View Poll Results: What material would you prefer for your fuel return caps?
Stainless Steel
4
28.57%
Aluminum
5
35.71%
Brass
4
28.57%
Plastic
1
7.14%
Other (state your material choice)
0
0%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll
Return line caps...
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Return line caps...
I've got them dimensioned. There is a very, very slight draft inside for the molding process. The outside draft is much more noticeable. I noticed there's actually a flat spot where the hose barb starts inside the cap. Do you think this flat area is necessary? I would think the o-rings create the seal or cavity within the cap to allow the return lines to pull the fuel back to the tank. Do you think a thicker walled metal design would be advantageous in any way? I'm thinking about going with a meatier metal design for more hose barb options.
Which material would you prefer for your caps?
Which material would you prefer for your caps?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 0
From: West Valley Utah
Carbon fiber caps would be good. Heat retention was the first thing I thought about back when it was first brought up, machining caps out of some type of metal. Aluminum would dissipate the heat quicker but would still get real hot.
Metal injector, O-ring and metal cap would be a pretty hot combo. Wonder if a metal cap would expand enough under a long pull in summer heat to start leaking fuel? Really a poor setup for return lines.
Metal injector, O-ring and metal cap would be a pretty hot combo. Wonder if a metal cap would expand enough under a long pull in summer heat to start leaking fuel? Really a poor setup for return lines.
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Then why is aluminum used as heat sinks in computers? A computer processor gets a lot hotter than an injector and they don't have plastic heat sinks.
I guarantee aluminum would dissipate heat drastically faster than plastic.
I guarantee aluminum would dissipate heat drastically faster than plastic.
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
Yes, Aluminum will dissipate the heat faster, It will also absorb much more heat.
Thus the Aluminum cap would ultimately be hotter.
Plastics absorb less heat, but they also dissipate less heat.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Thus the Aluminum cap would ultimately be hotter.
Plastics absorb less heat, but they also dissipate less heat.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix
billet alum would probablly be my choice....Aluminums thermal transfer ability is better than plastic, and there is enough movement (both of fuel and air) that I really cant see heat buildup becoming an issue.
The reason I am thinking billet it just strength of the barbs, as well as the ability to not stretch when running under extreme load (the 100* day when you are pulling a 7% grade grossing 18k....not that I EVER do that
The issue I have is I am not seeing how return caps will solve the whole problem...granted when the whole system is maintained and working right it does its job, but to truly increase the relaibility and reduce maintenance you would need to change everything from where the hard lines leave the IP to where the return lines feed back to the tank....I would love to see a flexible fuel line with integrated return tee....all one piece with just the return links between them...no more vibration issues, and a few less seams to leak, but would cost $$$$$$ to design.
Just thinking out loud...I have never had a cap fail, just the o-rings
The reason I am thinking billet it just strength of the barbs, as well as the ability to not stretch when running under extreme load (the 100* day when you are pulling a 7% grade grossing 18k....not that I EVER do that
The issue I have is I am not seeing how return caps will solve the whole problem...granted when the whole system is maintained and working right it does its job, but to truly increase the relaibility and reduce maintenance you would need to change everything from where the hard lines leave the IP to where the return lines feed back to the tank....I would love to see a flexible fuel line with integrated return tee....all one piece with just the return links between them...no more vibration issues, and a few less seams to leak, but would cost $$$$$$ to design.
Just thinking out loud...I have never had a cap fail, just the o-rings
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Arkansas
return from my tractor
I've got a 1710 Ford tractor that has a little 3 cyl diesel and the injectors look a lot like the ones for my 7.3 idi. It uses a brass return setup that looks like 3/8" thick spacers with barbs that connect them all. The return spacers are sandwiched with a lock nut. This set-up has worked very well on this tractor and have never leaked on my 87 model tractor that has been rode hard and put up wet since I got it new.
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
I found some 3/8" ID flexible hydraulic line. I'm not sure how you'd secure it to the top of the injectors w/o a flare in the line. Doesn't the hard line use that flare to seat down in the injector? 