2 steps forward, 1 back

[lawyerbob]

Made some good progress today - more on that later.

BUT - I boogered one of the fittings on the oil tank by cross threading the nut. Since it is an AN fitting apparently a die to clean up the threads is darn hard to find. This is for a short line from the tank out to the oil pump. literally about a 4" hose.

Rather than taking the tank in to have a new fitting welded in (and spending $ I dont' want to spend at the moment, much less have the time to wait) I looked at the GCR and it looks like I don't have to use braided steel or AN fittings so I'm thinking about going to the hardward store and getting some high temp hose and using hose clamps for that short piece.

Anyone have a problem with that?

Thanks

[DogDoc]

Hi Bob,
Make sure the hose is rated for carrying oil. Make sure it has sufficient wall thickness; its on the suction side of your oil pump, you don't want the hose to collapse when that pump is pulling hard. Try this , http://www.aeroquip.cc/fbv0800fc332-...mpfc332-8.aspx , their prices are pretty reasonable. I've used the socketless hose on the suction side of dry sump pumps, its actually okay on the pressure side too just doesn't have the abrasion resistance of the SS hose. I've bought numerous fittings from this outfit lately. You can also get a spring for the inside of the hose to prevent collapse. I always used a support spring when I was running in FC. Even though it is a short section of hose, regular (NAPA) oil cooler hose can get quite soft and pliable when its hot. Not worth writing off an engine.
Was the nut on the hose end fitting or on the actual tank? Is the tank thread female NPT?

[Doug FST 5]

We only use braided hose for brakes and when fuel lines are in the cockpit. We use the push on hose for oil lines and keep an eye on it. Much lighter than the Braided line.

Doug FST 5

[lawyerbob]

Thanks guys. The fitting is a male end welded into the tank, so replacing it is a major PITA.

If I can go the push on route it will save a ton of time and $.

Whew - crisis avoided.

Was a good day other than that:

Throttle linkage - check
Shift linkage - check
Steering rack mounted - check
Oil lines (except one ) plumbed - check

Got some work done on the body mods as well, and on the seat.

Left to do:

Electrical - - I'm dreading this part - it just looks like a jumble of wires to me

Steering shaft / steering wheel location (as soon as seat is done)

Connect tie-rods to control arms (need to get some stuff from Pegasus)

Connect brake lines - bleed

Finish bodywork

Align and base set-up.

Looks like I'll be taking a few more days off from work in the next two weeks - but there's light at the end of the tunnel at least.

Oh yeah, and whatever the SCCA Tech guy needs me to do to get the homologation certificate - I think I understand what I need to do, but I want to hear it specifically from him. Still not sure I have the skills to do it, but maybe . . .

only two weeks left!

[Jim Nash]

Bob,

I plumb my car as Doug does. Braided line for brakes and cockpit fuel only. Proper rubber hose is OK for the oil.

Having said that... If the damaged threads are male, careful work with a small jeweler file and an unmolested female fitting and you could get it fixed.

Be careful fitting a hose over a threaded end (not made push-on hose) and a hose clamp. If it were to come off the resulting damage to your engine, car and some one else's car would not be worth the time or money savings.

Maybe the fitting is such that it can work fine. Just a word of caution.

Good luck.

Jim

[Pop Chevy]

Buy yourself a thread file for a few dollars and clean em up. AN fittings don't seal on the thread, they seal on the taper at the end. I think you will have trouble keeping the hose on the threads otherwise but if all else fails try it.. I use rubber push on hose and fittings from Summit Perf. It's called Twist-tite.

[rgu]

Bob check your e-mail and check jawco.com

[lawyerbob]

Thanks Robert - do you think I can find those at a hardware store or will I have order them - just thinking in terms of time more than anything else.

[kea]

If you are going to fix it, fix it right, don't just clamp a hose on it and hope the oil doesn't creep up the threads.
Tool supplier like Snap-on, have something called a thread file, in both US and metric thread pitches. I own both and find it's very useful for thread repairs on steel or aluminum.

[lawyerbob]

Thanks to the great people on this forum I have an "appointment" tonight to go over to a fellow racer's home to do the reapir. He has the equipment and skill to weld aluminum and so by the end of the day the tank should be "repaired right"

Thank you John!

[lawyerbob]

I owe a huge thanks to John_F (Apex Speed member) for repairing the oil tank problem! By Wednesday if all goes well the oil tank will be back in the car and plumbed, the wiring all done, and the extra roll cage bracing requested by SCCA Tech for homologation will be done!

Yay