What is this spacer on my fuel lines?????

sd2649

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ummm..... how does that work????? Do I need to leave it on there??? I left it off when I replaced my injectors.
 

suv7734

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You really need to leave it on there. If you remove it your injector line will be too short. This will cause two things:
the line will have undo stress on it possibly leading to it cracking
the length of the line will be shorter causing a variation in injector timing for that cylinder
 

sd2649

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I really don't see the physics behind a shorter line messing with timing. Push a stick from one end, the other end will move at the same time for the same distance no matter how long the stick is.
 

seawalkersee

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Unless you are trying to move something "X" number of feet with a shorter stick. The point is that the fuel lines (hard lines) have flex and all of that is incorporated into the design of this engine. Since the injectors do not electronically open and they are done with the pump, you can imagine how you need the proper length to keep the pressure/timing in order. Its like this l l l l i l l l. Think of each of those as a fuel line. Now, put pressure to each of them and see what you get. Now, add that to the order of the fuel line and you can get a miss. Dont believe me? How many degrees in a gas engine does it take to mess up the timing? How many thousandths of an inch does it take to get blowby? Yes, it makes a difference.

Chris
 

suv7734

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The 'stick' in this case, is hydraulic pressure that doesn't remain constant and therefore the 'length' of the stick changes, even if only a little bit, on each pulse from the IP. IE it has to pressurize each line a certain amount before the injector pops off but this line, being about an inch and a half shorter, will pop off sooner since it gets the specific pressure that much sooner due to a lesser volume (shorter run). That's why the injector lines have all kinds of bends etc. so they will all be the same length.
 

sd2649

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Umm. That would make since except that the spacer makes that line longer. And my spacer is not where the picture I posted shows, it's on an injector.
 

reklund

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Exactly. Without the spacer in there the line is too short for the calculated "distance" the fuel has to travel before pressurizing the injector valve and causing it to fire. That in turn causes that injector to fire a fraction of a second early and screws with the timing on that cylinder. It doesn't matter that yours was on an injector rather than on the pump- on either end of the line it makes up the distance needed to keep the timing correct.

Here's a second way of putting it: If the engineers at Ford or International didn't need that part to be installed, then why was the time spent to design, manufacture, and install it on the assembly line years ago?

Ryan
 

suv7734

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Regardless of where it is located, making the line longer means it takes longer to pressurize. Taking it out means the shorter line pressurizes sooner and therefore the injector pops off sooner.
 

sd2649

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Guys. Liquid..... Pressurizing..... Doesn't happen, look it up. The tiny flex in the fuel line would be a bigger factor. And the even more robust spacer would be affected even less.
 

Optikalillushun

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all lines need to be of equal lenght in a mech diesel engine because of what others have mentioned above.

if the fuel has to run 20 inches per injector and w/o the spacer that line is now 18" that cylinder will fire quicker and cause erratic performance and have the timing messed up.
 

suv7734

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Guys. Liquid..... Pressurizing..... Doesn't happen, look it up.

Even if we use the 'stick' analogy you have answered your own question as to whether there is an effect... you just made the stick that much shorter on that cylinder (by removing the part) therefore it follows there will be an effect.
 

subway

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liquid is compressible its just so minute that engineers usually just throw that out of the equation (been through the class). i doubt you will notice the difference in timing overall, i would be more worried about stress cracking over time. if you bend and preload that line more than it is meant to go it is far more likely to stress crack and fail.

you can pull a number 1 injector line off an older diesel to get rid of the timing adapter and be set properly.

i just let my adapter there, its not bothering me yet, if it fails i will take it out.
 

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