Drip Drip Drip! Leaky Banjo Bolt

[s/v Jedi]

Yes, annealing copper washers is heating them red hot and dropping them in cold water. But you only need to do this for old washers that have work-hardened, not for new ones.

"Temp" solutions with gasketing material are a risk when you do it beyond the last filter in the system. When debris from the gasketing material enters the injection pump or injector, it often means expensive repair (well, injector not so bad but the pump is real $$$)

p.s.: I'm sure it was over-torqued once.

ciao!
Nick.

[Northeaster]

Be very careful not to tightem too much and possibly strip the threads off of the fuel pump (not the bolt). I did this on my 2Gm a couple of years ago. I didn't notice that the pump was made of aluminum, and I found out the hard way ($170 later).
At the time I figured "another 1/8 turn won't hurt..."

[WoundedWarrior]

if you can't find a new bolt to fit. thread a nut up the bolt, grind the bolt a tad shorter, unthread the nut, this will fix the threads on the bolt as it is removed.

I second the motions regarding the copper washers being good, but the washers with the rubber linings are even better as long as they are fuel resistant.

I am curious though about the heat and quench advice. it confuses me as quenching is used to harden metal. letting it cool down slowly will result in a softer metal. ( case hardened steel is heated, then dipped quickly and removed. this cools the outer layer of steel leaving the center hot to cool down naturally)

[DeepFrz]

YouTube - Copper Annealing

How to anneal copper. Heat it up to red hot and let it cool slowly.

Wikipedia says that copper (unlike ferrous metal) can be cooled by quenching in water or allowed to cool slowly.

[skipgundlach]

Not to hijack the thread, but I have exactly the same problem (if I understand the OP's illustration) on a Perkins 4-154. One of my lines to the injectors from the pressure pump has a very slight leak.

So far, I have not been able to identify a part number to obtain a spare banjo bolt, much less the washers. Finding aluminum washers is very challenging.

Anybody have a PN (and, better yet, a source? - TAD couldn't come up with one, and the parts manual doesn't have a PN for it, either, despite having a part number for each and every other bolt and nut and washer for this engine) for a BB and washers for this beast?

Thanks.

L8R

Skip

[paralog]

Originally Posted by sigmasailor

Soften the washers by making them red hot and cooling them down quickly by dumping in water; you will be amazed at how soft they will get

I thought it was too heat them up but let them cool slowly, doing it the way you suggest makes it harder.

[WoundedWarrior]

Any auto parts store will have the washers. Vehicles use them where brake line meets caliper.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by WoundedWarrior

.........

I am curious though about the heat and quench advice. it confuses me as quenching is used to harden metal. letting it cool down slowly will result in a softer metal. ( case hardened steel is heated, then dipped quickly and removed. this cools the outer layer of steel leaving the center hot to cool down naturally)

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

How to anneal copper. Heat it up to red hot and let it cool slowly.

Wikipedia says that copper (unlike ferrous metal) can be cooled by quenching in water or allowed to cool slowly.

Well I have used both methods and both work; I prefer to let it cool slowly as that way just seems right and it is always a good reason to stop, have coffee etc.
Disclaimer - I am more of a bush mechanic when it comes to metalwork and I can't quote chapter and verse for best metalwork practices!

[Woodsy]

I work copper pipe for a living. The slower that the copper is cooled, the softer it will be when done.

[psneeld]

Just ran 800 miles using an "o" ring instead of a crush washer with no problems...not the right answer but a temp one that seems to work too.

That's on a 135hp Lehman...not sure if it would work on a Perkins.

[Canibul]

I know this is an ancient thread but I wanted to thank you guys for the annealing tip. You just saved my butt. I had a serious oil leak on one of my Yanmars, and located it about an hour ago. Banjo bolt. Had one copper washer between the bolt head and the fitting, nothing between the fitting and the block. I found some used washers in the "spares" but they looked to be even more squashed than the one that was leaking.

Used the Search function on the forum for banjo bolt washers...just to find out if there should be two on there. And I found out that yeah, there should be two and that I can make two soft ones from the two I have. Hot dang.

[Wotname]

Thanks for the feedback, sometimes I wonder if these old threads help anyone and now I know they do .

[a64pilot]

The old threads are valuable, I'm just learning, but I use the search function a lot and usually my questions have been asked and answered by others.

[jimliznorris]

If anyone reads this forum for advice please do yourself a favour and contact a mechanic with experience here - a Perkins guy. The washers need to be the steel ones especially made to fit (one time use only) and they require a lot of torque. I am still trying to stop the same leak. I was told by the Perkins expert on Mallorca that if the pump seat isn't perfect I would be in for a big bill.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by jimliznorris

If anyone reads this forum for advice please do yourself a favour and contact a mechanic with experience here - a Perkins guy. The washers need to be the steel ones especially made to fit (one time use only) and they require a lot of torque. I am still trying to stop the same leak. I was told by the Perkins expert on Mallorca that if the pump seat isn't perfect I would be in for a big bill.

You're right - but if your seats aren't perfect, you'll still get leaks. I eventually rebuilt mine, after ruining some specific washers on my not-perfect seats.

If you have any pitting, scoring or whatever, you MAY get by with some softer metal; a cruising buddy managed that way, and it held for the couple of years before he sold and CLODed.

Pix (some very close-up - click any thumbnail for larger view) of my travail available at my gallery under 2013-2014 shakedown, here:
Pictures: Flying Pig Shakedown 2013-2014/Injector Pump