'67 oil pressure line installation...

[Patrick T.]

I have a new oil pressure line and fitting kit for the '67. I always thought the line should pass through the fitting and you seat the line in the oil pressure gauge as far as it will go, then thread in the fitting so it will be pressure tight. In this case, I can't get the line to go through the fitting. I've tried twice installing the line into the gauge, tightening down the fitting, but everytime I bump the line it pops out, since I'm still working under the dash. What holds the line in the fitting?

How should these fittings be installed into the gauge and the engine block? I would appreciate any serious guidelines. Thanks PT

[Craig S.]

Re: '67 oil pressure line installation...

Patrick - there is another thread here talking about the original pipe being 7/64" od, and no longer made, with the currently available line being 1/8" (8/64") hence too large for your original compression fitting nuts. You probably have to change the fitting on the back of the guage if you are using new lines....just gussing you are unless you are just reconnecting the original line.....Craig

[Patrick T.]

Re: '67 oil pressure line installation...

Thanks Craig, I have a new line and new compression fittings, all in the same kit. I don't know why, but the line won't seem to stay tight inside the fitting and I'm not going to connect it to the engine until I know for sure it's not going to flood the floor with oil when I start it up. Maybe I will just order another one from a different vendor and try again, except I can't remember where I got this one! Should not the line completely pass through the fitting before installation? PT

[Craig S.]

Re: '67 oil pressure line installation...

Patrick - yes it should. Sometimes the compression fittings take a bit of force to crush, but that is of course after the line goes through the fitting. Something is definitely wrong if you can't get it through. Did you disassemble the fitting and make sure the ferrule is aligned so the tube will slide through it, sometimes they cock slightly in the fitting and prevent the insertion of th e tube. I would remove the parts, and verify the tube slides correctly into the ferrule and fitting...Craig

[Patrick T.]

Thanks Craig....

I'll start from scratch again, I didn't get any loose compression fittings with the kit and the old fittings won't pull off the old line. The old line looks like it's flared on the end in lieu of a compression fitting. PT

[Joe R.]

Re: Patrick-Oil Line 67

Patrick,

You are not doing anything wrong. The fitting is too small for the copper line to go thru. You will have to drill out the fitting for the line to pass thru.
Then you can carefully tighten the fitting and it will compress the copper line and seal in the gauge.
I have to drill out each fitting on any oil line kit from any vendor.

Regards,

JR

[Craig S.]

Re: Thanks Craig....

Patrick - I see Joe Ray's post, and your response to mine. It sounds like the fitting is a flare vs compression, and the parts supplied need "finessing" to allow clearance for the tube. So much for getting correct parts from suppliers. If it really is a flare connection, it would seem the use of a flaring tool on the tube end is a prerequisite to getting a good seal at the guage......Craig

[Mike M.]

Re: Thanks Craig....

Patrick, Not sure but this may be what happened. If you tighten the fitting with the line not through it all the way in the back of the gauge, you may have crushed the end of the fitting making it smaller. This happened to me. I just got a new fitting and things were fine. Mike

[Joe R.]

Oil Line Compression vs. Flare

Guys,

The oil line is a compression fitting but it has no ball. The fitting is compressed on the line as it is tightened by the way the gauge is made. As the fitting screws in, the fitting is compressed against the line and makes a tight seal. After the fitting is tightened once it will remain on the oil line. You should be able to see how it works from the old line. It is confusing but forget flare fitting as it is compressed against the oil line.

Hope this helps

JR

[Craig S.]

Re: Oil Line Compression vs. Flare

Thx Joe - I have seen both compression with separate ball and flare fittings, I guess this one has a captive "ball" in the nut...and like other compression fittings is a one shot use.....Craig

[John H.]

Oil Pressure Fitting Size

I just got my SB kit from Paragon the other day (1/8" measured pipe O.D., copper-plated steel), and their kit includes two new male compression ferrules which are properly-sized for the 1/8" pipe - no drilling required - they slide right on with no problem.

[John H.]

Re: Oil Line Compression vs. Flare

Craig -

No "ball" sleeve in the nut - it's a proprietary GM design where the chamfer inside the female fitting (integral to the gauge or the separate one that threads into the block) deforms the tapered nose on the male line fitting onto the pipe and that creates the seal. Most aftermarket setups use conventional compression fittings with the ball sleeve.

[Patrick T.]

Thanks to everyone for the information...

I just picked up a 2nd "new" kit from a local Corvette restoration shop, I think they said it was from Corvette Products? and it looks like John said, the line will go through the fitting. On the other one, it did not go through.

I'll see if I can get this one in right the first time. PT

[Brian McHale]

Re: Thanks to everyone for the information...

Patrick, Check it with a magnet to be sure it's the same, copper covered steel.

[Craig S.]

Re: Oil Line Compression vs. Flare

Thx for the clarification John!....Craig