Metal Fuel rails.. GoWesty? VanCafe? Others?

[SCM]

[SteveMc]

[VdubVanner]

[Mellow Yellow 74]

[shagginwagon83]

Just curious, but what's the advantage of having the customer crank the gowesty fittings on?
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[tencentlife]

Customer assembly means vendor isn't liable for results. If vendor assembled then they would almost have to claim they pressure tested as well. Price of item would go up, fewer sales, more liability.

Taper threads require a sealant to work. There's no sealant I would ever ever trust for long term use with gasoline. Taper threads are also harder to machine. GW's "design" depends on all those taper threads to be customer sealed, it's basically a back-yard approach, not a well-developed product, and the failure rate reflects it.

The VC manifolds are beautifully made but could have simpler machining and assembly and higher reliability by tapping straight threads and using shouldered plugs with sealing washers on the ends.

GW could do similar but shouldered barb fittings are much more expensive and with so many their price would probably not be very attractive.
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https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[The Machinist]

[The Machinist]

[bobbyblack]

Gotta love a thread like this.

Questions jump in my head! So, if the end product needs intervention by the purchaser so the vendor isn't liable, why don't we come up with a design that most of us could agree would be a better plan.

Here is one I came up with: 6" or 8" long steel pipe nipple, end caps, drill for smaller threaded nipples for the fuel lines to come off. Flux and braze the threads for the end caps and smaller nipples. I think brass fittings would be fine too, brazed in place.

Half an hour at the hardware store, an hour with the drill press and tap, and some time with a torch. $70-$80 worth?? Peace of mind?

That should settle qualms about what sealant to use, for sure!
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[tencentlife]

[The Machinist]

[VdubVanner]

I wish you all the best with the re-design of your rails because they are real pieces of artwork. Once those two threaded ends are sorted out, I'm getting in line for a new pair.

[DanHoug]

the below is an aluminum air distribution manifold that was suggested a while back for construction of a fuel rail. notice the TWO threads available for sealing, on NPT no less. manifold is still in my fittings bin needless to say.

i'm pretty confident in the plastic fuel rails but i've done two things... one, cleaned them off really well and fully inspected for cracks, and two, oriented the 'cap' to face the rear so that i can see any weaping easily. i carry a spare with 2 injectors mounted for quick swap out.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[?Waldo?]

If you are referring to my posts, that is not exactly the cheapo manifold I used although it is similar. The one I used was 1/2 that length. I had zero leaks.

In this case I do not see how additional threads would equate to reduced risk of leakage or reduced risk in general. The two threads shown are certainly enough material to prevent the fitting from coming loose under fuel pressure. It seems to me that additional tapered threads would just be more likely to mask a case of poor thread machining and delayed leaking as folks have been complaining about with the more expensive options.

[VdubVanner]

Anyone use the RJE Rocky Jennings aluminum fuel rails?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2002224

Any comments/problems regarding them?
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[Merian]

[Farfromslow]

Why not just machine a plug out of the same material that fits into a recess on the manifold, then TIG it in place and be done with it. No threads period.

[The Machinist]

After trying to track down the cause of the leak, it seems that the fuel rail in question may have been disassembled to be cleaned out and then reassembled and shipped without a leak test. This is just a theory that I can't confirm. I have tightened up the process and I personally check to make sure the parts are properly cleaned before sealing now. I had a bad experience with one employee who is no longer with us. His attention to detail was lacking.

After researching the thread sealant, we have switched to the high-performance Permatex sealant. I have looked at other methods of sealing. They all start to get expensive. We have delivered hundreds of these since we started to leak-test them. As far as I know, one weeped a little in 2017 and CJVango's developed a leak after installation in March.

[tencentlife]

[jlrftype7]