Fuel Leak after Filter Replacement

[Iceman1183]

Afternoon all....so I'm replacing my fuel filter this morning. What a PITA, but I digress.

Got the old filter out, replaced it with a MAHLE KL 21 (from pelican) filter. Tightened everything down, etc. etc., fired her up, and i've got a drip drip drip from the inlet hose/fuel filter.


Removed everything and re-tightened, same result. What gives? Thoughts? Solutions?

No good deed....

[mytrplseven]

it's a compression/flared fitting and if it's got a nick in the surface of the flare or some dirt in it, it will leak. I'd recoment pulling the filter off and inspecting the mating surfaces of the fittings. You didn't cross thread the fitting did you? It should have gone on easily finger tight if it was clean and aligned properly.

[Iceman1183]

Didn't cross thread it, easily went hand tight.

gonna try some teflon tape, as I'm out of ideas. Pulled the filter, cleaned everything, replaced, still drip drip drip....almost looks like it's coming from the small nut (on the right) of the picture instead of the big nut. But i guess that's the idea, it comes from where they mate.

Guess i'll pull it off again and clean it....any other ideas?

[kevingross]

Agree with mytrplseven. Make sure both mating surfaces are clean and undamaged. Be sure to counterhold the filter side of the fitting when torquing to spec.

I recommend using antiseize on the threads (not the mating surfaces).

[Iceman1183]

inspected both mating surfaces of the new filter and in the inlet hose, both appear intact and undamaged. Even tried replacing the old filter, still tiny slow leak.

I guess the next question is, if I can't determine that the mating surfaces are damaged, which they must be (and i can't see them), how do i go about replacing the inlet hose?

[Iceman1183]

Weird; a lot of cleaning of the mating surfaces and a **** ton of teflon tape....problem solved. Well, guess I'll just cross my fingers that it doesn't come back...and thank the 944 gods for smiling on me.

I guess 5th time putting on the new filter was a charm.... *eyeroll*

[mytrplseven]

Sometimes it takes 5 times to get to "get her done".

[Porscharu]

Yellow teflon tape right?

[88Silver924S]

When tightening down flared fittings it seems to work best if with one hand you hold the tubing square and tight into the cup then tighten the nut down. I believe that if one just tightens down the nut without holding the line square and snug (expecting the tightening to align everything) the nut does not always "center" the line in the cup and some little cocking of the line causes weepage. Glad you got it fixed, hope it stays fixed.

[Iceman1183]

Yes to yellow teflon tape, and 88Silver I think you're on to something, bc I held the nut straight and tightened the filter and that seemed to be the magic combination.

Thanks again for the responses guys