Fuel Filter help

[93CutlassSupreme]

i was going to change my fuel filter the other day, until this stopped me

 

 

the nut on the fuel line is crushed. instead of being a normal 6-sided bolt, it is a oval-shaped piece of rusted metal

 

i've shot this motherfucker with almost every lubricant i can find, and it won't budge

 

 

what can i do? :?:

[sl3196]

Vise grips?

[Guest TurboSedan]

get a torch on there and put some heat on it! j/k

 

i'd let the lubricant soak in for a few days and then get a vice grips on there REALLY tight and try again....

 

either way you're going to have to replace that line nut, so you might as well cut it off and reflare the line or just replace the entire line.

[vegaslumina]

had a similar problem while changing mine, but the vise grips worked

[Stevo]

get a torch on there and put some heat on it! j/k.

 

Yeah that reminds me of when I mentioned to my cousin that my fuel tank needs to be welded and he told me to fill it with gas and then weld it since gas "fumes" were the only thing that is combustable about gas.

 

I think he was actually serioius. :shock:

[SUPERDUTYD]

same thing happened to me. i had to cut the curved section of gas line attached to the fuel filter with a mini pipe cutter and replace it with a piece from the junkyard. i spliced it with one of those brass couplers. works fine 5 years now.

[airman]

gas "fumes" were the only thing that is combustable about gas

 

 

He's right about that, but I would think that filling it with water or something would be a little more "confidence-inspiring"

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Try using a pipe wrench if vise grips are difficult to work with. You will get more leverage and be able to but that sucker off. After you get it off (IF you decide to re-use the rusty ass line) use some thread sealer of some sort (not permanent kind though).

[Guest TurboSedan]

use some thread sealer of some sort (not permanent kind though).

 

that's kinda a bad idea with flare fittings, since the sealant can distort the tapered thread fitting. well, that's what i've been told anyway so i could be wrong. i'm not sure if that applies to the liquid sealant too (like TFE paste) or just thread tape.

[93CutlassSupreme]

thanks for the ideas

 

i might just say fuck it and leave it

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

I would just replace the line....your going to have to anyway...or cut it and use compression fittings and a new flared end

[Dannymik]

are you having a problem with your fuel or is this just a regular maitenance thing? I would do as the guys said...let the stuff penetrate for a couple days and try vise grips. Now if you need more leverage you can take the rounded side of an wrench(insert the end of the vise grip in it) and get that extra boost as needed. I needed to do this for the 2 main bolts on my calipers cas they were a bitch to break loose. Just a trick from a mechanic! Good luck

[93CutlassSupreme]

i was going to change it because it's about 4 or 5 years old.

 

however, now that i got some crap gas, maybe it really should be changed

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

use some thread sealer of some sort (not permanent kind though).

 

that's kinda a bad idea with flare fittings, since the sealant can distort the tapered thread fitting. well, that's what i've been told anyway so i could be wrong. i'm not sure if that applies to the liquid sealant too (like TFE paste) or just thread tape.

 

I used some white stuff that my dad uses on natural gas piping. I thought for sure that the rusty bolts on my '88 were gonna leak gas, but they don't leak at all. I was carefull to not apply too much cause you don't want that junk getting in your engine.

[93CutlassSupreme]

i'll probably just leave it.