the forbidden question... again: teflon tape

jlroberts280 · Post by **jlroberts280** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:47 am

First, I know this was a touchy subject in the past but I have a question about teflon tape used on gas line fittings.

Last fall I replaced the carb and fuel pump on my A4. When I did, out of home improvement habit and being new to engines, I used teflon tape on the connections. I will be starting to get the boat ready for launch this weekend and having read several different theories on teflon tape over the winter, my question is... Should I go back and remove the tape? Is it likely to break down and foul the carb or block up the pump? Will the gas eat it? Is it ok to leave it? Do I need anything in these connections? If so what would you use? Thanks in advance.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:51 am

I would use "Leak lock," but I'm sure there are other worthy "dopes."

I'm not sure about whether you need to go back and remove the tape - will be interested to see what others have to say about that. Although.... I'd probably go back and take it out anyway, just so that if the engine ever sputtered and died I wouldn't be thinking "was that a tape bit in the fuel system?"

Rachel

Quetzalsailor · Post by **Quetzalsailor** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:46 pm

Teflon is fine with gasoline. I googled to be sure I was not misremembering, and found mention of different colors for different uses. I'd never seen any other than white. One hit mentioned that it 'cold flows' after the joint is completed; I think that's not true - it squeezes and thins to the amount that it has to to fill the space and then does not move any more - that's how it works.

The negatives for using it are those of skill: if you were unskilfull in wrapping the tape on you can readily cover the end of the fitting; if you use too little you might not get a seal; and if you use too much you might not get enough turns on assembly.

Previous chat spoke to the conclusion that it requires less skill to get an adequate seal with teflon-bearing or conventional pipe dopes. Some folks thought that tape + dope was a great idea; I think that's overkill but not harmful. I use teflon dope on compression fittings which are ordinarily assembled dry; seems to bring me luck or compensate for my lack of skill.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:50 pm

Leave it.

Just don't use it again.

It really isn't necessary unless you are dealing with worn out threads or cheap fittings with bad tolerances. Decent fittings don't need tape. Maybe in your house plumbing or if you have high pressure steam lines on your boat but its never used by real mechanics on fuel systems.

I am not saying teflon tape is bad. There are applications where it is called for. Fuel delivery is just not one of them.

jlroberts280 · Post by **jlroberts280** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:14 pm

thanks, I'll leave it for now