Alky Tank Leak at Nipple

[Hatdragracer]

I just got my engine rebuilt and installed last month, and have been breaking in slowly. Thanks to Cal at Hartline I now have a working XFI 2.0 system as of yesterday.

I partially filled my brand new Alky Kit (Razor Alkycontrol) system with water and it had a leak at the tank nipple. I also had an old SMC tank that came on the car when I bought it and it leaked as well.

I am not dipping Alkycontrol for ticks...I bought the system about 10 months ago and I am sure I did something wrong to make both tanks leak

Anyone have any novel solutions for improving that connection at the tank nipple?

If I cut the nipple off and pursue some sort of bulkhead fitting solution are there particular materials or sealers I should avoid?

I did search...sorry if this has been covered before.

 

[TurboBuRick]

The nipple is just pushed into a rubber grommet. You can pull it out and get a new grommet from Julio. You may be able to adjust the grommet, lube the fitting and re insert.

Rick

 

[Razor]

The leak on the nipple can be of 2 causes
1) Physical damage. Meaning the nipple was moved at an angle way past where it could go and crack.... Like someone pulling your arm back until SNAP.. bone breaks.
2) Issue with how much it was tightened. Sometimes a simple retightening can get a better squeeze on it. The heat shrink needs to be removed for this.

Since its been on the car 10 months.. more than likely someone bumped into it causing the break. I have seen this where someone puts the 3/4 wrench on the hose to tighten it to the fitting and not support the elbow on the tank. The break on the nipple at this point requires a new tank. I'm working on a solution as tanks are now discontinued from GM. Welding a new fitting may be an option in the future.. today.. its not the case. I've tried rubber grommets and thats another possibility to look at.. but an expensive one as well. Cost of grommet, barb, adapter, elbow.. 25-30 in parts. Still cheaper than a 50 dollar tank. I prefer not using rubber as that will deteriorate over time.. vs plastic as is won't.

What to do.. take tank of car and inspect for a crack around where the nipple meets the tank.. if there is a crack.. nothing can be done "today" except replace the tank. Its a physical damage issue. If its leaking from the compression.. then tightening it down will solve the issue.

Alcohol won't be the cause of the leak in this case.

 

[Lil Truck]

I have had a minor leak occur when the 90 deg nipple got rotated down about 1/2 inch while replacing a turbo. When I rotated it back it stopped leaking, it has been about a year with no leaks.

 

[Hatdragracer]

The nipple itself is missing a chunk where the compression fitting meets the barb in the nipple. I've tried retightening and repositioning. I will pull out of the car and start looking into options. I had the tank installed months before I had the engine so I have no doubt I tweaked it during assembly or when installing the trans cooler lines

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