anyone ever try to make a better return line system?

[SPR1NK]

Has anyone ever tried making a better return system?
Like milling some new caps out of steel and putting threaded flare fittings on them and using some homemade brakeline sections to replace the rubber lines?

 

[icanfixall]

Yes. A member did fab a set of caps and its in testing now. They are a one piece from aluminum done on a multi axis mill with a cnc program. I recall the signon name was AVD I think. As for remaking the entire system I feel its not needed. Our return is just a gravity feed return anyway. Not much can be improved on that. I do like the new caps idea. About all that needs to be replaced with new steel caps is the o rings and the hose.

 

[SPR1NK]

Just the caps out of aluminum? And then still use rubber hose?

I was thinking steel caps and brake line or something to replace the hose between them just to try to make it as bulletproof(leak free) as possible

 

[mblaney]

hard lines like that would be a major ***** to work on! I think just using quality hose and greasing your injectors before installing the caps makes them reliable enough. I guess the return lines should be considered a regular maintenance item...

You will probably only have issues with the existing return line systems if:

-you are always disturbing them playing with injectors
- the caps were installed without sufficient lubrication and the o-rings are hurt
- the system is so old that it is now due for maintenance

The rubber lines do catch hell with the engine heat... other than that I doubt that better quality caps would make much difference. I always use Viton o-rings on mine (P/N 111).

 

[SPR1NK]

My main thought was more just for not having to buy new caps and stuff, if it made it a little harder to work on that wouldn't really hurt my feelings any

 

[Black dawg]

The problem that I see with hardline between the return caps is that lengths would have to be perfect, or it would push or pull on the cap, possibly causing the o rings to leak.

A different injector body (like the 12v cummins) with hardline bolted directly to it would be cool though.

 

[SPR1NK]

That would definitely be a problem, that's why it's more of a conceptual idea than an actual, I'm gunna make it tomorrow type thing, and also why I asked cuz I was just curious on the feasibility of the idea

 

[The Warden]

I've always been under the impression that most of the time you get a leak on the return line system, it's an O-ring on the injector itself. So, I don't think there's much that can be really done to improve the system short of redesigned injectors.

I have to admit, I always wondered why IH and Stanadyne went with this design on the IDI. The M-B and VW diesels (Bosch fuel systems), and for that matter the 6.2L/6.5L GM's (Stanadyne fuel systems), have hose nipples built directly into the injector, and you just daisy-chain rubber hoses between each injector...you don't even need clamps. Seems to work well; I wonder why they went with an unnecessarily complicated system on our trucks?

 

[sjwelds]

; I wonder why they went with an unnecessarily complicated system on our trucks?

Well I guess we gotta have something to work on. The rest of the engine is so awesome

 

[SPR1NK]

Will at the least I think an improved cap over the crappy plastic would be nice