greenjt

This afternoon (hopefully), I am going to attempt to replace a leaking oil return tube with the expandable version using the write-up on pelican as a guide. I am just now putting the tube kit together and have already run into some questions:

My expandable oil return tube kit came with:
2 tubes (one that fits inside of the other)
1 circlip
2 larger O-rings
3 smaller o-rings.
There were no directions.

1. I assume the smaller o-rigns should be seated on each of the three grooves on the smaller of the two tubes. Yes???

2. I further assume that once the circlip and small o-rings are in place on the smaller tube, this tube should be inserted into the larger tube. Yes??

Problem is it seems to be taking too much force to insert the small tube into the larger tube and ends up pushing the small o-ring out of its groove.

Are my assumptions on how this tube kit is assembled wrong? is there a trick i am missing for how to put the two tubes together?

Two more questions:

3. if i don't drain the oil from the case, how much oil should i expect to flow out once i take out the old return tube?

4. Does it matter which direction i install the tube?

Thanks!

Jeremy Pinsly

I think you are correct on points 1 and 2. I would try putting some oil on the o-rings to help lubricate them during the assembly so that they won't pull off when inserting the small tube into the big one. Can't help with 3 or 4.

Good luck

greenjt

Thanks Jeremy. Unfortunately, after no luck with everything dry, adding some Mobile 1 to the mix only seemed to exacerbate the problem of the larger tube pushing the o-ring out of the groove.

jg

springer3

Try getting some emery cloth, and polishing the corner on the larger tube to help it slide past the o-rings. I used silicone grease on the o-rings, and that seemed to help. Try a plastic sleeve to get the o-ring started, and then pull it out once the ring is past. A 0.0015 feeler gage wrapped around the o-rings will help them get inside the large tube.

Direction: oil flows from the head back to the case. I pointed the small end toward the head to let the oil flow from high to low. I drove the car for years, and did not have any more problems.

How much oil to expect: a lot, perhaps a gallon if the car has been sitting for any time. If you do the job hot (scavenging pump ran recently, you may only lose a quart or so.

greenjt

Thanks for the guidance Springer.

I will try your suggestions. I have decided, however, to order a new tube kit because i think one of my problems might be that i may have been sent the wrong part. The kit looks very different from pics i have seen posted on the Pelican Tech article and on some Rennlist posts (there's a good one on the 993 board). Since my leak isn't that bad and i have been living with it for a while now, I am going to postpone this job until i order another kit so that if this one is the wrong part i can use the new one in its place.

jg

JasonAndreas

Here is picture of my OE factory oil return tube.


Instead of oil everyone recommends Dow 111 silicone grease on the o-rings and to install them use the breeze clamp trick from the Pelican Forum with retaining ring pliers or a regular clamp/spreader

greenjt

Thanks Jason! Is that that tube you installed aluminum vs. the standard steel tube sold at Pelican? The kit i have is aluminum and looks (though not the same) more like the one in your picture than those i have seen here on Rennlist and at Pelican, among others.

edit: What concerns me most is the ends on the kit i have look markedly different from the others i have seen.