Supply Fuel Line Leak

I have a 91 Plymouth Voyager LE with almost 285,000 Kilometers on it.

I have a very light gas leak only on one point right from the supply fuel line (coming off the tank and goes all the way to the front engine) There are three fuel lines in the picture. Only the front, bigger, and looks damp with the broken clamp hosing is the one leaking. The other two is good. The leak is right on the connectors between the rubber hose and the steel line. The lines are rusted but not crumbling to pieces.

I have taken several close-up pictures of the actual problem. Please see picture attached: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/binshare2004/album?.dir=/4d6a&.src=ph&.tok=phNekxBBpp_Rb9JI

Was wondering if I can repair this myself by cutting the edge of supply line on both sides and inserting a rubber hose (designed for fuel lines with the proper size) insert it in the steel line and then add a filler line to one of the ends and attaching that to the rubber hose of the other end. Multi-clamped both sides tightly.

On the one end, the fuel line is a 3/8" cylindrical steel pipe. On the other end (the one going to the tank) is also a 3/8" InsideDiameter but rubber hosing.

How strong is the pressure from them being the supply fuel line?

Will my repair work or would the leak now emit from the new joints?

I would just like to make sure it would work and save me a few thousand dollars and not change the whole supply lines and the tank itself as suggested by the crooks at the Chrysler dealership.

I want another year or two on this van before I get another.

Can anyone help or suggest anything?

From your photos, it's a tough call.

I did a simular fix like this on a rusty Honda so I'm fairly sure the replacement hose will stand up to the fuel pump pressure. On the Honda, I replaced a two foot section of the main feed line with a hose, using liberal amounts of permatex at the joints with hoseclamps. The trick is finding a good section of the fuel line to attach it to.

In your case, a short splice may not work as the pictures show the lines to be very rusty - (the line's diameter will be smaller than the 3/8 you expect and it may not seal). That may mean a longer splice to a good section of line. That would bring a second issue into play. With the car's suspension moving up and down, the spliced hose can't rub or snag on the body. It would have to be clamped down to something nearby.

Hope that helps

yogi_123rd

Thank you very much for that advise and tip.

One more thing.....

there are several types of permatex product, which one exactly can I use or which one did you use for that honda job that you did?

I did that fuel line repair today and so far it is holding. No leak yet. I hope it would not as I'm going to try for a longer drive tomorrow.

I replace the rusted gasket piping between the steel pipe and the rubber line. I had a bit of dilemma as the rubber hose is kinda bigger in diameter although it's imprinted 5/16" on the hose itself. I had a filling tube between my added new rubber line and the old rubber hose. As advise by yogi_123rd, I use a lot of permatex adhesive gasket sealant on the filler tube and both the rubber hose so hopefully it is sealed shut and holding.

I will know by tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Total costs of this project; $33.50 CAD dollars

$10.00 for the SAE30R9 X 5/16" X 1foot - EFI rubber hose

$18.00 ($3.00/pc X 6 pcs) of Hose gear clamps

$5.50 for the Permatex gasket Sealant

I have a 91 Plymouth Voyager LE with almost 285,000 Kilometers on it.

WOW! All I can say is WOW!!! :22yikes: :cheers: :22yikes:

I drove it for up to 200 kilometers and back with no leak. The project was a success !!!

Thanks to all that helped ..... God bless !!!

Glad to hear that. Now you will proably get another 100,000 Kilometers :cheers: You may set the record. Please keep us informed.

Glad to hear that. Now you will proably get another 100,000 Kilometers :cheers: You may set the record. Please keep us informed.


And it still uses the original transmission, tank, etc......

Yes, it's really a wonder !!!