Fuel pump outlet pipe olive fitting

[Stratton Jimmer]

My recently acquired six pot Spitfire was found to have a fuel weep from the pump outlet. The brass tube nut had been rather damaged  and appeared to have been tightened up with a mole grip. I managed to remove it and found that the pipe wasn't quite straight and so the tube nut didn't meet the olive but some PTFE tape had been wound around the pipe which seems to have allowed the joint to have been temporarily made fuel tight. Unsurprisingly, it had begun to leak. I have removed the final 1/4 inch of pipe together with the olive and ordered a replacement tube nut and olive from Moss. Anyhow, I am just seeking any advice on fitting the new olive and tube nut. Should there be a flare to the pipe end? There wasn't one previously but the whole pipe appears to have been a recent fit. I seek the guidance of the wise!

[Pete Lewis]

you need the pipe to protrude through a few mm beyond the olive and there is no flare 

its either an olive or a flare not both that wont work

if the pipe doesnt go right thro' and stick out beyond the olive only one side of the olive is left to grip  ..happens a lot 

and dont do the nut up with gorilla hands   a nice hand tight nip should grip the olive firmly on the pipe 

Pete

 

 

[johny]

no the olive is the sealing point when it gets pushed up against the cup shape inside the fuel pump (worth looking in fuel pump hole to make sure its seat isnt damaged) then as you do up the nut this pushes on the other end of the olive to compress it onto the pipe. Usually works fine as long as the alignment is ok and the components good - after all the fuel pressure is pretty low👍

[Colin Lindsay]

Some suppliers supply modern metric equivalents that seem loose on the pipe. For peace of mind I managed to find original olives that seemed to seat better and certainly sealed with little effort.

[Nigel Clark]

I've found these olives frequently weep a bit of fuel. Once the olive is correctly seated, a couple of turns of PTFE tape can help.

I know it shouldn't be necessary but out usually works!

Nigel

[Stratton Jimmer]

Thank you all for your sage advice.

[Stratton Jimmer]

The bits arrived this morning and have been fitted as per your advice. All is well so thank you all.

[68vitesse]

Have fitted an o ring to the pump side of the olive on the pipe to the carburetors to stop it weeping, never found it necessary on the supply side.

Regards

Paul

[Peter Truman]

Leaky fuel pump olives after initial fitting and compressing I've subsequently had to solder them on to stop the weeping.