drilling for a rocker panel bolt I drilled through an oil line, please advise...Pic

[FinallyGotOne]

I was making progress and finally think the rear yellowbird bumper is done, except I'm debating the licence plate light mounts right now. Decided to move on to the SKN rocker panel and all was coming along nicely when...

Whoops!

AS I was working on the new rocker, wanted to drill a few holes for stronger support to add a few cap-able bolts. ANd wouldn't ya know it, thought I had a clear panel so i drilled and then the oil started to come out. It seems to be a copper line, so I am thinking I can weld or solder it to fix, please let me know your thoughts. please no comments about the idiocy ...

I put a duct tape band-aid on it to stop the leak for now. The hole is 1/8 inch.

the location is directly against the body panel, What your looking at in this picture is where the cutout around the torsion bar hole is by the back tire. (just in case you were unsure...)

is it high pressure or low pressure or what?

-1979 911 SC

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

That line is brass, or maybe some kind of bronze alloy--not copper. There are all sorts of kludge fixes you can try, from JB Weld to what-the-hell brazing, but basically what you need to do in order to do it right is remove the line--not difficult unless the compression fitting to the thermostat in the rear wheel well is semi-frozen, which is often the case--and have it done by somebody who knows what they're doing once the metal is super-clean. (Your reference to "welding or soldering" it suggests that's not you, and I don't mean to be impertinent, just frank.)

People seem to have fixed problems with these lines--they often get crushed when somebody who doesn't know what they're doing tries to jack up the car--by patching in common copper plumbing tubing, but I don't know how well that works.

The replacement line is about $500, so it isn't the end of the world. Unless payday just came and went.

As to your question about whether it's a high- or low-pressure line, I suppose it would qualify as low-pressure, but it will require more than Duct Tape...

[911pcars]

It's an oil line and it will pee oil through the neatly drilled orifice whenever the oil thermostat is open. BTW, that's anytime the engine is at + normal operating temperature.

Perform the same steps as if some knuckle-headed tech just crushed the line as he attempted to lift the vehicle. However, the fix is easier, but only after removing the oil line from the car. There are several ways of accomplishing this task, but as in crushed-line mode, I'd recommend removing the entire external circuit, from the RR tank line to the oil cooler in the RF fender. Remove it as a bulky, one-piece component, then transport the 10 foot piece down to a good welder so they can silver solder or braze on a small dime-size patch. Reverse the procedure to reinstall. Breaking down the separate hoses, thermostat and such isn't recommended as it could introduce other issues (leakage).

Chalk it up to experience and one of those "once upon a time" stories. It could have been worse (e.g. drilling into the crankcase or into a fuel line, looking for interior freon leaks with an open flame, etc.).

Sherwood

[Wayne 962]

I would think that it can be brazed and repaired, but not in place on the car...

-Wayne

[Won]

Shouldn't the line be taken off and cleaned for possible metal filings and such anyway?

[UK Carrera]

QUOTE]Shouldn't the line be taken off and cleaned for possible metal filings and such anyway?[/QUOTE]

YES!!!

[FinallyGotOne]

Ok Thanks everybody. My project will just have to take a bit longer I guess... not the end of my world, just a minor setback, and yes it could have been worse!

[Porsche_monkey]

Make a copper patch from water pipe and silver solder or braze it over top.

[Steve 82SC]

I recently damaged a line and thought about repairing it. In the end, I opted for a new line because I just didn't want to constantly be sticking my head under there inspecting the repair for years to come. However, as Stephan W. pointed out, other issues can arise from corrosion that has occured over the years at attachement points. The back side of that line goes into the oil thermostat housing.......I cracked the thermostat in an effort to remove that line from my car. If you buy the line, it should be under $400 (cost me a little more with a new thermostat housing).

Steve

[FinallyGotOne]

$380 then shipping. I will try and remove it as delicately as i can, maybe spray it with wd40 before wrenching. Let that sit over night?? yes good idea? no, ?

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

And if you do replace one or both lines, consider Elephant Racing's finned replacement lines, which have the advantage of a fitting that allows minimal pressurization of the system in order to blow out the oil upstream of the thermostat, which doesn't get purged during a normal oil change, for those who are anal enough to care. Of course, you could also buy the stock replacements and braze such a fitting into one of them yourself.

I would, by the way, wonder if a $380 replacement line is an OEM part.

[Steve 82SC]

WD-40 probably won't work. Let it soak with PB Blaster penetrant. However, sometimes those lines are acutally fused together, the result of a brass line, aluminum thermostat, and steel nut being in contact with each other for many years. Heat can sometimes work, but probably not from a propane torch. You need more heat from a oxy-acetylene setup. Do a search on removing the nuts....you'll need two monster crescent wrenches or, depending on the angle, an angled pipe wrench or a Park bicycle crank wrench. There's also a bunch of search information regarding just cutting off the nuts.....no big deal since you're not reusing the line anyway. This is not a highly skilled job, but can be extremely nasty. Wear gloves....if a wrench slips or the nut breaks loose, your hands are going to smash into innner body panels with tremendous force.

Steve

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

It should be pointed out, in case finallygotone doesn't know it, that there are threaded aluminum nipples that you can buy, from Pelican, that tap onto the threads you have ruined by whatever procedure you've used to remove the frozen-for-eternity oil lines, in order to save the thermostat. The nipples--"Thermo-Savers" or whatever they're called (I should know, being the owner of four...)--provide you with brand-new threads to reattach the compression nut to.

And use some kind of threadlube--I recommend Wurth's--when you do it.

[Plavan]

I am also worrying about the "metal shavings" from the drilling. It may not be alot, but I would not want it in there.
I would replace.
my .02 cents

[FinallyGotOne]

geez, I think I am just going to buy a rubber washer, and drive a screw into the hole. Problem solved , no more leak.

[the]

If you remove them, don't try without putting some heat on the nuts.

I don't remove any old fasteners anymore without at least giving them a shot with the propane torch. It is far more effective than all those "penetrating" oils that do pretty much nothing but sit on the outside of the fastener.

[Zeke]

For all of an 1/8th" hole, I'd repair it somehow, even if it was a hose clamp and a seal. But, I think flushing the line is a good idea. How would you do that w/o removing it? That decides the course of action, AFAIC.

OTOH, it's not likely anything is in the line as the drill bit brings it all out as it goes in. It's not like he went thru the other side. Or did he a little? The flowing oil may have brought any chips out.

The key word is "may." Tough call.

[Steve 82SC]

I had those Thermosaver nipples on hand, expecting problems. Murphy reared his ugly head and the threads at the thermostat broke off too far down to allow their usage, hence the extra expenditure of a new thermostat. Sometimes, however, you get lucky.

Steve

[NY65912]

Being in the plumbing business we have seen plenty of carpenters (damn carpenters) did I say that?.....put drywall screws thru copper tubing all the time while installing drywall.

We repair the line by silver soldering the hole shut, or what we plumbers call brazing.

The line should be removed, flushed and properly prepared.

Clean, clean and clean! Then using silver soldering flux paint the area of the hole and silver solder the hole closed. Old timers used to use a penny as a patch!

Of course technique and the proper heat are crucial.

I would contact a plumber who posesses good brazing skills to do the job. You can even send it to me and one of my guy's who is certified to braze medical gases will do it for you gratis.

Good Luck

[911pcars]

Here's a thought without suggesting a new set of lines for $900. If the offending hole is in the tube feeding the supply side of the cooler, remove that connection from the oil cooler and point it into a bucket or equiv. container. Theoretically, this line won't be active until the thermostat opens. At that time, oil will travel toward the opening and will purge whatever is inside the tube into the container. If the hole is in the return tube, oil flows to the oil filter. Either way, oil flow is away from the engine until it passes through the filter.

Sherwood