Heard a guy at the parts counter say he never uses a torque wrench on injector lines

I was picking up a set of copper washers yesterday and the guy in front of me was telling the counter guy he just 'snugs them up good' with a standard wrench. He said he's been doing it for 15 years on big rigs with no issues. It made me stop and think about my own habits. I spent my first two years in a shop that was really strict about using a torque wrench for everything, especially fuel system stuff. We had a Cat C15 come back once with a high-pressure leak because a new guy guessed the torque. Ever since then, I've been a stickler for it, even on 'simple' jobs. Hearing that guy talk made me realize how easy it is to get lazy, but also how that one extra step with the right tool can save a huge headache later. Do you all torque your injector lines every time, or is it one of those things some people skip?

3 comments

3 Comments

jana_fox5029d ago

Wait, he said he's been doing that on big rigs for 15 years? I'm honestly shocked he hasn't had a single leak or a line blow off. Those high pressure systems are no joke. I've seen what happens when a line lets go, and it's a scary, expensive mess. Maybe he's just been lucky, but that's a gamble I would never take.

the_joel29d ago

@jana_fox50 Yeah, he's playing with fire for sure.

kai_knight6223d ago

Scary and expensive mess? I mean, come on. If he's been doing it for 15 years on big rigs without a single issue, maybe the risk is way overblown. People work on high pressure air lines all the time with quick connects. It's not like he's welding on a fuel tank. Sometimes forum talk makes everything sound like a death trap.