stevesmitty

Ok, first, thanks for all the information on this site. Found it a few days ago and am learning a lot.

Just bought a 95 dodge 3500 flatbed. I'm told it has a 97 engine.

Yesterday when I bought it for literally a song, I was told of a small fuel leak on the engine. I came back to it with some tools and went to work. What the hell, it's just a fuel fitting, right?

I admit, I'm not familiar with this motor at all, so I'll do my best to describe what I've seen, incorrect terminology included.

From the passenger side of the engine compartment, one of the six fuel lines connected to the intake manifold via a flare adapter had loosened a few threads and had been leaking fuel while the motor ran. This is evidenced by the staining on the manifold and the hood directly above. Before I bought it I ran it but did not drive it and noticed the fuel puffing out a little bit from this adapter.

This is also a small secondary line with taps into the side of this fitting and also all the others. It is connected with a small hollow bolt with has a small orifice near the cap of the bolt. I removed this bolt to get better access to tighten the large fuel line adapter which it is connected to.

I successfully tightened the adapter with a 15/16 and proceeded to the hollow bolt of the smaller secondary line. This is sealed with a saddle-shaped copper gasket.

I cannot, for the life of me get this hollow bolt to thread back on. This is what happens:

I can turn the bolt several turns hand tight, and it appears firmly started. I begin to tighten it with an 11mm wrench, an about 2-3 threads from complete tight, it pops out. It just pops out every single time.

Now, when I originally removed this bolt, it came out nice and smooth for several turns of the wrench and then hand loose for final removal, so I'm convinced it's not cross threaded. The bolt has no appearance of cross or any other problems.

At this point, with a dozen frustrated attempts to keep pressure on the bolt and turn it in, I gave it up.

What am I missing here? Any help fellow dieselers, please!!!

I'm dying to get this thing back to the house, so I can get nasty with oil changes, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Steve.

infidel

It sounds like the small banjo bolt on the return fuel line is stripped or the part it's screwed into (injector) is stripped. Hopefully it's the bolt. If the injector is found to be stripped it would be preferable to replace all six of them.

Try trading banjo bolts with another injector, don't get carried away on tightening them down.

1st gen Hobie

I had a hard time getting mine back in when swapping injectors. Think I spent about 20 mins getting them all in.

infidel

You probably bent the line out of the way rather than removed it totally. I did that, only once, figuring it would be easier, it isn't. Much better to remove the entire line. This is especially true with the injector lines.

LHartman

I agree with infidel. Check to see if the bolt is stripped or if the inside the injector is stripped. I assume, and hope, that it's just the bolt.

stevesmitty

Thanks guys. Boy, this was a lesson learned. I fought with it to get the alignment just right. One way off a little bit and it's an excercise in frustration.

I ended up pulling the line away to get the bolt started. It has a bit of a strip on the end from when I was messing with it yesterday. Once I got it to bite and put some pressure behind it, I got it to start. I worked it back and forth until it was smooth.

Then came the fun part, aligning the line to match the slight downward angle of the thread and the cant of the fitting.

But once I took a good close look at it and got it set up just right, it only took a few attempts to get it started, mind you with my fingers crossed.

All is well now with at least that part and I'm off to change the oil and get more familiar with the beast.

Thanks again all.