Jim Nilsen
09-06-2009, 11:34 AM
I just got done spending my time fighting with a couple of leaks that were driving my nuts. These leaks were caused by the weld in the tubing. Upon the removal and inspection of the tube flare that was made with my Ridgid flaring tool which works very well I notices an almost unseeable little line. This line could barely be felt with your fingernail but you could just feel it none the less. I didn't see it when inspecting it after I was done as a problem.
They make a small little crush seal out of copper or aluminum which ever you need to use and after this little ordeal. The 3/8 in.tube connections gave me no problems so far but the 1/2in. tube was the culprit here.
The solution for me was to use my small detail round file and very carefully file the line out and then with 220 and then 400 grit wet/dry paper and a flare tool head polished it smooth and then installed again. So far no leaks.
Ijust wanted to let anyone who is using 1/2in. welded seam stainless tubing that if you can get the little crush seal washers , buy them when you get the tubing. If not make sure you really check the the seam in your flare to see if you have the line and the ridge.
Leaks are no fun and pulling your tubing on and off with fuel in them is a real pain as most of you know.
Stainless tubing is nice but damn is it unforgiving and relentless when the weld is not as good as should be. I had other connections with 1/2in. that were ok so I am assuming that it was just the piece of tubing that I was working with and the factory weld was just a bit too hard and not annealed long enough to be as soft as the rest of the tube.
So now that you are warned i hope you don't have to go thru what I just did.
I would be really nice if someone made a honing tool that you could dress the flare with to make this never happen.
They make a small little crush seal out of copper or aluminum which ever you need to use and after this little ordeal. The 3/8 in.tube connections gave me no problems so far but the 1/2in. tube was the culprit here.
The solution for me was to use my small detail round file and very carefully file the line out and then with 220 and then 400 grit wet/dry paper and a flare tool head polished it smooth and then installed again. So far no leaks.
Ijust wanted to let anyone who is using 1/2in. welded seam stainless tubing that if you can get the little crush seal washers , buy them when you get the tubing. If not make sure you really check the the seam in your flare to see if you have the line and the ridge.
Leaks are no fun and pulling your tubing on and off with fuel in them is a real pain as most of you know.
Stainless tubing is nice but damn is it unforgiving and relentless when the weld is not as good as should be. I had other connections with 1/2in. that were ok so I am assuming that it was just the piece of tubing that I was working with and the factory weld was just a bit too hard and not annealed long enough to be as soft as the rest of the tube.
So now that you are warned i hope you don't have to go thru what I just did.
I would be really nice if someone made a honing tool that you could dress the flare with to make this never happen.