Remove Fuel Line
Fuel lines come in several different designs, and how they are disconnected is usually very simple if you have the right tools. When looking at how to disconnect a fuel line, we must first find out what kind of connection it has. There are screwed together fittings, clamped together fittings, and quick connect fittings, and there are several different variations of each.
On screwed together fittings, they are fairly simple to figure out. You need 2 wrenches: one to turn the fitting, and the other to hold the other fitting from twisting off. Say you were working on a fuel filter on a 95 Chevy Truck. The fuel filters on those (and most GM products of the 90's) are screw on type filters. You need a 15MM and a 19Mm wrench to get those off. The 15MM wrench goes on the fitting for the line, and the 19MM goes on the fitting on the filter. To loosen it, hold the filter from spinning with the 19MM wrench, while loosening the line with the 15MM wrench. Simply holding it with your hand is not good enough and can seriously hurt you. Most all screwed fittings are the same and keep in mind that you always need 2 wrenches to loosen them, and to tighten them!
If you are working on an older car with a low pressure fuel system like on a carbureted engine, you will find the fuel lines that have clamped together fittings like at the fuel pump or on an inline fuel filter. These are not hard to loosen, you usually use a quarter inch or 5/16 nut driver to loosen the ones with the worm-screw clamp types. If they are squeeze tight clamps, there is an actual tool for those, but a pair of pliers usually works just fine. If you cannot get to the clamp very easily with the pliers then that is what the tool was designed for. Sometimes you can move the clamp around by pushing on the tabs with a screwdriver, and twist them around where you can get to them more easily, but it is not always possible.
When dealing with quick connect type of fittings, you need to be aware that these type of fittings usually require a special tool to take loose. You can but fuel line quick connect tools from any auto parts store for close to ten dollars a set, and they have cheaper ones that do not work as good for those who are on a budget and do not mind busting a few knuckles in order to save about three dollars. TO take those loose, you simply insert the proper size tool into the fitting and twist it about 1/4 turn, then pull the line loose. The tool goes inside the fitting to spread a spring. This design is popular on Ford and Chrysler engines for fuel lines, and many many vehicles have this design on air conditioning lines, because of the flexibility the design offers while still providing good seals that hold high pressures. Putting the connection back together means to simply press it together until it snaps into place. Then there are another type of quick connect fittings that are popular on Fords and Imports that is the U-shaped keepers that get pulled from the fitting with a screwdriver, then the line is removed. It really is that simple to remove them, too! When replacing that type of connection, though just make sure to place the line together, before putting the keeper in. The keepers can be reused if they are not broken, and if you do break one, they are very inexpensive at the auto parts store. Keep in mind, that not all keepers are the same, you need the proper length and thickness to ensure the line will seal tightly, and not leak.
Other things you might need to be aware of when disconnecting a fuel line is that there is more than likely going to be pressurized gasoline in there, unless you do something to relieve the pressure. A good way to do this is to remove the fuel pump fuse or relay and then crank the engine for a few seconds. This will usually empty the line, but you should still be ready for gas to come out of it, so make sure to have a rag around the fitting and something to drain the gas into, so you can catch any gas in the line. Gas burns like crazy if you get it in your eyes! so you might also want to wear some safety goggles!
That's it! you should be a fuel line loosening expert by now! This article was written from many years of experience, too. Eye doctors are expensive, and so are the steroid drops they have to give you when you get gas in your eyes. Stay safe!
