as possible and wrapped it tightly with plastic tape.  Then put pipe clamps and tie wraps on it as close to each other as I could get them.  We made it home.

I started looking for fuel line routing and could not find any diagrams.  Nothing in the Resource Guide on fuel.  It was difficult to trace the lines as they are bundled with fuel lines, air lines, and electrical runs.  On the leaking line, we could not trace it through the zip tied mass.  I cut the connector off the leaking line and started pulling it back through the harness.  We lost it when it turned up toward the back of the engine.  Looking up over the transmission, I found it attached to the back of the engine head.  Getting to it was near impossible. 

I don’t know about other engines but the Detroit Series 60 engine has the supply and return connections on the back of the head which is about 18 inches under the cab.  The fuel connections are about a foot down from the top of the rocker cover.  While looking at those fuel connections, I saw two thru-chassis connectors with fuel lines on them on a crossmember about 18 inches behind the engine.  The rubber looked ok but the connector crimps were corroded nearly off (Canadian truck).  The only way to get to all the fuel lines (and that means just the ability to get an open-end wrench on the connector) was to remove the exhaust system from the turbo back.  Removing the air cleaner gave access to the back of the turbo.  The 5” stainless flex exhaust pipe would not come off so I cut it off with a torch. 

Getting the connectors off was a challenge.  It involved a rope tied to the boxed end of a wrench, one person pulling while the other pried with various devices for leverage.  We installed all new lines.  We got all lines off and lost a lot of skin in the process.  A local shop made us new ones in just a few minutes.

I made an electric motor/Sherwood gear pump external pump station with dual filters, pipe, hose, and connectors.  We used that to pull fuel through all the lines from the tanks to the input to the truck fuel pump and dump back to the tank to flush those lines.  Then it had to be used to prime the truck’s pump.

I am posting this as a lesson learned.    Any sign of cracked rubber should be looked at.  There was no way to see those thru-chassis connectors on a routine examination.  This is not a job that can be done on the road.  My wife, Deb, was a true champion in helping. 

I will try to include a diagram of the fuel line routing and a couple of pictures of the lines.  It might help someone inspect their lines and know where and what things are.

FUEL LINE DIAGRAM

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ENGINE CONNECTIONS

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THRU-CHASSIS

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EXTERNAL PUMP

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[Darryl&Rita]

I feel your pain. That was me, last summer. O was encountering a fuel starvation issue. My fuel line routing was infinitely simpler than yours. Still took the better part of a day crawling around under the truck.

[JPL]

Chet   glad that job is behind you. They try to make it as hard as they can. The engineers should have to fix everything they design at least once. Might make designing a little easier. I really like your pump. I worked on a friends boat that hadn't been started in over 5 years. I had to get rid of 155 gals of diesel. It took 2 days to hear the engine run. 91 Cummins 300 horse.. The boat is a 33' 1988 Wellcraft. Hope everything is doing OK with you'll. Take care and be safe.   Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

[NeverEasy]

Thanks, Pat.  Electric motor on pump is too big and heavy.  It was handy and had a pulley on it.  

The two lines that are connected to the thru-chassis connectors are really not necessary. If they needed to be high in the frame to prevent siphoning then they could have just been tied up there.  Don't understand the reasoning.  It made the job twice as hard.

We are OK here.  Still staying isolated.  Only went on that one trip out to Natural Bridge, VA.  Bought 8.64 acres about 1/4 mile from Natural Bridge and the Upper James River.  We like the area and go canoeing there when we can.  For the most part, mother and the pandemic has us sequestered.

I did buy a 12-ton, tandem/dually trailer for the back hoe.  Blasted it to bare metal and painted it with two-part urethane.  Putting the deck on now.  Full 2-inch white oak.  It weighs 5,000 lbs without the back hoe. Don't think I will be pulling it with my 2500HD Chevy.