Fuel Line Fittings

More than a few MV owners have had their plastic fuel line fittings crack and or break off entirely causing fuel leakage. There are two primary sources for metal (chrome plated brass) replacement fittings. Please note materials and writeup at bottom of page if you have an F4 1000 or Brutale 910 derivative.

OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC.

http://www.omega.com/pdf/tubing/couplings/ft-lcseries/ft-lcseries.asp

updated page: http://www.omega.com/pptst/ftlc.html -courtesy John/falcopilot


P/N FT-LCD100-04-VITON - Coupling Body or threaded part that fits into tank
P/N FT-LCD230-06-VITON - Hose Barb or part that fits on hose

(photos courtesy of hb)

























































Colder Products Corp. available through Ryan Herco

http://webcat.ryanherco.com/products/040/110/140/040110140.cfm

P/N LCD10004 - Coupling Body or threaded part that fits into tank
P/N LCD23006 - Hose Barb or part that fits on hose

The main culprit is "usually" the Hose Barb which is the 90 degree elbow fitting but some owners have had the Coupling Body fail. The metal elbow replacement will work fine with the stock plastic fitting in the tank if you choose to go that route. If you choose to also replace the Coupling Body be sure to wrap the threads with some teflon tape prior to installation.

Note: When ordering you may want to purchase some extras to have as back-ups.


It is advised that you regularly replace the viton O-rings and also add a small amount of silicone grease to them before re-assembly.

http://www.mcmaster.com/ is a good source for replacement O-rings, amongst other things. You can purchase a package of 100 for US$5-8.

Male side Viton (Fluorocarbon) O-Ring (black) AS568A Dash # 011, 7/16 inch O.D. by 5/16 inch I.D. by 1/16 inch wide - McMaster-Carr Part # 9464K16, $7.54 per 100 pack (courtesy of the Ducati forum). This is the side to grease at every removal.

Female side (in tank dry break) Viton (Fluorocarbon) O-Ring (black) 9464K13 at 5/16 OD by 3/16 ID

Also, pay attention when putting your tank back on as to how you position the fuel lines. They should be positioned left to right, not front to back, or they could get pinched between the tank and frame cross member.

Note: A Triumph dealer is another alternative if you’re in a bind but I understand that they only offer ¼” fittings so you’ll also have to replace the fuel lines as well to make them work.

MV Factory manual also suggests the use of Loctite 577 on the thread interface between fuel pump housing and quick connect fitting.

=================Note post 2005 info below regarding fuel line============
===========================Thanks to Altoon/AP===================
Performing the fuel fitting swap (metal for plastic) on the F4 1000cc and Brutale 910 motors is not as straight-forward as it used to be on the 750s. The challenge stems from the use of a new fuel line. It is interesting to note that this new fuel line does not use any clamps at the fittings!

The line is constructed from two parts; a firm, stiff inner core, and a softer, pliable outer cover (see the photo for reference). The inner core material appears to be made from a PVC tube with a fluor-polymer coating. The outer tubing is made from Sunprene, a PVC based thermoplastic elastomer that is often used as a replacement for rubber. The supplier for the fuel hose is Dayco. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine a part number for the hose.


The problem is that the inner core is very stiff, and it will not slide over the barbed end of the male fuel fitting. As can be seen in the photo, the I.D. of the tube is smaller than the O.D. of the fitting. Getting the hose on the fitting is very extremely difficult, but it can be done. My approach was to cut the old plastic fitting off at the hose junction. Then using a hammer, I hit the hose to break the remaining barbed end into pieces, which were pulled out with a set of small needle-nose pliers. Next, the new fitting was forced into the hose. And I do mean forced. You need to act quickly as the inner tube will actually shrink, making the fitment almost impossible. It helps to lubricate the fitting barbs and inner hose with silicone spray.

At this time, attempts are being made to find alternatives to the fuel line. However, there have been some problems in sourcing all the necessary components.

The fuel fittings on the fuel rail end are made by John Guest (http://www.johnguest.com/). In order to make a replacement fuel hose system, these fitting will be required. However, obtaining the fittings has been extremely difficult.

This photo shows the fitting as it sits on the fuel rail, with the gas tank installed. You can see this fitting if you remove the either of the two silver side-plates that cover the tank mounting hardware.




This is a close-up photo of the fitting itself. The end inside the hose is barbed. To release the fitting from the rail, you press on the two tabs on either side then slide it off. One tab is indicated by the red arrow.



Here is a photo of the fuel rail after the fitting has been removed. Note the ring on the tube (red arrow). This is the latch collar that the John Guest fitting snaps onto. When you press the tabs on the sides of the fitting, you will release it from this latch collar.



TGM, TS, BC, FP, JC, AP, HB