Yeah I'll probably be tightening those down super hard tomorrow after work. I'll just keep trying that out and hope for the best, otherwise I'm going to try and use the AN fittings.

I'm just wondering how much I should replace. The leaks I'm having are:

1. The 3/8 inch supply line to pushlock hose assembly. There is a compression fitting, then a brass fitting that converts the 3/8 NPT compression fitting threads to the pushlock barb. The pushlock hose connection isn't leaking, but the compression fitting or NPT fitting is.

2. The pushlock hose assembly to 5/16 supply line after the fuel pump assembly. Again, it's one of the brass fittings, not the pushlock hose.

3. The from the fuel pump into the secondary filter. This is a slow leak, but it's some steel looking NPT fitting.

4. My viton sleeve in the driver side fuel line to head is messed up and by far the worst leak. I'm hoping this won't be too bad to replace with the turbo on. At least it should be cheap!


Anyways, besides the viton sleeve on the cylinder head connection, I'm wondering if I should try to replace the banjo bolt adapter to the fuel filter, or just redo the small section from the adapter and add another compression fitting into the 3/8 supply line on top of the head.

I may buy 15 ft of the steel braided hose, then a few russell fittings just to be safe. However, those fittings are NOT cheap... some are like 30 bucks, so I want to try and keep fittings to a minimum! I have to pay for my seat upholstery and then new vinyl flooring! Then I'll probably get a CXracing intercooler setup and call it good for a little while.

 

I used just standard Oateys pfte paste from lowes. It's a good product. Id say I tightened compression and npt fitting close to 30-40ftlb. I sanded metal lines first too to make sure compression fitting had a good sealing surface. I had zero leaks minus one into fpr which was my fault.

 

Hmm okay. I believe I tightened the 3/8 line to puslock hose in the engine valley far past that though, but I may have some more tightening on the other fittings.

I did NOT sand the line unfortunately before trying to install the fittings. It didn't come across for me to do that until after I already tightened things down... I'm hoping if I did mess up the compression fittings, then I can just take off the current fittings, sand down the line, and just replace the compression fittings, but I may be hoping for too much.

It seems to me that the leak is coming from the compression fitting to pushlock fitting though, and not the actual compression fitting itself.

 

Something sure doesn't seem right if you have leaks in several places at the same type of fittings. A single leak, maybe, but several? Something is wrong with the fittings or the way they were put together. The only time I've had leaks in NPT fittings is when the female side got cracked from overtightening. Or, when someone put them together with no sealant.

Seems like at about half the time I have a leak somewhere it turns out that it's coming from somewhere different than I first thought it was coming from. Are you sure the tubing was pushed into the ferrules on the compression fittings all the way? I've never been able to replace a compression fitting ferrule, the tubing gets compressed a little bit under the ferrule and even if you can get the old ferrule off and replaced with a new one, it's not right. I've never had to sand the tubing either, for what that might be worth.

The Russell hoses and fittings are probably an OK fix but they're a fix you shouldn't have to be making. Good luck with it.

 

Hmm I used permatex diesel thread sealant on all the threads and I added quite a bit. I'm pretty sure the line was pushed up in the fitting as far as it could go. The line itself bottomed out on the NPT push lock hose fitting so the ferrule was a little ways up the line. I bought another compression fitting at Ace Hardware so hopefully replacing just that will work and the NPT push lock fitting will be okay despite having it tightened so much.

 

Not sure what quality of compression fittings Ace Hardware sells. When I pieced my efuel system together I got them from a hydraulics place. Absolute best are Swagelok but they are pricey for us amateurs.

I more or less put my own kit together and had plenty of self inflicted problems. I put myself on the list of guys who'd just buy a kit if I had it to do over again. Sometimes it seems like it's hard to win!

 

1. I had no issues with the compression fittings. Always sanded the fuel line first though. Also never tightened it too much. Very snug then maybe 1/2 turn at the most. I think any more the compression fitting will dig into the fuel line and distort it, IMO.

2-3. Did not have any leak issues in this area. My fuel pump-filter assembly did sit overnight after assembly before installing.

4. Are you referring to the drivers side rear supply line fitting? I think on the 94 - 95 that fitting was a two piece where the 96-97 it is a one piece. Could be wrong on my years. On my 97 it is the one piece. With the 1 piece you can't rotate it out as it hits the up pipe-collector. The turbo has to be removed and the up-pipes leaned back against the firewall. Then it may rotate out but usually it needs to be cut off - the L shape portion then remove the insert into the head, if that is the area of your concern?

Overall I had issues with Bar None engine bay fuel connections leaking at the regulator. I finnanly thru in the towel and ordered Strickly Diesel upper end kit and replaced it all. Still using Bar None pump and filter pack which I like and have not had any issues with. Also the Napa filters are easy to get. I don't know if their fuel connectors to regulator were just poor quality or what, those fitting should never leak.

In the end it cost me a lot more but it is what it is ..

 

Thanks for the response! As for the fuel supply, I'm talking about the line that is connected by the banjo bolt and supplies fuel to the cylinder heads (both passenger and driver side.) The driver side fitting under the turbo is leaking unfortunately. However, with the fuel pump out of the way, I think that the whole line (even though it's metal) should have some play to it once I undo the fitting because it's only held together by the connections on the head. There are two fittings that bolt into the head that have o-rings (one on each side), but then the fuel line (which is one piece on my truck) bolts into both the driver and passenger side fittings (as well as the banjo bolt).
I suppose I'll figure it out when I go to try and replace them tomorrow though.

As for my compression fittings, if I take them off I know I'll probably have to cut the line again a little further back so that I have a fresh start. The one giving me the most issue is the initial supply line connection that comes up into the valley. I didn't tighten them very hard initially, but I did have several iterations of tightening them down to try and stop that leak but it never did stop, and I started tightening pretty hard.

 

Well this just keeps getting more exciting.

Fortunately, getting that line off to replace the viton sleeve under the turbo was incredibly easy. With the fuel pump out of the way, the fuel line assembly is easily maneuverable since it is no longer held down at the fuel pump.

However, the fuel sleeves I ordered from diesel-o-rings are the wrong size........ I ordered two sets, 3/8ths inch and 5/16th an inch because that's all I saw on their website when I was searching for the correct part and using my phone. I tried seeing if there were different sizes but that's all that seemed to come up for me when I searched. Of course at home, the correct size come up instantly when I search on google....

Tthe correct size is 1/4inch, so I spent 21 bucks on sleeves that are useless to me (I ordered rush shipping)...... I hope the Ford dealer has them in stock.

 

Okay, I still haven't fixed the leaking at the compression fittings/Pushlock adapter but I did fix the leak from the line into the cylinder head.


While I still have fuel leaking, it isn't enough to puddle down through the drain hole in the back of the valley. To me, the drain hole looks as if it is dry.

However, I'm still getting a puddle underneath my truck which looks like fresh oil. Could the turbo pedestal or other turbo related issue be leaking oil but not go through the drain hole?

If not, it's starting to seem as if my rear main seal really did go bad, despite it being fine not too long ago. That would be a bummer for sure if that was the case.

 

Look at your oil level tube adapter on the oil pan and make sure the copper washer on the drain plug is sealing. Could also be what you mentioned or even the head oil galley plug O ring.

 

No meaning to high jack but there are oil plugs in the he head? I have oil leaking from the drive side rear of my engine and i replaced both the valve cover gasket and breather orings and I still have oil coming down

 

look at front of the head, there is one similar to it on the rear in same line that gets heated by the exhaust and fails

 

Hmm I'm starting to think it really is the rear main and/or oil pan that's leaking.

I felt around the back of the engine on both cylinder heads and they felt dry to me. I also looked around the turbo as best as I could and it seemed pretty dry as well. However, there is still wetness and some drops from the oil pan lip where it meets the flyhweel area..... I also haven't driven my truck in about 5 days, and the drips are slow but steady.

I shoved a paper towel up and around the rear main seal, but above the oil pan seal to see if I can pinpoint it being from the rear main or oil pan. If it is the oil pan, I may see if I can get super lucky and shove some RTV around the lip or something....


The leak isn't bad enough to warrant any concerns, it just really bothers me. Especially since I had the motor out and replaced as many seals as I thought necessary.. I'd rather not have to pull the transmission down, but if I have to I suppose I will.