While planning to intall a Frantz fuel filter, I went to Lowe's to find a pair of shut off valves yesterday. I bought a pair of 3/8" shut off valves that meet the water requirement of state California. I wonder if thses shut off valves can be used for gasoline?
Do I need specital shut off valves for gas?
- Thread starter sifan
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The state of California likely approves a wide variety of valves for water. If you could find them that small, the best ones would be ball valves with Teflon seats. The common gate valves tend to leak. Might not be too bad if you seldom open and close them and readjust the stem packing if it needs it. Be vary careful with a globe valve, they may have rubber washers that will not stand gasoline. If the valve is labeled WOG (water, oil, gas), it may be OK.
I am disappointed on how little used ball valves are. I like the quarter turn convenience and the stems are much less likely to leak. Gate valves have been obsolete for most applications for at least 25 years. Still, you go to Lowes, etc., that is mostly what they stock. Most plumbers continue to buy what daddy did and haul it to the job in a truck with a Fram filter.
I am disappointed on how little used ball valves are. I like the quarter turn convenience and the stems are much less likely to leak. Gate valves have been obsolete for most applications for at least 25 years. Still, you go to Lowes, etc., that is mostly what they stock. Most plumbers continue to buy what daddy did and haul it to the job in a truck with a Fram filter.
The label of the 3/8" ball valve shows 400 psi WOG. I think it is ok for my application. I was wondering what WOG stood for. Thanks.
Sounds like a good choice. Of course the ''G'' in WOG stands for natural gas, not gasoline. Back in the 80's we used ball valves any time we installed anything 2'' and under in the small plant I managed. We used them on natural gas, steam, compressed air, water, and vinyl plasticizer. The plasticizers were mostly diphthalate esters and very agressive towards elastomers. Never had a problem with any of the ball valves. Over 2 inch, we used butterfly valves.
Oops. I mistakened the G for Gasoline. Thanks for the assurance.
Try www.mcmaster.com catalog number 7910K83 for marine fuel valve. They also have other choices. You can pay as much as you want to pay. Be careful with leaks. A drip here and there with diesel fuel or lube oil won't kill you. A one quart gasoline filter is a bomb under the hood.
Ralph
Ralph
I think you are more likely to have leaks with the old tech plug valves, plus tending to jam and freeze. I never remember a leak with any fluid with a good WOG ball valve. We used all Lunkenheimers I think all the ones we used on steam lines had an SP rating too. If you insisted on using a plug valve, I would go with the 7910K35 flare valve and avoid inherently leaky pipe thread.
I took a look at the suggested shut-off valve. It could only handle 30 psi. Is that rating enough to handle the fuel pressure of my car? By the way, what is meant by flared?
Try www.mcmaster.com catalog number 7910k83 for marine fuel valve. They also have other choices. You can pay as much as you want to pay.
Be careful with leaks. A drip here and there with diesel fuel or lube oil won't kill you. A one quart gasoline filter is a bomb under the hood.
Ralph
Be careful with leaks. A drip here and there with diesel fuel or lube oil won't kill you. A one quart gasoline filter is a bomb under the hood.
Ralph
I think all the modern FI systems run at well over 30 psi. A flared valve would have a tapered seat and threads. You use a flaring tool to flare out the end of the tubing to fit the seat, and then tighten a nut on to the threads.
That forces the flare against the seat. Fuel lines used to use inverted double flare fittings and steel lines. The nut on the line had male threads. The end of the line was rolled inside before flaring. This gave a gap between the inner layer and outer layer allowing the tubing flare to conform more closely to the seat, and seal better. The metal to metal seal frequently didn't. Newer cars have gone to other styles of fittings. Many others, no 2 the same.
If you have a good ball valve with pipe threads, I would go ahead and use it. I like Lock-Tite PST thread compound better than Teflon tape for pipe threads. The plug type valves take a lot of fooling with to make work plus a good lube.
That forces the flare against the seat. Fuel lines used to use inverted double flare fittings and steel lines. The nut on the line had male threads. The end of the line was rolled inside before flaring. This gave a gap between the inner layer and outer layer allowing the tubing flare to conform more closely to the seat, and seal better. The metal to metal seal frequently didn't. Newer cars have gone to other styles of fittings. Many others, no 2 the same.
If you have a good ball valve with pipe threads, I would go ahead and use it. I like Lock-Tite PST thread compound better than Teflon tape for pipe threads. The plug type valves take a lot of fooling with to make work plus a good lube.
Thanks for the detailed explanation.
The ball valves I bought have push in and lock ends. I intend to use hose clamps to hold the fuel hoses. Is this a safe practice for a FI engine?
The ball valves I bought have push in and lock ends. I intend to use hose clamps to hold the fuel hoses. Is this a safe practice for a FI engine?
A drip here and there with diesel fuel or lube oil won't kill you. A one quart gasoline filter is a bomb under the hood.
Sifan, I agree with Ralph Wood. I read where you had leaks with your Frantz install in your earlier posts. All gas tanks in MD have been changed in the last 4 years for upgrade for new fuels and I have not had any problems with fuel. I don't think the reward is worth the risk of a gas leak and a potential problem.
Sifan, I agree with Ralph Wood. I read where you had leaks with your Frantz install in your earlier posts. All gas tanks in MD have been changed in the last 4 years for upgrade for new fuels and I have not had any problems with fuel. I don't think the reward is worth the risk of a gas leak and a potential problem.
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I am not quite sure what you mean. If you found a valve with fittings similar to the Strato-Flex Push Lock ones, good deal. The Strato-Flex were rated for 150 psi. without clamps. The clamps certainly wouldn't hurt.
I do tend to agree with Oldman about an aftermarket fuel filter maybe being more of a danger than needed.
Thinking about it some more, the nifty clampless Push Lock fittings were Parker, not Strato-Flex. Stratoflex was somebody else's trademark and was for high pressure hydraulic hoses.
Sorry about the confusion. I thought a ball valve was better with thread/flare ends than push and lock ends.
I will install the fuel bypass filter in the trunk. The engine bay is just too hot and crowded to accommodate it.
I will install the fuel bypass filter in the trunk. The engine bay is just too hot and crowded to accommodate it.
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