Attempting to remove the inlet manifold on AJ34 engine in my 2006 XK8 in order to change the valley hoses.

I have most of the electrical connections removed as well as the vacuum pies at the throttle body.

now I need to disconnect the fuel line at the fuel rail, does anyone know how to do this, are any special tools needed?

see attached picture

 

There is a special tool for releasing the spring lock inside the connector:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15419859931...Bk9SR4iP66mHZw

This is just an example, there may be other choices from Amazon, etc.

 

G'day Trains,

You could try depressing the little ring closest to the fuel line with a small screwdriver and gently pulling on the fuel line at the same time.

If you buy that kit in the link the chances are that you will need only one fitting.

Cheers and good luck,
Jeff.

 

Assuming that it's the same internal coil spring push fitting as used on the X150 fuel lines, I just took one of those plastic nozzles screwed onto the end of the sealant cartridge as used in those bathroom silicone sealing guns and sliced the nozzle right along its length. I then cut the narrow end off until the diameter was such that it opened and fitted snugly around the fuel line. I then just pushed it into the fitting towards the spring and gently pulled out the line from the fitting.

Richard

 

Does your fuel line look the same as mine?

I tried depressing the ring around the pipe with a quick connect to I made with 3d printer, it didn’t budge.

i am running out of ideas, thinking of removing the fuel rails, but never have done this before am I going to get into more trouble

 

It does look the same. You have to push the removal tool along the pipe and into the fitting to release the spring from the inside. You can't do anything on the outside of the fitting. The spring is a 360 degree spring which holds onto a ridge which runs around the outside of the fuel line. The plastic circular removal tool pushes inside the circumference of the spring and pushes it outwards so that it release its grip on the ridge and allows the fuel line to be wiggled out past the expanded spring.

Richard

 

Thanks Richard, I am just printing another 5/16” tool

just to confirm, did you push on the kinda grey part next to the chrome pipe as shown on my picture

thanks. Ken

 

Richard, when you fabricated the tool you made, how far into the fitting did it go before the spring was released?

thanks Ken

 

The sleeve which pushes in needs to be chamfered to a sharp edge on the outside because it has to slide along the fuel pipe and then slide under the inner circumference of the spring in order to force it wider open.

I think if you look very carefully with a bright torch, you might actually be able to see the edge of the spring. It's a bit like a pushfit plastic plumbing fitting where you push in on a collar and then pull the pipe out through the collar except that in the case of the fuel line fitting the collar is not an integral part of the fitting but is the sleeve that you are pushing in. It only has to go in a 2 or 3 millimetres. If you push in the pipe at the same time as the collar, it helps to relieve the pressure on the spring so that you can then pull / jiggle the pipe out.

Richard

 

Well I have tried several tools to go around the pipe non worked,

just to confirm you do come in from the front near the regulator and not the back towards the centre of the car

gave up for today, I think my next option is to remove the fuel rails and injectors and fold them back to the left thus allowing the inlet manifold to be removed

 

It sounds as if the X100 connector is not the same as the X150. Perhaps someone with experience with both engines could confirm?

Richard

 

Richard thanks again

I assume the car you have joy removing the gas line is your 2006 XK 150, my car is 2006 XK8 100, both built close together time wise so one would think the fitting is the same

if It’s not too much trouble could you send me a picture of your fuel line connector.

im not giving up yet, maybe have another look and think about it

thanks Ken

 

The XK is away with my Son at the moment. I'll see if I can have a look at the XK8 today.

Richard

 

OK, this is my 1997 4.0 and it's very different to the 4.2. As you can see in the first photo, the fuel line quick connectors are still a pushfit design but it looks as if there are spring loaded tangs inside the fitting which grip the boss on the inserted fuel line rather than a coil spring. I've never removed these fittings but a similar removal tool would be required however there is greater clearance so the tool would probably need to be a bit thicker and less sharp than the tool needed for the coil spring version. However, with the 4.0 one could easily remove the two 8mm bolts from the flanged O-ring fitting in each end of the fuel line seen in the second photo rather than bothering with the quickfit.

This makes me think that your fittings are the same coil spring fittings on the 4.2. Presumably you can see that the gap is smaller and you can't see any tangs. With the 4.2, I don't think there is an O-ring flanged fitting in each end of the fuel line.

I hope this helps.

Richard

 

Richard has explained these "Springloc" fittings well. BUT what happens and why these are now considered a poor design is that internal spring will trap water and then rust. This now locks the spring in place and all the tools posted can't get the spring expanded enough to release the tubing. Sometimes it's so bad the tool can't even be pushed all the way in. I do suggest spraying some lubricate into the spring area in hopes that will free things up.
Sure can't hurt!




I have fought these and never really found a good way to get them apart if they don't cooperate. I have had to cut the metal tubing and attempt to splice it. Not a good way to go either.

Now yours looks clean with no rust or corrosion but you would be surprised how bad those springs can get while the exterior of the fitting looks good.
Hope you can get it free.
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.
.

 

I would like to thank you and Richard for all your help.

yesterday I tackled it again and could not get it to release, I thought if I pull back on the rubber line by the regulator I could separate the line and leave the dreaded connector alone.

longe story the rubber line encases a plastic line that is molded onto the regulator, I ended up cutting the line and putting in a splice, as you say not ideal.

i even thought of taking the whole line off at the join WAY DOWN by the inner fender, but not enough room to get one’s hand in.

so we have what we have for now, I will keep an eye on the splice once everything is back together and if I can find a replacement part I will have the dealer install it.

thanks again for your help

 

One thing I forgot to mention is when you push the release tool into the connection. It helps to push the connection together at the same time. This helps to get the tubing flare pushed back away from the spring.
Sorry you had to cut the line. I have also had to do that.
.
.
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it wasn't rocket science my guy

 

Don't worry. I did cover that in #9.

Richard