Soft oil line repair?

[echrisconnor]

A couple of the soft oil lines on my car going to and from the oil tank are weeping a little. Not big amounts of oil, just a drop here and there. They weep from the joint between the rubber hose and the crimp which holds them on to the fitting. Not from the threaded union of the line and the tank.

I'll replace them eventually if they get bad, but wanted to know if it's possible to extend their life. My thought is that the crimp squeezes the rubber line on to a barbed collar in the fitting. If I could increase the pressure on this crimp and put more pressure on the line, the weeping will stop. I was thinking about putting a hose clamp around the crimp and cranking down on it. This might press the fitting together and stop the weeping. The hose clamp would then be removed.

Call me a cheap bastard, but I just want to extend their life before replacing them. Any suggestions?

[Chuck Moreland]

Take them to a hydraulic shop. Have them cut of the swaged collars, instal new flex hose to the existing metal parts, then swage the new hose on. Voila! good as new.

Just make sure they use hose that handles oil and heat.

[GT911]

I know what you mean. Mine were doing the same thing not really leaking, just oozing. I don't think the hose clamp will be strong enough, because the crimp is pretty thick steel.

I was able to put channel lock on the crimp and crank down, then reposition and repeat about four or five times until I had worked the entire circumfrance, and it worked. They lasted about a year that way, then when I had the engine out I replaced the hoses.

I'm with you echrisconnor, as much as those things cost I would try to make the ones you have last as long as possible.

PS. I'm a card carring member of the cheap bastard club also, and will stay in the club as long as I stay married and own the P-car.

[echrisconnor]

GT911 - I'm glad to hear I'm not the only cheap bastard out there. Repeatedly justifying my car expenses to the budget review committee (wife) makes me get creative in finding ways to rebuild things that don't need to be replaced.

I'm tempted to try the channel locks, but fear I might do more harm than good. You're probably right on the hose clamp not having enough bite.

Chuck - Do you think the hydraulic shop method would just end up costing as much as replacement?