94 Century Fuel Line

[tblake]

Hi Guys, something has happened I'm not exactly..... proud of.

My friend owns a 1994 Buick Century. It has the 3100 V6 and has a TON of miles on it. The thing is rusty, and besides the tires always going flat on him has been a very reliable car. (I dont even think he has had to replace the LIM gaskets yet).

Well, he had a tire go flat in his driveway and due to snow removal guidelines, he needed to have his car moved. So he had it towed to tires plus to have the tire fixed.

Well, the next day they called him and told him that they couldn't get his car started, but it was blocking their garage and needed to be moved.

My friend told me that he thought it was odd it wouldnt start because it has always started and he said that he had it running the previous day.

Well, him and I went to go see what we could do. When we got there, the repaired flat tire was in the back seat, and the car was on its donut spair which was flat.

My friend immediatly jumped in and tried to start it.... Nothing, no clicks, dings, cranks, or lights. I asked him if someone left the dome light on by accident. He looked, and it was. So we hooked his van up to it and left his van idle to charge up the battery as we changed his tire.....(why tires plus couldnt do this is beyond me)

So, I put the jack on the pinchweld up by the drivers front and start to jack the car up. He loosened lugnuts, we switched the tire over, and as he was tightening the lug nuts down on the new wheel, the rusty punchweld collapsed. No one was hurt, the car didnt drop very far (about an inch) but when I removed the jack, some fuel started to drip. The jack had split a plastic fuel line when it fell. just my luck.

My friend then jumped in his car. Of course it started right up even though a steady stream of gas was spraying out (which leads me to believe the cracked line is the return line). About this time the tires plus guy comes out and goes "Wow, you got it running!" he asked how. I said we jump started it. He said they tried that with a jump pack but couldnt get it to crank. (must have been a pretty weak jump pack). He then took a look on the ground and said that the leak is pretty bad and we should shut the car off. We did so.

My friend then went inside and, well, tires plus quoted him 700.00 to have the line fixed (more than the car is worth). I told him I would research possible solutions and would figure something out.

So, my question(s)....

1. Anyone know the size of the pressure and return lines on the 94 century 3100? are they both 3/8's?

2. What are my options? It appears only one is split. Its a plastic line and its split right in a straight section. My buddy obviosly wants to spend as little as possible on this car. Are there any patch kits that would work?

3. How do nylon fuel line patch kits work? I've never used them. Are they hard to get right and not leak?

Any advice?

Thanks!

[richtazz]

The nylon fuel line repair kits are relatively simple to use and work well. They include metal barbed connectors for each end and a section of line you cut to fit. You have to heat the plastic line (both the repair section and on the car) by soaking them in hot water (the only PITA part) to get them pliable so the barbed fitting will slide up inside. When the line cools, it shrinks down and makes a leakproof seal. Done.

[BNaylor]

Darn Tim, that sounds like a bad dream. Talk about Murphy's law. The rust sounds pretty bad if the body won't hold on a jack. Rich's suggestion sounds good to me unless you can think of another jury rig route that is cost effective. Good luck with it.

[tblake]

Thanks guys!

I had a feeling you two would be the only ones to respond all the way over here.

I will head to the parts place and see if I can get something figured out.

Rich, heating up the ends in hat water are going to be a pain in the butt seeing as it is in the tiresplus parking lot in this cold weather. I wonder how I'm going to do it?

[tblake]

Rich after I get the patch kit inside the line, before they cool off, would it help at all to throw a couple screw type clamps on there?

[richtazz]

Not really Tim. The plastic line is so rigid when it cools, that I doubt the clamps would do much if any good.

[tblake]

Hey Bob and Rich, thanks for the replies. Job well done (so far).

I ordered the parts from o'reilley's about a week ago. Today I climbed under there and tackled the job. It was the the 5/16th (return?) line that was split. The 3/8's one was just fine. It was split in such a small spot that I just snipped the line in half, cut off the split portion, which was just about 1/4 of an inch, and began my work. I had two thermouses of steaming hot water and left one end in one thermos for 10 minutes, then inserted the coupler. then I did the same for the other side. Job didnt take very long and went well. When I finished, started the car and no leaks. So thank you guys for the great help. Anyone wondering about the parts...

Dorman
3/8 nylon fuel line repair part number 800-011
5/16 nylon fuel line repair part number 800-012