My tank has the viton seals not the olives and I'm really struggling to get the suckers together, I'm also concerned about how I will test the tank once I do have them installed - has anyone found a way to use a cooling system pressure test kit on a fuel tank / system ?

And does anyone have any ideas how to get pipes installed that use the seals identified in this thread -

Viton 'Olives'

and yes it has taken me this long to get to this point - don't start me off .... I do have new Viton tube 3/8" ID and 1/2" OD from which I cut the necessary length but I'm getting really tempted just to try some Viton O rings, when I removed the lines the original seals had clearly been squished into many places including threads that an O ring just isn't going to do.

When I put the seal on the pipe I can't get it in, when I put the seal in the tank bung I can't get the pipe in let alone getting it to thread in.

 

Have you tried putting some petroleum jelly on the seals?
That has been my process even if the seals are not being reluctant.
It doesn't hurt anything and improves the life of the seal.
As far as testing goes, it's probably too complicated to try.
My leak detecting for any pressure vessels is applying light compressed air and spraying the joints with Windex.

 

I'm making up some 'bungs' for want of a better word. The only two ports I want to test are the threaded ones on the tank, hose clamps take care of the others at the back of the car and I'll put decent quality fuel hose clamps on those not 'jubilee' clips.

I'm going to do as you suggest. I will then insert bungs in the flexible parts that come off the threaded fittings and inject some air via a 10mm 'bung' onto the tank outlet, fuel cap is on, evap stuff is connected and level gauge sender is installed so I should be able to generate enough pressure to make bubbles if the fittings are leaking. I have the facilities to push air in faster than it can get out through any small hose leaks.

Not entirely happy with this kind of fitting but short of changing the tank - again - I am stuck with them - if I was feeling brave I would weld some AN6 fittings into the tank (not been fuel in it for over a year and it has been subjected to a thorough flooding to clean and treat any rust that may be lurking so it isn't fuel vapors but getting a decent bead - suppose I could TIG instead of MIG - if I have hassle sealing them I may consider but not right now because that means tank out again.

 

Ben
Which joins, precisely are you dealing with?
Tank feed to sump,
Through boot gloor out and return?, or
those entering the tank?

 

The stupid ones that thread into the tank with some obscure fitting and boss type, there is one for the bleed from the swirl tank on the right and one for the return on the left - these came in two forms, one that uses a Viton 'olive' and one that uses a brass olive, the old tank that was scrap had the brass olive, the replacement I have has the horrid viton seals.


The brass olive type




and the one I'm stuck with - horrid thing

 

Why not just buy olives and use in place of the viton? The fittings look the same, standard Imperial sizes.
I had LOADS of trouble with the tank outlet to the sump tank. In the end I araldited the whole thing and screwed it in place. No leaks since. I replaced the fexible part of this hose with 1/2 fuel moulded hose and used double clips on the tank solid pipe to flexible join to the sump tank and all 100% since.
New breather pipes to the tank from the sump tank are available with olives.

 

Wish they were the same - they aren't - on the viton types is a shoulder, the seal 'should' stay below this shoulder (I think) - there is nothing in the service docs that offers any clues how Jaguar expected these to be fitted.




If I struggle too much I will be using some Hylomar and a generous helping of Loctite 577 - I have 25ft of Viton tube to play with which should bother me given the price of the stuff - these are what came out of the tank when I refurbed it - they were stuck inside the boss's. And yes that is the same horrid black crud so the system this tank came from had issues.