Diesel RVs: Re: [diesel_mercedes] Re: 800 mile trip in MB, heater issues, buzz, I shouldn...

Many heat guns have an accessory fitting that is simply a sheet metal piece that fits over the output end, and has a bit of metal in a 'u' shape that goes around the wire and heat shrink being heated. This allows the heatshrink to get heated all around, while keeping the heat from blowing past the heat shrink and melting nearby plastic.

We used these in servicing tiny circuity inside complex gear and huge power cables, so the fittings come in various sizes.

WAY WAY better and SAFER than trying to do anything with a torch. And, you could make the same deal by fold heavy duty aluminum foil, or double layered aluminum foil, or a mangled bit of aluminum pie plate (how many of us have aluminum foil food packaging lying around at this time of year?!).

Also, for people who don't have a heat gun lying around, your wife's, girlfriend's or boyfriend's hair drier will work just as well on heat shrink tubing.

Tom

In a message dated 12/28/2012 12:53:22 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, aleph93@ca.rr.com writes:

Carl,

I agree.
I took the fuel line off the car, and tried to heat it up w/ a heat gun, and found it has narrow zone betwwen where it's not moving at all and where it's starts to bubble. Maybe it's heat the fitting with the torch and the plastic with the heat gun. The fuel line is about 10ft long and pressurized by the pump in the back, so I'm not sure how well any patches will be.

I'm going to run down to the PAP and see if I can find one. A local full service junk yard is asking $75 bucks, so I'll guess that I'll check the PAP 1st.

While at the PAP, I'll see what they have in MBs, and take my list of wants. It's 50% over the weekend, yet is supposed to start raining on Sat, so might not be worth the wait.

Rob
'85 300D
Garden Grove, CA
==

--- In diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com, diyernh <diyernh@...> wrote:

> Your right on discussing this before trying it. I would be careful
> using a torch on a fuel line. I believe someone tried that a few months
> ago on an oil rig. Your Volvo may go Vavoom.
>
> Can you cut the lines further back and add new fuel lines/hoses?
>
> Carl
>
======
>
> On 12/28/2012 12:54 PM, Aleph93 wrote:
> > Before leaving on the trip, I was fixing a few things on my wife's 245
> > Volvo, as we were going to take that up North, as it carries more stuff,
> > instead we took the back seat out of the MB and took that, as I broke
> > the Volvo's fuel line. It's one of the plastic type fuel lines, with
> > heat shrunk ends, which seems to be unavailable from Volvo and the usual
> > suppliers. On a forum, someone was saying that you can buy the plastic
> > line and heat shrink it yourself using a torch/ heat gun. Has anyone
> > done this type of thing? I may just go to the PAP and find a used one,
> > yet new might be better. Thanks
>