A push lock fuel line connects the tank filler neck to the carburetor or throttle body and supplies fuel to the engine. Push locks are used to secure fuel tanks. They are designed to stop fuel leakage during filling and refilling operations. They are also useful for preventing fuel spillage during maintenance procedures such as changing oil filters.
But sometimes they get stuck and won’t release. And even worse, if you try to pull them out with pliers, you might damage the threads inside the tank.
If you’ve got a car with a push lock fuel line, chances are you’ve had issues changing the oil. It’s not just annoying, it’s dangerous as well.
But luckily, you don’t need any special tools to remove these pesky locks. In fact, it’s possible to remove a push lock fuel line using only your bare hands.
Let’s dive in!
Understanding The Push Lock Fuel Line Design
To remove the fuel line having push locks, we first need to understand its structure and design of work. The push locks have four metal tabs on the inside, which are actually spring steel. And you need to push these tabs to open the lock.
On the other hand, the fuel line has little spring tangs or O-rings fitted just on its outer lip. When you slide the push lock onto the fuel line, these metal tabs are pushed by the spring tang fitted on the fuel line and get locked. Now you can’t pull it back just by force unless you use something to push those metal tabs to remove it.
Now let’s see what the process for doing this job is. You can do this with just one hand without damaging your fittings.
How do you remove a push lock fuel line without tools?
- Firstly, let all the fuel out of the fuel tank before attempting it.
- Remove the safety clip from the fittings and measure the diameter of the exposed fuel line. As there are various diameter sizes of fuel lines in different vehicles.
- Now you need to use an O-ring type special tool made of plastic with a cutout on one side to remove the fuel line safely. It will depress those tabs inside the push lock. This is available in different sizes and is fairly inexpensive to buy. However, you can also make your own, as many people do.
But buying this readymade tool is safe to use rather than making your own which may damage your fuel line or cause a fuel leak and make you tense. - Now pick the size that is appropriate to the fuel line diameter. It’s actually a plastic ring cutout on one side (already cut cap) to snap it over the fuel line.
- Place this already cut cap onto that line and push this by sliding inside the push lock fitting. It’ll push the metal tabs inside there and then pull back into the line. You’ll see it just pops off there.
- This may be a little harder to work sometimes because there is a spring tang or O-ring inside the lock fitting that does stick to the fuel line. So you have to turn it back and forth and slowly it comes out. That’s it!
See this video for the visual experience.
Reinstalling The Fuel Line
Now, after completion of your required job, you can also reinstall this fitting onto the line easily. For this, you just have to push the fuel line and fittings in opposite directions.
As you hear the sound of a click, it comes to know it’s on the line. Now just a tug back to ensure it is sitting there properly.
Now that you know how to remove a push lock fuel line, you can do it yourself whenever you want. Just remember to keep track of the length of the exposed lines when you remove them.
Final Words
Push locks fuel lines are used for high-pressure applications where the integrity of the system must be maintained at all times.
As they can become damaged over time due to normal wear and tear. If they get too worn out, they can no longer perform their functions properly. In some cases, they can even cause serious problems.
Removing a fuel line from your car can seem like a daunting task. However, it doesn’t have to be difficult at all. In fact, it’s actually quite easy if you know where to look. It takes less than five minutes to complete the job.
First, you’ll need to locate the fuel pump itself. This is usually located near the front of the engine compartment, either under the hood or underneath the car. Once you find it, you’ll need to disconnect the fuel lines coming from the tank.
By using the above method with an already cut cap, you’ll be able to easily remove the fuel line from the tank within a few minutes.
