Broken down in Fredricksburg, TX (Injector line #1 cracked).

[rollfj]

So I'm on the road, cruising down the highway about 20 miles west of Fredricksburg, TX and I start smelling diesel fuel. Pull over and find my hood and engine soaked with fuel and fuel spurting out of the top of the injector line nut on #1. Took the nut off to find the line cracked right at the nipple.

I fear I may have caused it, I replaced the injectors about two years ago, I wonder if I might of bent the line causing stress on the nipple end. Can't think of any other reason this would happen. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cry.gif[/img]

It's Labor Day, so I can't get any parts, (Ford dealer is closed in this town too), so I have to wait until tomorrow to get a new line (I hope they have one in stock!).

Two questions.
1) Replacing the line looks fairly straight forward, are their any got-chas I need to look out for?
2) Any suggestions on how to make sure that the line is installed without any preload/stress so this won't happen again?

Thanks!

[cdnsarguy]

Did you have the timing adapter on the line right above the #1 injector after last line replacement. If you do have the injector timing adapter then a #1 injection line at Ford would be $70+-. Try the IH dealer or a wreckers, the #1 off a van can be used, but it has no timing adapter (really not needed). If you really want a timing adapter you could get one off a #4 line an a van and put it on your #1 above the injector.

These guys are good too.......

http://www.mwfi.com/dieselPage/ford_73.htm

[rollfj]

Yes mine does have the timing adapter. The line cracked right at the nipple on top of it. The timing adapter itself seems to be fine. I was hoping Ford would just sell me a line.

If they can't get one tomorrow I'll probably just order from MWFI and have it sent next day air. I would of ordered today, but they are "closed" for labor day and not doing any shipping until tomorrow.

[94_turbo]

just use a line off a 6.9 or a 7.3 regular--till can find the right one--as from ford--1 line is going to cost dearly--

[arthurgoboom]

IDI diesels are going to be rare in a salvage yard, but you might call around down there and see. As for changing the line, if you look in cdnsarguy's gallery (look in his sig in the above post), he has the injector line location information in one of the images. At the bottom it tells you the order in which the lines have to be installed. This is about the only way it can go, you'll have to remove 5 other lines to get down to it (I don't think there's a way to snake it out from under the others, but there might be). You might want to find a way to print that image out so you can reference it while working. Line nut torque is 22 foot pounds, or enough to keep it from leaking. I've heard of nuts being stripped, and yours broke under the nut...maybe it was overtightened before?

Also, did you reinstall the line clamps? I thought they were just for cosmetics but I was informed that they are there to dampen vibration and save the lines from breaking from vibration.

[rollfj]

I found a 6.9 IDI in a junk yard that had the line I needed. Sealed great at the #1 injector, but has a slow seep at the IP. There is a ridge on the nipple on the IP end, looks like someone in the past overtightened. But it worked well enough to get me on to Houston. I plan on ordering a new one from MWFI in a few days.

Thanks Y'all [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

[olred]

i would think that the replacement of the injector might have caused it. did you over tighten the line ? to replace the line i would set the line in place and start the nuts on both ends and then work from the injector back to the pump go all the way down snug and a quarter turn be sure not to loose the injector adapter.

[94_turbo]

johns-easy way to go---no?????