Russel fuel fitting... bad luck, bad design, or??
03-21-2010, 04:31 PM
#1
Russel fuel fitting... bad luck, bad design, or?? I'm using the quick fit russel fittings on my LQ4 conversion. I'm also using the corvette fuel filter/regulator assembly.
For my 3/8" side, I'm using 640850. This is both at the filter AND at the fuel rail. Both 3/8" fittings are leaking like I owned Shell. I think I've put more gas on the ground than through the engine so far
It leaked much more from the regulator.
I finally got around to checking the fittings and found that BOTH fittings fell apart. The attached picture shows what happened.
With this discovery, no kidding I was leaking.
So, the questions I have are:
Did I just have VERY bad luck and get two garbage fittings?
Or, did Russel produce a poorly designed product?
I don't want to waste any money on something that is garbage.
For my 3/8" side, I'm using 640850. This is both at the filter AND at the fuel rail. Both 3/8" fittings are leaking like I owned Shell. I think I've put more gas on the ground than through the engine so far
It leaked much more from the regulator.I finally got around to checking the fittings and found that BOTH fittings fell apart. The attached picture shows what happened.
With this discovery, no kidding I was leaking.
So, the questions I have are:
Did I just have VERY bad luck and get two garbage fittings?
Or, did Russel produce a poorly designed product?
I don't want to waste any money on something that is garbage.
03-21-2010, 05:19 PM
#3
I use these on my swap and my friends 79 LT1 swap. No complaints to be had
The washer looking piece is troubling. I looked down into mine before I installed it and it seemed to be one piece of billet with the O-ring slide into a groove machined in the fitting. If you had the face of the groove fall off, no wonder it came apart
The washer looking piece is troubling. I looked down into mine before I installed it and it seemed to be one piece of billet with the O-ring slide into a groove machined in the fitting. If you had the face of the groove fall off, no wonder it came apart
03-21-2010, 05:27 PM
#4
It is VERY disturbing. I could accept if it happened to one of them... but both of them did the same thing. The 5/16" one was fine.
I've got another new in box 3/8" one and it looks to be done in parts like the picture.
I've got another new in box 3/8" one and it looks to be done in parts like the picture.
03-22-2010, 12:01 AM
#6
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Disaster almost struck for me with these fittings. I had the line pop off at the rail while car was running resulting in 60psi jet of fuel spraying on hot headers.
By some stroke of luck no fire ensued. I found that the line was fairly easy to pull off without releasing tabs.It appeared to me that the machind aluminum fitting was oversized for the plastic locking clip.
I switched over to the factory braided line with the added secondary locks.
I would definitely pull test these fittings on your car. Also would provide an additional level of safety with some type of secondary lock.
scary!
By some stroke of luck no fire ensued. I found that the line was fairly easy to pull off without releasing tabs.It appeared to me that the machind aluminum fitting was oversized for the plastic locking clip.
I switched over to the factory braided line with the added secondary locks.
I would definitely pull test these fittings on your car. Also would provide an additional level of safety with some type of secondary lock.
scary!
Last edited by dsrour; 03-22-2010 at 04:48 AM.
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03-22-2010, 04:49 AM
#8
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Disaster almost struck for me with these fittings. I had the line pop off at the rail while car was running resulting in 60psi jet of fuel spraying on hot headers.
By some stroke of luck no fire ensued. I found that the line was fairly eady to pull off without releasing tabs.It appeared to me that the machind aluminum fitting was oversized for the plastic locking clip.
I switched over to the factory braided line with the added secondary locks.
I would definitely pull test these fittings on your car. Also would provide an additional level of safety with some type of secondary lock.
scary!
By some stroke of luck no fire ensued. I found that the line was fairly eady to pull off without releasing tabs.It appeared to me that the machind aluminum fitting was oversized for the plastic locking clip.
I switched over to the factory braided line with the added secondary locks.
I would definitely pull test these fittings on your car. Also would provide an additional level of safety with some type of secondary lock.
scary!
I have had the same thing happen to me, twice. It has only happened at the rail, never had one blow off at the filter/regulator. Other than that, no leaking issues.
03-22-2010, 04:56 AM
#9
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I could have just gotten a bad fitting. I posted my experience here several years ago but couldn't find it on search.
I'd definitely use a a secondary locking device at the fuel rail,
just like he factory does. You could probably use safety wire.
I'd definitely use a a secondary locking device at the fuel rail,
just like he factory does. You could probably use safety wire.
03-22-2010, 05:48 AM
#10
I have had problems with those same fittings just this past weekend. After I snapped them on the line I gave them a good tug and was able to pull two of them back off. I went thru 5 fitting to find 3 that would stay on. The problem seems to be the plastic insert.
03-22-2010, 09:54 AM
#14
I use the Russell pieces a lot and had one issue with a line being able to be pulled off after putting on the line at the firewall. I have never had a fgilter fitting issue. Also be sure to install the plastic onto the line or filter first, then push the adapter fitting on.
What I have found, at least in the Corvette uses, is that the line coming off the firewall has a bit "wider" retainer flange and that the plastic retainer will not drop completely onto the line after going over the retainer flange.
What I do is slightly trim the plastic retainer fingers shorter so they drop in behind the lines retainer flange cleanly. Since checking this and modifying as needed, I have had no issues.
Hope this helps.
Mike Norris
What I have found, at least in the Corvette uses, is that the line coming off the firewall has a bit "wider" retainer flange and that the plastic retainer will not drop completely onto the line after going over the retainer flange.
What I do is slightly trim the plastic retainer fingers shorter so they drop in behind the lines retainer flange cleanly. Since checking this and modifying as needed, I have had no issues.
Hope this helps.
Mike Norris
03-22-2010, 10:54 AM
#15
We used Dorman fittings (steel) with 200psi-rated "fuel injection" hose. No problems at all. The Russell aluminum fittings we bought looked ok, but we didn't want to have the expense of AN or JIC 37deg fittings, so we just put the Russell fittings into our parts bin.
03-22-2010, 12:17 PM
#17
Here is the thread
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...near-miss.html
03-22-2010, 01:23 PM
#18
Thanks for all the input so far.
On the plastic catch thing, in my case, it appears to be a complete fitting failure and not the plastic catch.
On the corvette line, one side is obviously a snap lock, what is the other side?
On the plastic catch thing, in my case, it appears to be a complete fitting failure and not the plastic catch.
On the corvette line, one side is obviously a snap lock, what is the other side?