Fuel Accumulator Line fitting tightness

[Beachdrifter]

Hi all,

So yesterday I decided to replace my accumulator since I was starting to get hot start issues - rest pressure was getting worse over time. Changed the PPR oring and didn't think my fuel check valve was the culprit either since it wasn't a drastic pressure drop after shutting down the car, so i figured it was the accumulator since it had been 6 yrs since i replaced my older one. I figured the long exposure to fuel since the car isn't run often may have worn out the inside of the accumulator - decreasing life expectancy.

Anyways, I don't remember having problems tightening the hard line fitting (from fuel filter) to the accumulator fitting the first time I did it 6 yrs ago. But this time, i tried several times tightening and resitting the fitting into the hole, but could not get the darn thing to seal and it constantly would seep fuel when i ran the fuel. I tried about like 4 times, thinking maybe I wasn't lining it up just right, but I would have thought that in one of those tries I would get it right.

Until finally I got fed up and decided to torque down on the fitting a little harder, and harder each time until FINALLY no leakage. The only bad part now is I noticed that the actual accumulator connection at the base of the cylinder-housing is slightly kinked at an upwards angle due to the more then nominal torque I had to apply.

That being said, I have no leakage, but has anyone else had to torque the crap out of that fitting? Is that normal? Next time I do this job I'm getting an extra extra looong 17MM wrench because I dont want to know how its going to be getting that sucker off.

Ahh, the wonderful 18 year Delorean ownership, always something new! And by the way, although my accumulator does have the same PN as the Bosch old green one, it came unpainted as "silver" - I figure this is a newer build? (and I've always used the OEM longer accumulator, not the shorty)

Thanks,

[David T]

You are tightening a flare fitting and to seal you actually have to deform the metal. Most people are used to flares but on copper which is pretty soft. The lines on a Delorean are steel and much harder to deform so it take a LOT of torque. Should only use flare nut wrenches, not an ordinary open end or an adjustable wrench or vise grips. It is possible to buy copper seals which fit into the flares and make sealing much easier. It is also very important to "back up" or hold back the fitting you are tightening with another wrench so you don't twist anything.

[Beachdrifter]

You are tightening a flare fitting and to seal you actually have to deform the metal. Most people are used to flares but on copper which is pretty soft. The lines on a Delorean are steel and much harder to deform so it take a LOT of torque. Should only use flare nut wrenches, not an ordinary open end or an adjustable wrench or vise grips. It is possible to buy copper seals which fit into the flares and make sealing much easier. It is also very important to "back up" or hold back the fitting you are tightening with another wrench so you don't twist anything.

Thanks David, much appreciated. This is reassuring. I guess I wasn't used to having to apply too much torque in most situations. Thankfully no lines were deformed as I kept a good eye on it while cranking up the torque. Good advice on the wrench!

[Bitsyncmaster]

I just did some steel flares on my clutch line. One of "nuts" was frozen on the tubing. So I was able to work it loose in a vise, back the nut off and steel brush the rusted tubing and finished with some anti-freeze on the tubing and where the nut compresses the flare. That should prevent any twisting of the tubing and take less force to seal.

[DMC-81]

Hi all,

So yesterday I decided to replace my accumulator since I was starting to get hot start issues - rest pressure was getting worse over time. Changed the PPR oring and didn't think my fuel check valve was the culprit either since it wasn't a drastic pressure drop after shutting down the car, so i figured it was the accumulator since it had been 6 yrs since i replaced my older one. I figured the long exposure to fuel since the car isn't run often may have worn out the inside of the accumulator - decreasing life expectancy.

Anyways, I don't remember having problems tightening the hard line fitting (from fuel filter) to the accumulator fitting the first time I did it 6 yrs ago. But this time, i tried several times tightening and resitting the fitting into the hole, but could not get the darn thing to seal and it constantly would seep fuel when i ran the fuel. I tried about like 4 times, thinking maybe I wasn't lining it up just right, but I would have thought that in one of those tries I would get it right.

Until finally I got fed up and decided to torque down on the fitting a little harder, and harder each time until FINALLY no leakage. The only bad part now is I noticed that the actual accumulator connection at the base of the cylinder-housing is slightly kinked at an upwards angle due to the more then nominal torque I had to apply.

That being said, I have no leakage, but has anyone else had to torque the crap out of that fitting? Is that normal? Next time I do this job I'm getting an extra extra looong 17MM wrench because I dont want to know how its going to be getting that sucker off.

Ahh, the wonderful 18 year Delorean ownership, always something new! And by the way, although my accumulator does have the same PN as the Bosch old green one, it came unpainted as "silver" - I figure this is a newer build? (and I've always used the OEM longer accumulator, not the shorty)

Thanks,

Hi. I didn't have a bent accumulator fitting on my new unit, but I found the old accumulator had a bent one as shown below. It was bent towards the other outlet):



This made it really difficult getting the wrenches around the fittings, so I struggled, until I devised some modified tools.

The shorty wrenches didn't work for me either, so like you mentioned, the long wrench ended up working to enable sufficient torque. To make a long 17 mm wrench, I used a crows foot on a ratchet and a short piece of copper pipe to extend the ratchet. They are shown here with other homemade tools to accomplish this task in such a small area:



Here's the pipe extension in action:


Here is the end result. I also used the full size accumulator:


Hopefully this will help someone who has the same situation.

[Beachdrifter]

Thanks everyone for the input. Great advice and pics. Hopefully this accumulator lasts about 10 yrs before messing with it again.