[galleon]

Is it safe to use WD40 to loosen the fuel line union bolt on a fuel filter. I've torqued it as hard as I dare without breaking the plastic bracket holding it on the firewall...

 

[Minnreefer]

Sure

I would think so, just don't light it while you are spraying it

Jon

 

[galleon]

Thanks Jon. Got the top one, the bottom one is a real bear though, I need a smaller wrench to give it enough torque. Larger one gets stuck against the firewall. Just worried about fuel line contamination.

 

[Junkzoo]

Should not be a problem Chris,,,,,
what little gets in there is a non issue,,
good luck!

 

[Doug1]

I dont see it being a prob. We used WD40 to find intake manifold leaks

 

[Junkzoo]

Hope you are using a "line" wrench Chris,,,,
keep us posted on the outcome,,,,,
Mo' better than WD-40 ,,,is stuff called PB Blaster,,,for stuck nuts, bolts,freeing up things,,never without a can and a half around here, i get low,,,i gotta go get some,,,,
www.pbblaster.com
PB WILL remove what WD-40 can't! nothin' better!
don't get me wrong, i have WD-40 here too, i just use it for the other uses for it,,,

 

[galleon]

Jeff, I couldn't get it off. The previous car owner (friend just bought this car used, asked me to do the tune up stuff) rounded out the bottom nut the last time the filter was changed, apparrently. I am ticked. I tore my arm up getting the top one off (on this car, the filter is crammed next to the master cylinder and behind the intake hose on the firewall), just to find out that I can't change the filter.

 

[galleon]

Yep Jeff, combos, half line half socket.

...and we use Blaster air tool oil at the boat shop, awesome stuff. I didn't know they made a loosener/surface tension catalyst.

 

[Junkzoo]

[B I didn't know they made a loosener/surface tension catalyst. [/B]

Yup! big time good stuff
hmmm, how 'bout small pair of vise-grips on the round troublemaker? they make a lil one,,,,,

 

[galleon]

I don't have the small one, I'll see if I can borrow one from the shop at work tomorrow. I hope it works. LOL, and I already reconnected the top (at least I gave it the right torque this time), and repressurized the fuel line.

 

[LittleFishBoy]

Hey Junkzoo,

Do you sell that blaster stuff. You sound like their pitch man!

 

[Junkzoo]

Hey Junkzoo,

Do you sell that blaster stuff. You sound like their pitch man!

No,,, you never told someone about something that worked well?

 

[LittleFishBoy]

Well of course. You just said it (wrote it) with such enthusiasm (sp?). You had me lookin at the stuff. Id probably buy it.

 

[Buzz_Hog]

If all else fails, there's always a bolt splitter....

And if that don't do ya, there's Dremel....

 

[galleon]

I couldn't get it. Vise grips wouldn't fit. I don't have a new union bolt to replace the rounded one with, so I just gave it back sans new fuel filter (I told her I couldn't replace it of course). So, we take it for a ride to make sure the new plugs are running smoother, and the check engine light is on.

Her: Yeah, everywhere I go wants $60 just to do a diagnostic.
Me (after having seen the spark plugs glazed and carbonized from running rich): pull back in and let me check the intake.

So I take off the intake, take apart the throttle body, and lo and behold, its filthy (even the throttle plate is blackened at the edges). But, its a late model, so you can't retrieve the engine codes with a voltmeter, you have to take it somewhere.

Me: looks like a bad O2 sensor, the intake is dirty.
Her: are you sure?
Me: yes, but you have to pull the engine codes just to make sure. O2 sensor is expensive.

After insisting that she can't afford to have the diagnostic done, we stopped at autozone. I knew they would do it for free. What was it? ...A bad O2 sensor.

Moral of the story: have a friend who works on cars and don't ever ask a garage to do a diagnostic

 

[manderson0805]

What kind of car is it? If it has a lower pressure system (30 PSI or less), you can get fuel line repair kits from NAPA. Basically some steel tubing and a compression fitting. GM doesn't stock these, but we've gotten them several times to use. Just make sure you don't have a high pressure system....would really suck going down the road wondering why it's so bright out the rear view mirror

 

[Doug1]

O2 sensor isn't that expensive, well at least till you see what $30 something bought, but that usually fixes check engine light

 

[manderson0805]

O2 Sensors are into the hundreds on newer cars...I've seen some import O2s cost me as much as $400, customer list of about 625....Plus, with the newer OBD II computer systems, there are at least two oxygen sensors.....I would have the computer codes read at a shop, which usually doesn't cost more than 50 or 60 bucks, and go from there......even leaving your car running or key in the "on" position while filling the gas tank can set a code.

 

[cyberchef]

Yaeh but those O2 sensors are cheaper if you stay away fromthe "stealerships" or go online and shop some of the online dealerships. This can save you as much as 30% on OEM parts.

Use a dremel to cut a line or cross into the bolt head and use a large screwdriver with a wrench to loosen it. You can use one hand to hold the screwdriver tight while using the wrench to apply slow even torque to the bolt.

 

[galleon]

manderson0805,
I'm an engine/trans mechanic during the school semesters, so I can usually hold my own. $50 or $60 is a lot to a college student (especially to one who has a really good friend who is a wrench turner), so I had her let Autozone do it for free. I watched the guy do it. The codes were checked with a handheld retriever that any shop would use. The universal O2 sensor for her exhaust is about $60, and it isn't hard to use the new sensor to determine whether its the before cat or after cat sensor.