Splicing in fuel line

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
I'm currently dealing with this fun situation on a 93 Toy pickup
20180621_221720.jpg

Gas line rusted through.
I'll likely order a replacement from Toyota, to fix it properly since most of the line is in bad shape, but that will take several days to get here, require bed removal etc.
In the meantime I'd like to splice in a line to get me by.
I've already cut out a 12" section, I can get more or less flat clean ends, but I assume I need to add a compression fitting that can tolerate the pressure? Is there a particular kits that makes it easy?
 
Flare the ends slightly and get some fuel injection rated rubber hose and the related clamps is what I'd use as a temp repair

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
So it just needs a flare on the metal side that the rubber is pushed over? Then a clamp on it past the flare?
 
RatLabGuy said:
So it just needs a flare on the metal side that the rubber is pushed over? Then a clamp on it past the flare?
Click to expand...
Yep. A flare just keeps the pressure from blowing the hose off. Make sure it's fuel injection rated, it'll say on the hose, it's a little more $ than standard fuel line but all parts stores have it. The matching clamps are the solid strap style with bolts, not a standard worm clamp, which will cut into the hose.

Done properly it can be a permanent repair, but with the shape that steel line is in you'd be doing good to replace like you said. My wheeling rig is plumbed this way, and has had no issues running 25psi since 2009!

For the flare what I do is just the first step with the flaring tool, using the insert to create the "bubble" I don't usually do the second step where you fold the bubble back on itself. All you need is the bump to keep the clamp from blowing off.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Well, as luck would have it, while in the process of manipulating the tank-end of the line to add a fare, it seems to have developed a leak all the way bad at the top of the tank, guessing where it goes in...
So now I get the fun of digging farter in and definitely replacing more.
I read somewhere it was easier to just remove the bed than drop the tank (esp since it has 15 gal of gas in it), so I've removed all the body bolt, wires etc... gonna be really interesting to see how much rust is really revealed by this...

Whats the easiest way to pick up the bed to take it off? Estimates I've seen are about 200 lbs. Not tooo heavy but awkward. Just get 3 guys, one on a side, and pick it up?
 
By yourself straps and an engine hoist. If you've got friends around 4 guys will make quick work of it. 2 possibly on a small truck.

At work we pull most beds for fuel pumps. 4 guys at work can lift even a full size long bed easily.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
UTfball68 said:
Or get creative with some ratchet straps and an engine hoist.
Click to expand...
Don't have a mobile hoist. I'd do this in the garage but I need to move it out of the way.

Cool, will get 2 buddies and some beer. Oh and 3 dust masks for the inevitable cloud of rust.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Well, as luck would have it, while in the process of manipulating the tank-end of the line to add a fare, it seems to have developed a leak all the way bad at the top of the tank, guessing where it goes in...
So now I get the fun of digging farter in and definitely replacing more.
I read somewhere it was easier to just remove the bed than drop the tank (esp since it has 15 gal of gas in it), so I've removed all the body bolt, wires etc... gonna be really interesting to see how much rust is really revealed by this...

Whats the easiest way to pick up the bed to take it off? Estimates I've seen are about 200 lbs. Not tooo heavy but awkward. Just get 3 guys, one on a side, and pick it up?
Click to expand...

When I added the FASS pump on my Ram, I just lifted the cab end of the bed up using some pieces of wood, and tilted it back. I didn't remove it. I had plenty of room to connect the fuel line to the top of the tank. I was able to do it by myself.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Don't have a mobile hoist. I'd do this in the garage but I need to move it out of the way.
Click to expand...

So here's what you do then...take that new light weight floor jack you were talking about a few weeks ago. Now that you can lift it enough to position it as sketchily as possible on stacked cinder blocks, or whatever can get you the necessary height. Use chunks of wood on the lift plate, the more chunks the better, just to add an extra sketch factor. Then, take one of those green cheapy Walmart ratchet straps, sling one end over a garage rafter, put the hooks in the stake pockets (use two ratchet straps across 4 pockets to reduce sketch factor)...ratchet bed off frame.
 
UTfball68 said:
So here's what you do then...take that new light weight floor jack you were talking about a few weeks ago. Now that you can lift it enough to position it as sketchily as possible on stacked cinder blocks, or whatever can get you the necessary height. Use chunks of wood on the lift plate, the more chunks the better, just to add an extra sketch factor. Then, take one of those green cheapy Walmart ratchet straps, sling one end over a garage rafter, put the hooks in the stake pockets (use two ratchet straps across 4 pockets to reduce sketch factor)...ratchet bed off frame.
Click to expand...
geez, rather than do all that, I'd just ratchet up each corner, or use my winch on the 4runner to lift it up via s snatch on the ceiling.

But what I meant was, the truck is in the garage... w/o usable fuel line... but I need the bed to be NOT in the garage so it's out of my way for awhile. E.g. it's probably getting dropped in the back yard.

A forklift, trakhoe, or about any armed wheeled machine would be great here lol.
drkelly said:
When I added the FASS pump on my Ram, I just lifted the cab end of the bed up using some pieces of wood, and tilted it back. I didn't remove it. I had plenty of room to connect the fuel line to the top of the tank. I was able to do it by myself.
Click to expand...
I considered that, but I suspect this is a good opportunity to see just how bad the frame rust situation is, knock some of it off and do some cleaning & painting.
If my garage was deeper I'd just push it back a couple feet and leave it leaned on the tailgate at a 45 degree angle.
 
At work we just set the front of the bed on the tires and the rear on the bumper. That's usually plenty to work. Just pick it up 3 feet and walk it back 3 feet.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Tim C said:
At work we just set the front of the bed on the tires and the rear on the bumper. That's usually plenty to work. Just pick it up 3 feet and walk it back 3 feet.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
yep, I'd love to do that, but then it'd be sticking out of the garage door.

Working in a typical attached "2 car" (meaning 1 with room on the sides) 19' deep garage sucks. "Just one more year until I can get my real garage..."
Were it flipped around the other way I'd just rest it upright on the front of the bed
 
RatLabGuy said:
Well, as luck would have it, while in the process of manipulating the tank-end of the line to add a fare, it seems to have developed a leak all the way bad at the top of the tank, guessing where it goes in...
So now I get the fun of digging farter in and definitely replacing more.
I read somewhere it was easier to just remove the bed than drop the tank (esp since it has 15 gal of gas in it), so I've removed all the body bolt, wires etc... gonna be really interesting to see how much rust is really revealed by this...

Whats the easiest way to pick up the bed to take it off? Estimates I've seen are about 200 lbs. Not tooo heavy but awkward. Just get 3 guys, one on a side, and pick it up?
Click to expand...

Make a rack from 2x4s and a highlift. You can find it onthe web. Have used it a couple times to lift a bed just ask @cranbiz and @/dev/yj has some pictures.
 
Well in that case 3 or 4 guys should have no problem picking it up and walking it out. If the door isn't wide enough, push back of truck out, get 2 guys on each side and walk it off and put it beside the house. Set it on a couple of cinder blocks to keep it off the ground if you wish. 2 guys may be able to handle it. We've had 2 of us lift and carry a ranger bed by the wheel well openings before. Not sure how much heavier a yota bed is if at all.

Just make sure any ground straps and the filler neck are loose. I usually unbolt the filler up by the gas cap and let it stay attached to the tank by its hose.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Neighbor, my 13 to son and I had no trouble lifting it up and off. Just awkward due to size and weight distribution.
I'm sure the neighbors love me... it stacks nicely w a 4runner top, on a shed platform that never got the shed built lol
20180625_202218.jpg


That of course revealed lots of rust, no shock there
20180625_201938.jpg
20180625_201954.jpg
20180625_202010.jpg

Looks like the line is bad just outside the pump cover. Doubt there's enough there to flare and splice onto...
Guessing this means replacing that whole cover part... I assume it's all one piece with the outlet.
 
a_kelley said:
That whole cover part is called fuel sender assembly.
Click to expand...
Toyota seems to refer to it as the fuel pump bracket, with this top/outlet being part of the holding bracket below it.
Pics of the "sender unit" appear to be more related to the chunk that measures the fluid height inside. Do you have a link with verification?
20180625_230218.jpg

Here's where I'm at. Have about 3/4" to work with. 12mm socket for reference. I'd love to be able to salvage this, but don't see how. A new unit is like $180 and rarely available. W some finesse I could probably get the tip cleaned up, but there's no room for the typical flare tool to flare the end.
Is there any other technique to get a reasonable fitting on there? Some kind of compression part?
 
Caver Dave said:
Cut out the rusty stub and run new hard line down thru that plate...
Click to expand...
What he said. I'd take a wire wheel to the base of that stub and see how the factory attached it (epoxy/weld). Cut the stub, drill it to size for a new hard line, bend the new hard line however you need it to be shaped, and then reinstall it however they did. There are a number of fuel-safe metal epoxies out there on the market that will hold that in place without issue.
 
Caver Dave said:
Cut out the rusty stub and run new hard line down thru that plate...
Click to expand...
Scooter402 said:
What he said. I'd take a wire wheel to the base of that stub and see how the factory attached it (epoxy/weld). Cut the stub, drill it to size for a new hard line, bend the new hard line however you need it to be shaped, and then reinstall it however they did. There are a number of fuel-safe metal epoxies out there on the market that will hold that in place without issue.
Click to expand...
X3

Also if you're handy with a torch, that new line can be soldered with acid core solder like you use on a radiator if you don't trust epoxy. That's how the filler pipe is attached to lots of steel tanks. Get it real clean, get it hot (off the tank of course, no BOOM that way, lol) and flow some acid core solder at it. Extra flux paste may help too.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Turns out there was a seller on Amazon w/ a "used in new condition" pump bracket for $80, I decided to just buy it. Drilling and welding on a new fitting would have been extremely difficult.
So I put that on, cut out the rustiest section of the metal line, put a flare on either end, put o na rubber hose w/ clamps... fired it up... and it blew gas out of another part of the rusty line farther up towards the filter:kaioken: from where just the handling had probably made it weak, as well as something around my fitting near the back.....
So now I'm going to just replace the whole metal line w/ a new one.
Of course the fittings are metric but from what I've read the line is really close to 5/16 (probably 7 or 8mm?). The section I need to replace has a female on each end, do I correctly understand I could just cut the old line and slip off the old fittings and slip them onto and re-use on my new line (after flaring of course)?
 
As long as the nut fits the line pretty snug that'll work. Most parts stores have metric fitting lines in stock too. Not sure if it's just brake line sizes or bigger lines too.

You may need to ask if you can go back and take a look yourself. Usually the line will say it's a 5/16" tube with m12-1.25 nut for example on the little paper tag on the ones I've seen.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top