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Fuel line blew on I-10 outside El Paso at 3am and nearly cost me the whole load
I was running a 2019 Peterbilt through west Texas when a fuel return line split right near the cylinder head. Diesel sprayed all over the exhaust manifold and I lost prime before I even got to the shoulder. I carried a spare 3/8 inch hose and clamps, but the fitting was a weird metric size that none of my adapters matched. Ended up calling a mobile mechanic from a truck stop in Fabens who showed up with a box of assorted JIC fittings and had me running in 45 minutes. Cost me 300 bucks and two hours of downtime, but the load made it to Phoenix. Has anyone else had luck carrying a universal fuel line repair kit, or do you rely on roadside service?
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allen.ivan1mo ago
That universal kit idea makes a lot of sense, but the trick is knowing what sizes to carry. I keep a small box with JIC 6, 8, and 10 fittings plus some metric adapters like M14 and M16, since those weird sizes are what always seem to bite you. The other thing is a good flare tool and some fuel-rated hose, because a barb fitting and a clamp will hold for a while but it can seep under pressure. Add a couple feet of 3/8 and 5/16 line and you can limp to the next town instead of sitting there at 3am.
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riley_taylor1mo ago
That kit sounds great until you're the guy who spent 200 bucks on fittings and still can't fix a cracked hard line on a Sunday. Half the time the real fix is a tow or a buddy with a trailer, not a box of parts you'll never touch again.
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