O fuel line coupling question

jbrewer · #1 11-13-2011, 11:31 AM

Looks like the O came with a 1/8" copper fuel line, which I'd like to reuse... but the original couplings look elusive...a small hex nut with embedded rubber gaskets that appear to compress and seal.

I've never seen THOSE, but I've seen brass bead type couplings. Will those work for this application (I've seen them used for oil lines on mechanical oil pressure gauges).

John

R Bedell · #2 11-13-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

I've seen brass bead type couplings

What do you mean by that...???

jbrewer · #3 11-13-2011, 12:15 PM

Well... it's a standard brass female hex fitting...slipped on a copper tube. Then a small brass football shaped bead is slipped onto the copper tube.

Then the hex fitting screws onto it's mating fitting, the brass bead forming a seal around the copper tube and the inside of the mating fitting.

Does that confuse things further? (it's not easy to describe but they're common in small diameter plumbing on copper line). I just don't know if they'll seal gas lines. I guess I'm about to find out! :-)

John

JayBrd · #4 11-13-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrewer

Well... it's a standard brass female hex fitting...slipped on a copper tube. Then a small brass football shaped bead is slipped onto the copper tube.

Then the hex fitting screws onto it's mating fitting, the brass bead forming a seal around the copper tube and the inside of the mating fitting.

Does that confuse things further? (it's not easy to describe but they're common in small diameter plumbing on copper line). I just don't know if they'll seal gas lines. I guess I'm about to find out! :-)

John

Yes they do, but make sure your tubing is straight. Once you goof it up it will leak and keep leaking.

R Bedell · #5 11-13-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

it's a standard brass female hex fitting...slipped on a copper tube. Then a small brass football shaped bead is slipped onto the copper tube

That in the trade is called a "compression fitting". The sleeve is referred to as a "ferrule"

In answer to your question, YES the compression fittings can be used although not restoration correct.

jbrewer · #6 11-13-2011, 12:44 PM

The rubber insert in the original fittings are obviously toast. I will try to punch out some donuts from an inner tube and see if they seal. I should have a set of gasket punches around here somewhere. I think I see how this original config works... as you tighten the fitting, the rubber is compressed around the tubing to seal it (as the compression and ferrule fitting does I suppose .

Thanks ...I'll try the original pieces first and see how that works. I DO know that if you bend the tube anywhere near the joint, you'll be looking for a new piece of copper tube.

John

Matt G. · #7 11-13-2011, 06:03 PM

As of a couple years ago, you could still buy those rubber ferrules from Kohler.

When I restored a 100 a couple years ago, I used copper tubing and compression fittings. Not completely correct, but far closer than most people go.

darkminion_17 · #8 11-13-2011, 09:32 PM

Matt,
You can still get them here in NJ. My local Case IH dealer has them. But I have used a rubber hose that was the same size as them,just cut it into small pieces and it does the same thing.
John I have like 2 doz of those, could have sent a few in your package....or a piece of rubber hose...

Nomadist · #9 11-13-2011, 11:37 PM

You can also get a few rubber washers from local Ace HW. Just bring in the fitting and tube and match it up, it works great, and was about 18 cents each, I put 3 in there.

mmzullo · #10 11-14-2011, 07:13 PM

I use 2 o rings per fitting. Do it all the time. Never leaks!! Knock wood.

jaybrd,
By the way your tank is backwards.

I've had this fuel line like this for 10 years with 2 rubber o rings per side. Someone made fun of it back then and I said I'll fix the line when it starts to leak. Well 10 years and no leak. Guess what it's staying.