splicing nylon fuel line

[eljefino]

Anyone done this? Looks like I'm getting two 25 foot rolls, one 5/16", one 3/8. My silhouette van has numerous factory connectors and steel crimped on to nylon. Rust is getting at the stuff and I plan to eliminate a few failure points. (There's a junction near the subframe so they can lift the powertrain in at the factory and hook it up right there, for example.)

Am mostly set but wondering what people are using for cutting the nylon line cleanly. Was going to use a hacksaw blade.

They say heating the line in boiling water will help it slip over the hose barbs and fit snugly, so let's see how that goes. Supposedly NAPA has the quick-connects and everything else I'll need...

 

[willix]

I have dealt with Ford lines and they don't use crimps. Rather the line is heated and pushed on a barbed end. I used boiling water to soften the plastic and was very difficult to push on. Once on its not coming off. You mention crimps, It sounds to me there may be a special crimp tool involved to get it right. You will want to get some slack to lengthen the line so you can cut off the inch or so of line previously distorted from the barbed end.

 

[oilboy123]

I would think a sharp utility knife would work well. But maybe it's too tough for that. I have an outboard hydraulic set up I am going to install at some point that has the same type of tubing. They say to use a tubing cutter or pipe cutter.

 

[beast3300]

You can use compression fittings that connect nylon to steel. Or just buy 3/8ths and 5/16ths steel line in rolls and connect them up.

 

[chad8]

9 inch linesman pliers. works perfect.

 

[mechtech2]

Good side cutters - they are pliers with only a cutting device on the end.
A hacksaw will leave jaggies and possible particulate matter to break off.
Fittings? It's up to the operator as to how well they work.

 

[eljefino]

Was looking at getting steel adaptor ends that quick-connect to the fuel filter and a nylon return line coming from the tank. These have barbs that stuff on the nylon. "Splicing" may be the wrong term. Under the hood nylon lines plug into the fuel rail, out of laziness and ease of access I'm probably chopping those and using double barbs to hook up to my newly run line.

 

[eljefino]

Well the job is done, $100 later. NAPA barely had what I needed; had to get a steel line with two male ends to click into my fuel filter... using the old o-ring and plastic connector. Then had to cut that part in half and use a metal-to-nylon compression fitting.

Hint with the barbs: boil stuff up as described then go for broke when jamming the line on. Once it slows/stalls the game is over and it's staying put.

 

[andyd]

Heh heh, reading stuff like this just strengthens my resolve to hang onto my 88 BMWs. I have to pay about 30$ on fuel injection hose and about 20$ worth of stainless clamps. I splice it with 5/16 hose barbs. I gotten pretty good with steel lines over time too.

 

[ATS-V]

When my nylon line developed a leak I opted to remove the nylons with a utility knife and replace with fuel injection hose and fuel injection band clamps.

I just had to redo a line this past summer since the first time the parts store didn't have the correct clamps and 2 years later it start leaking again.

 

[sciphi]

Where did you get the nylon tubing? This sounds like a project I might want to tackle this summer on my Buick with very rusty fuel lines.

 

[ATS-V]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Where did you get the nylon tubing? This sounds like a project I might want to tackle this summer on my Buick with very rusty fuel lines.


Me?

I didn't use nylon tubing, I really don't trust the stuff under high pressure. I bought fuel injection hose at a local auto parts store. But make sure it's rated J30R9 and use fuel injection clamps.

The first time I did mine I as in a pinch and the store didn't have the correct clamps. Over time (2 years) and heat the hose end started getting damaged and eventually developed a leak. There's not much room when the lines attach to the hard lines behind the brake booster. I never redid the return side since it operated at much lower pressures, but it's on my to-do list.

 

[eljefino]

I got the tubing at NAPA. Though expensive ($37 for 25 feet of 3/8") it was the easiest find, partswise. The adaptors to quick connects were the "hack".

 

[willix]

I had fuel line trouble (kinked) created by other work I was doing.
I have dealt with ford line & was able to use the boiling water method.
That proved to be too difficult this time. I bought the tool to insert the line this time, $98.00. Although a costly thing and may never need it again it did work very slick and the nylon line can be pushed on cold.

I remember this topic coming up before and thought add this.
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This tool is just a hand press with the action of a caulking gun but has fixture attachments to secure the line & fitting in alingment to press them together. Doorman has the same identical tool # 800-301. they have all the same line & fittings as NAPA where I bought what was needed. I found the Doorman tool kit at O'reiley for $65.00 more. There are PDF files at the Doorman website that explain how to use the tool.

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The Doorman nylon line had the same OEM line that is on my GM.
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These unions make easy work of a proper splice and are made specific for this nylon line with nylon compression rings.
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A splice with the double barbed end like the quick connector be found at NAPA or Doorman and done with the tool.

The brass splice is a 5 minute job and you don't have to fiddle around with the insertion tool's fixtures 20 maybe 30 minutes.

 

[The_Eric]

We have that same basic kit at work. It's a great thing to have and once you use it a few times, you'll get much quicker at it. A drop of some motor oil will make pressing the fittings into the plastic hose a breeze.