Oil Filter Line Repair

[maineSS]

While I was running my PW engine @ 2000 rpm in neutral for Infrared Temp measurements, I happened to look down and see a puddle of oil under the truck. I shut it down, and commenced a search for the cause. I traced it to a leak in the Oil Filter return line- apparently it had been crimped with pliers during installation, and had cracked due to years of vibration stress (Pic #1). The bottom of the starter and the dipstick area of the block had always been oily since I got the truck, so obviously there had been a pinhole leak for quite some time. Fortunately, it never failed on the road, or I would have had a siezed engine in short order.

I took a 1/4" dia brake line leftover from a previous project, and formed a pigtail about 2 1/2" dia around a cooking oil spray can (pic#2). The pigtail does a good job of absorbing vibration and accomodating expansion & contraction stresses. It also allows much easier fitting into the upper and lower flare fittings on the filter and block than the OEM line, as the pigtail lets you shorten the line to get over the side of the fittings. I used the preformed flare on one end, and formed the other with my flaring tool. The line length was ~ 22" before the flare was formed- it used about 1/4" of tube for a double flare. Pic #3 shows the OEM and replacement line. Continue next post...

[maineSS]

Pic #4 shows the installed view of the new line. I finished it off with a couple coats of Rustoleum silver spray paint, and hopefully should be good for years.

[712edf]

That looks good! The loop should work perfect.

Bucky

[maineSS]

The pigtail dia was 2 1/4", not 2 1/2", as I wrote in my 1st post. I had to reduce the dia from my first attempt, because it hit the head. The canola oil can is from Wal-Mart- indeed a "Great Value", as it allowed me to get the truck running in a couple hours instead of waiting a couple weeks on parts. I formed the pigtail around the bottom of the can in the slight depression at the bottom seam.