oil line fitting at oil tank - won't seat

[krasuskyp]

need some insight here

had trouble lining up the threads on the hard oil line that comes out of the oil tank (soft for a few inches then swaged onto hardline) that runs across up and over the trans and down onto the scavenge pump

threads just wouldn't bite - at least a 37swear attempt!

finally gave up and relieved the tension by disconnecting the end at the tank

it was really tight, and nearly every turn of the wrench was with effort

got it off, threads looked fine

got oil pump side right on which was cool, but when I went to reinstall the tank side fitting... the slide-nut on the ball fitting doesn't bottom out onto the fitting... the fitting / line is still loose

seems the threads may be too short, as if the nut on the line is bottoming out on the tank?

anyone here have this experience? Short of removing the tank and having a new thread fitting brazed onto the tank, are there any in-situ remedies?

muther f'er... 5 steps forward, 3 back

today was a reeeeeal productive day, otherwise... geesh

thanks in advance for any insight... this is an unwanted swift kick to the beans certainly

[Tippy]

Sounds just like this:

Oil Thermostat Repair (Attempt)

[quattrorunner]

one possible remedy to what he describes is to carefully file/grind down the leading edge of the line nut - effectively making it shorter so that it is more likely to seat against the tank fitting before it bottoms against the tank. This should not cause any sealing problems due to clamping loss from a slightly shorter nut as there is very little oil pressure there.

[jjeffries]

Anyone know offhand what size thread that is? John

[krasuskyp]

thanks guys

Hmmm... JBWeld eh?

8-)

tho Brando yer idea of filing down the nut has merit - would require pulling the line again which is no big deal as far as the other attachment at the scavenge pump goes as that was pretty easy w/ the tank end free... but threading it over the trans may be a PITA

annoying!

anyone else?

ps. John, wtf... 1:30? Oh, and in case you had any doubt what a dumbass I am... I texted you last night asking if the iPhone finder attempt worked. Ummm... kinda hard to read a text on a phone you don't have! Hope it's @ the hardware store. I'm out there all day today again if yer around and dumb enough to continue helping!

[reachme]

I ran into this.
Propane torch until it's way too hot to touch, then gently try to thread it on while cursing and it went right on. But make sure it's TIGHT, I'm still getting a few drops out of the further back hard line and can barely get grip to tighten it

[JFairman]

It fit good when it was new so once it's been cross threaded you can carefully clean up the threads with a knife file or a tap.
Then blow out any metal filings on the threads and in the line with brake clean and compressed air and carefully start the threads keeping them lined up straight with some oil, grease, or assembly lube on them.
That one goes back into the tank and curves up to the top where it pours in over the internal baffle unfiltered.

[krasuskyp]

it's not cross threaded... seems the threads coming off the tank are now somehow too short

it threads on fine, just bottoms out tight before getting the line flare fitting to seal

we're trying some horseshoe washers to slip on and into the bottom of the barrel nut

[quattrorunner]

If you have a dremmel with sanding disc you could sand it evenly in situ carefully as it spins or turns on the line. Poor mans machine shop trick.

[Tt surgeon]

It's gotta be cross thread, clean up the threads as best you can, use some Teflon tape and do that side first (tank). Good luck.
C

[jjeffries]

I looked at this again this morning with PK.
1. The male threads on the oil tank fitting are no longer perfect; the first few have the sharp edges of edge thread "crest" slightly rounded off. I would used the word "galled". We undid them cold, in order to loosen the line to get the other end attached (at the scavenge pump). Probably if we'd heated it before loosening the 22mm nut fitting, this would have been averted.
2. I think the threads are 18x1.5mm but it would be helpful to confirm. I just would like to confirm that they are in fact metric and not a US pipe thread size (like an oil filter or gauge fitting). If this thread is US, then our options for creative, hardware store-type solutions would expand to perhaps allow a cobbed but functional fix.
3. If anyone has a tank at hand and could measure the length of the male fitting in question, that would be helpful in our assessing whether this is plain old thread damage or something a bit more three dimensional.

Note to all: don't lose your iPhone.....it sucks!

Best regards, John in Ct, aka John with an Alfa, aka He Who Took Pity on PK and wants to see our boy at Turbopalooza in his own car.

[krasuskyp]

again... it's not cross threaded

I'm going to try the horseshoe shim attempt now that my monsters are in bed

and

I'd be DEAD w/o all John's help / motivation / mockery / b!tchslapping - I've promised him copious amounts of seat time

[JFairman]

From jjeffries description it's been way overtightened. Might have been before you got the car.
There is no restriction pumping oil into the oil tank and the fittings are not meant to be tightened hard.. some of them have brass threads.
The oil tank is expensive, good luck with whatever you do to it and don't tighten them dry. Put some oil or grease or antiseize on the threads first.

[quattrorunner]

Here is another thought

Determine size of fitting on oil tank - measure outer diameter of threads with calipers and measure thread pitch with simple pitch gauge (if you have one - or eyeball the pitch and buy a couple of different couplers) - go to hardware plumbing section (or NAPA autoparts) and buy a brass coupler with the right sizes, internal threads on one end and external, male flared end/threads on the other end . . . put the new fitting on the tank and attach the oil line to the new fitting . . . if the new fitting does not fit snug enough for comfort on the tank, use a bit of JB weld on the threads of the tank before screwing it on. This will make for an excellent, permanent repair.
That idea was from a friend.
I've done these things and know its a shot in the dark with who might have this thread pitch/size in an adapter. It's an option though. Worth a shot. You might make sure on the size before searching for this adapter and make some calls.

[JFairman]

An excellent source.. British American Transfer

If you find a brass one you could install it clean with solder flux on the threads, heat it up with a torch, and touch the threads with solder until it melts and wicks into the brass threads. That would be a permanent fix that would be strong.

If the threads are toast and the fitting has been overtightened and bent or reshaped so it won't tighten down right you could braze it on.

[krasuskyp]

thanks Brando - that's pretty much what we were thinking today, tried to measure the threads w/ John's measurer and hoped to confirm here if someone knew offhand

agreed Jim, that's an option as well - threads do appear brass and brazed to tank, verymuch don't wanna eff any that up certainly

yeah, some previous buffoon overtightened... all I did is regretfully remove it... d'oh.

installed my mirrors tightened a loose fog and cut a new MSD blaster coil wire and connector tonight instead of facing this - progress is progress, and so is denial 8-)

[Tt surgeon]

Could you clean up the threads with a tap and die?
I'm 99.99% sure it's metric 1.5 pitch btw.
Quattrorunner had an excellent suggestion btw.

[Crewchief]

Try a # 169212ERL -12 conical seal to take up some slack. Worked for me some 12 years ago and still not leaking

Cheers....Terry

1979 930

[krasuskyp]

thanks Terry

Chris, threads actually look decent... shiny if anything

you know you've got a great (insane) friend when they toil afterhours behind the scenes and research off the wall ideas for a fix - and come up with this:



and

this



I'm thinking this is eggzachary what the doctor ordered! Go AlfaJohn!

I'll see if I can source locally today - actually, the 2nd source is local oddly enough!

will report back... John... you RULE, but you knew that...

[BoxsterGT]

Good day Paul,

Speaking of conical seals, this is what I have used in the past........



Got them from Jeff Lilly restorations a long time ago. Perhaps you could Google his name if he is still around. The Earls stuff is AN, but should work as the copper will form itself to almost any shape.

Thank you for the great photos of the "Direct Connection" oil hoses.

Len