Air Leak LOCATED how is yours??

[rolling18]

Hello again!
since i have owned my deuce (2 weeks) I have hears a slow, fairly quiet hissing and it finally got loud enough where I could hear it enough to locate it!!!

I WISH it was only a connection joint of some kind but it's not..

its located where the Metal line contacts a part of the frame just above and behind the master cylender and looks to have been rubbing for a loooong time there and finally breached the tube!

in the picture you can clearly see where it has worn through to the right of the RED zip tie.

short of replacing the whole hard air line, is there any way to fix a leak like this?? ??

IS anyone elses' air line wearing through in this location ?
if not, maybe it should be inspected for wear.

 

[wreckerman893]

If you can get enough slack you can clean the line good with flux and solder it with a propane torch....being careful to avoid any electrical or fuel lines.

Apply the heat away from the actual hole and allow the copper to suck the solder into it.

Then install a buffer between the line and the frame to avoid a repeat.

 

[rolling18]

thats a reat idea, any particular type of solder??
the lines are copper right? or?..
so far its just a very small hole ad can still maintain pressure..

 

[Deuce007]

For some reason the back tires of my deuce are always going flat and I think it is because of a leak in the CTIS . Whenever I shut the truck off, I hear a leak but after a while it stops. I found a leak on a valve above the air tanks and am wondering if thats the reason for the back tires going flat.

 

[rolling18]

I read/ hear that allot about the CTIS system, work great when it is working.. but if not ...
sounds logical to me, maybe wet your hand and feel around the area? spray soapy water look for bubbles?
i would have done those but the location of my leak would have been very difficult, I had to take the pic w/o looking and hope i got it! heh

 

[Deuce007]

I checked the tires with soapy water and I don't think that they are leaking. When I found the leak in the valve above the air tanks I could feel the air coming out so should I try and replace the valve and see if that works?

 

[rolling18]

sounds logical to mee.. how long does it take for the tanks to empty?
are the tires flat when it finally does empty?

 

[Deuce007]

The tanks take probably a half hour to empty and the tires still have air but I just think that it is strange that when I come back in the morning that both back tires are empty and no other tires are.

 

[rolling18]

thats about all I can comment on as I am NOT familiar with CTIS system maybe a guru type can comment with his ideas.
You should start a new thread describing your problem, i think there are many with similar problems..

 

[renovate7]

Rolling 18, if you can't get to it to solder just cut out the bad section and install a new piece with a coupler on each end. I replaced a lot of the copper lines on my first truck , easy to do....REMEMBER, do not use the copper fittings from Home Depot or Lowes, they are soft junk. Go to a NAPA, tell them you want the School Board price. They carry quality fittings, Eaton brand around here.

 

[rolling18]

Rolling 18, if you can't get to it to solder just cut out the bad section and install a new piece with a coupler on each end. I replaced a lot of the copper lines on my first truck , easy to do....REMEMBER, do not use the copper fittings from Home Depot or Lowes, they are soft junk. Go to a NAPA, tell them you want the School Board price. They carry quality fittings, Eaton brand around here.

Too late! lol
I went bought a propane torch and silver solder, flux and even after cleaning it up good i still couldnt get the solder to stick

if i go the fitting route i will do as you suggest!!

 

[OldDominionIron]

You can buy fittings at the local hardware store that don't require soldering or flaring, they're called compression fittings. I had a worn spot on my fuel tank vent line going to the slobber tube and cut out the worn spot, uncurled the tubing and put in a compression fitting, end of problem.

 

[rolling18]

You can buy fittings at the local hardware store that don't require soldering or flaring, they're called compression fittings. I had a worn spot on my fuel tank vent line going to the slobber tube and cut out the worn spot, uncurled the tubing and put in a compression fitting, end of problem.

thanks for the sugestion!
however i was told by a few people that these are not suitable for compressed air and not air tight..

the hose clamp/ rubber sleeve idea didnt work and tried a few ways

so i practiced more soldering on the airline and FINALLY got the right temp for solder to stick!!! i was way overheating it so it would just rol of onto my pants.

the air leak is FIXED!!! wel see how long it lasts.. im keeping the torch/ solder in the truck now heh

Thanks you guys for all your suggestions!!

 

[F18hornetM]

A compression fitting will work . All fittings on air brake equiped trucks are compression fittings and most of that is plastic tubing. The very best way of repairing would be just replace the whole line, or cut out the bad section, and use a flared fitting like you would on a brake line [hydraulic]. Having said all that, never use a compression fitting on hydraulic brake lines. Glad you got it fixed. Good luck

 

[rosco]

Compression (on copper) fittings don't handle vibration well!