Cleaning and reusing injector lines

[Stanley]

Hey there again. I got started on trying to clean up my stock injector lines that came with the truck and was curious if anyone had some good ideas or better ones than I had to knock this task out. 

 

Thought of scotch brite over the whole thing then a thorough cleaning and blow out. I have better pictures of mine now and some of the ends I'll be working with. 

Maybe prime and paint afterwards? 

Something to soak these bad boys in?

 

 

[wil440]

To be honest some of the sealing tapers look bad if they were mine I'd be sourcing a new set

 

The biggest problem is tube flex caused by the constant hammering of the injection event and then when they are removed and refitted there is a small twist at the ferrule which can and does cause very small peices of steel to fracture off on the inside

 

Caterpillar say never to reuse injector tubes, this wasn't so in earlier engines when injector pressures weren't so high and hole sizes so small, there's now smaller holes but more of so atomization is better and the flame front travels faster and the burn is cleaner, not SO much of a problem on a 2nd gen granted as it's tractor technology compared to today but having said all that your ferrules look poor

[Mopar1973Man]

Personally I would just replace them. No matter what you do the clean one is worn enough to see the step on the tip. The rusted ones are too far gone by the time you clean the tips up it might not seal good. I've had this happen too and they continued to weep in the manifold smelling diesel all the time. I got lucky and a friend had a full set of line that were new I ended up trading for and got. My problem is fixed with new lines. The tapered tips are a precise machined tip and you must be super careful not to make them smaller or have little pits or scars in that small tip. 5,000 PSI and up to 20,000 PSI will leak out for sure. Hence why I suggest full replacement. 

[Stanley]

That was what I was thinking too. We never re-use at John deere, but with our trucks that's sometimes not the case. 

These don't look so hot, I cleaned the one up to show the little step which I can catch a nail on, tells me it's bad. Confirmed my suspicions. 

 

Now I've looked but having a hard time finding a full set of lines, I can find p-pump lines all day but not vp44 lol. 

[wil440]

5 minutes ago, Stanley said:

That was what I was thinking too. We never re-use at John deere, but with our trucks that's sometimes not the case. 

These don't look so hot, I cleaned the one up to show the little step which I can catch a nail on, tells me it's bad. Confirmed my suspicions. 

 

Now I've looked but having a hard time finding a full set of lines, I can find p-pump lines all day but not vp44 lol. 

what about Dap

[IBMobile]

1 hour ago, Stanley said:

Now I've looked but having a hard time finding a full set of lines

You can try Google "2002 dodge ram 2500 diesel fuel lines". 

Here are a few places that have them; didn't see them at DAP.   

 

https://www.scheiddiesel.com/engines/dodge-cummins/dodge-5-9l-cummins-98-02-24-valve/fuel-lines/

https://www.moparpartsgiant.com/parts-list/2002-dodge-ram_2500-quad_club_cab/fuel/fuel_lines.htmlhttps://puredieselpower.com/dodge-products/2nd-gen-24v-98.5-02/injectors-and-fuel-system-3/fuel-related-parts-2

https://www.ebay.com/p/1127609779

[Stanley]

$380 - seems cheap?

https://www.accuratediesel.com/dodge-cummins-5-9l-vp44-diesel-fuel-injection-line-set-24v-assembled-w/-clamps.html

 

$663

https://puredieselpower.com/dodge-products/24v-second-gen-dodge-5.9l-cummins-vp44-factory-injection-lines.html

 

$650 for stainless $550 mild steel

https://www.scheiddiesel.com/1998.5-2002-Dodge-Cummins-Fuel-Line-Set-for-VP44/

 

$590 - mild steel

https://www.dieselautopower.com/diesel-auto-power-vp44-steel-fuel-lines-standard-0-078-id-24visb-lines078

 

$571 - mild steel .078

https://haisleymachine.com/shop/diesel-truck-performance-parts/fuel-system/fuel-lines-line-kits/fuel-line-24-valve-oversize-bent/

 

Injector hold downs

$17 each -   should I get all new? Or just the one?

 

https://puredieselpower.com/dodge-products/2nd-gen-24v-98.5-02/injectors-and-fuel-system-3/fuel-related-parts-2/24v-cummins-injector-hold-down-3940639.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

4 hours ago, Stanley said:

$380 - seems cheap?

https://www.accuratediesel.com/dodge-cummins-5-9l-vp44-diesel-fuel-injection-line-set-24v-assembled-w/-clamps.html

 

That's what I would do if it was me. Then replace the one injector hold down. 

 

Extra 200 to 300 dollars for the other what so special about the line to need extra money for them? Gold plated, life time warranty to never fail or what? 

Edited November 29, 2021 by Mopar1973Man

[Stanley]

@Mopar1973Man gold plated  now that would be a sight! Lol. I totally understand where you're coming from and that's the price I'd like to pay from the others.

Has anyone bought from these guys before? Never heard of them, kinda over cautious of buying from random companies, plus you never know what kinda product your getting. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Just think everyone told me buy Cummins OE parts. Everyone knows and trust Cummins. Just like I learned Cummins does not produce thermostats so why pay $70 bucks for a Holley/Mr. Gasket which is who makes Cummins thermostats. Alright... Now how about Cummins OE head gaskets? Cummins doesn't make head gaskets a company of BLK does. So just because you think you know a company or think you know the source of the parts doesn't make them good or bad. This just proves even a big name like Cummins can be selling any kind of products with there name on it. Just like in the past with Carter fuel pump made for Cummins which was nothing but junk lift pumps. I'd rather take a smaller company for products than a big name any more. At least smaller companies want to make a better product.

[IBMobile]

15 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

At least smaller companies want to make a better product.

But do they make a better product?  Maybe. It is still best to do research and get recommendations like what is found here. 

[wil440]

34 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Just think everyone told me buy Cummins OE parts. Everyone knows and trust Cummins. Just like I learned Cummins does not produce thermostats so why pay $70 bucks for a Holley/Mr. Gasket which is who makes Cummins thermostats. Alright... Now how about Cummins OE head gaskets? Cummins doesn't make head gaskets a company of BLK does. So just because you think you know a company or think you know the source of the parts doesn't make them good or bad. This just proves even a big name like Cummins can be selling any kind of products with there name on it. Just like in the past with Carter fuel pump made for Cummins which was nothing but junk lift pumps. I'd rather take a smaller company for products than a big name any more. At least smaller companies want to make a better product.

Most big companies make very little nowadays Cat for instance....... make frames and that's it as far as I know but what they do is they have 100% control over the manufacturing process and usually they designed said part in the first place and if there is a problem and there often is they are on it right away to get it sorted out, 100 % different to the el cheapo chinese knockoff copy,  also companies don't give away their designs at least for a period of time.

I'm not saying OEM is better or worse, horses for courses as they say and the wallet is always the decider.... well country of origin comes first for me

[Stanley]

New lines should be here fri, got them from accuritediesel.com Injection pump and other goodies from DAP should be here today. got everything thing off except injection pump. I have different tools i can use and have used before but I was wanting to make a puller just for the injection pump gear. Yes I know their not that expensive but I'm cheap and I kinda forgot to order one with the pump. So does anyone have the approximate center-to-center on the gear bolt holes and maybe overall width of tool. Id greatly appreciate it!!!

[Silverwolf2691]

On 11/28/2021 at 8:12 PM, Stanley said:

gold plated  now that would be a sight!

close enough lol. 

 

Heard issues with stainless lines but that was on p24v trucks i think. Lines would break from vibrations i think.

[Mopar1973Man]

Any line could break from vibrations. Only point I would make here is there any reason to invest double the amount of money on lines? Are you planning on dyno queen or 1/4 mile track truck? Then I would consider the expensive lines. For most daily drivers I would opt for the least expensive lines. 

[Stanley]

I got the cheaper ones, they were not bent right and was a pita to get them where they were not touching, they also are just in general bent a little different than stock... Ill post pics later. 

everything is in, new pump, lines, tubes, 6x13's, even dropped the tank and dumped it out made sure there were not any debris in there - pretty clean and also peace of mind, new filters too. So literally everything is new on the fuel system! Gotta prime it this evening and start it, fingers crossed... 

 

So since I have a 2 year warranty and cant tap the pump what should I run the quad at? Now that we certainly know what pump it is and injector size. 

[Mopar1973Man]

5 hours ago, Stanley said:

So since I have a 2 year warranty and cant tap the pump what should I run the quad at?

 

0 to 3 is where you run the Quad. You can run higher but the wire tap is not present so no extra fuel is provided. 

 

0 - Stock

1 - Valet mode

2 - Stock Fuel with timing

3 - CanBus Fuel with timing

[wil440]

5 hours ago, Stanley said:

they were not bent right and was a pita to get them where they were not touching,

Did you have to rebend at all because if you did I would be inclined to take them off and blow them out with brake cleaner as bending causes minute steel particles to flake off the insides this is the reason manufacturers say to not reuse, well that and wanting more money out of customers.

Ideally get the lines to the point where the ferrules on each end of each line align perfectly with the fittings they screw onto so as to not have them under any tension in any direction then remove blow out and refit, might be overkill in this instance but the stuff I work on injectors are mega money

[Mopar1973Man]

Might of needed just to loosen the line holders a bit and allow them to move into place better. Last set I got that was technically new but laying in the cab of a truck I had to assemble one at a time them place the holders back onto the lines. They lined up perfectly. Just because the lines are assembled doesn't mean they were placed right in the line holders. 

[Stanley]

I mean they were close just little tweaks here or there,they just ride really close to each other. I sat the first set (back) in first and got everything in place loosely then the first set same thing. Barely snugged them then kinda tweaked them. Their not perfect and don't just lay in there but I guess I'll have to live with it. I'm too scared to really bend them more to get a better fit. With this set I actually had to cut my bracket that the dip stick attaches to cause the line ran straight into it. None of the stock clamps or brackets work either...