Westerbeke W20/ Bukh DV20 Fuel Return line

[grn3500gt]

I've been looking for the return line because the one on my motor shows its age and is leaking diesel. Problem is that most places that even carry it (part number 008E2435) wan't my firstborn, left eye, and the blood of a virgin's fingernail, that and 125 euros for shipping. I figured that, perhaps, instead I can just make my own with some braided stainless fuel lines and Banjo fittings.

My questions are as follow;
What is the pressure rating that these lines usually need to have? I know that injector lines are under a lot of pressure and I don't believe return lines are under much if any but I want to make sure I do this right.
Also, Do you know of a good place to find some good line and fittings for this purpose? I figured I would go to the local parts store and source the parts but I was wondering if there was a good marine specific store I should go to or preferably online. WM will just ask for other loved ones in exchange and usually wont take the ones I want to give up!

Thank you all!

 

[Loren Beach]

Fuel Hose notes

When I replaced all of the fuel lines on our M25XP I used the current-standard USCG approved fuel hose for the supply line, vent line, and the return line from the end of the rack on the engine. There is no "pressure" on the return line at all. (Actually when running the engine, very little fuel flows through it.)

Our original factory-install used copper tubing from the tank to the pump and also between pump, filter, and engine.
Our original return line was hose.
Note that the only real pressure, as you've noted, is between the high pressure pump and the injectors at the cylinders -- and those lines are all pre-bent metal.

We have had no problem with the new lines at all. There was, otoh, some suspicion that the original supply tubing was getting narrowed up by accumulated "guck" from many years of use. A diesel mechanic friend told me that ancient diesel lines are kind of like our old clogged arteries... depressing image, that.

Separate but related note: there's nothing sacred about the factory routing of the original lines to and from the tank. In our case it made more sense to change the routing of all of them to make future access easier and remove some of them from the bilge area. We also changed the vent line to eliminate some sags that held fuel and actually relocated the vent fitting to much-reduce a tendency to burp out fuel after a fill up.

Regards,
Loren

ps: one caveat - your engine is likely not Kubota based like my Universal.

 

[grn3500gt]

Great! Thank you! that is exactly what I needed to know about the pressure and hose type.

Our system has a hose that goes from the head of each injector to the next and then to the filter and from there it goes to the return line. It is braided and has Banjo fittings attaching it to the injectors and filters. Those are the ones I really need to change.

The question now is, where would I get those banjo fittings and hoses?

These pics show what looks like and the fittings I need to find.

 

[hodo]

Fuel hose

Most hydraulic hose shops can build these lines for you. I have had them made per sample, here in Tacoma. Don't forget new copper seals to go with the banjo fittings. Also, be careful when tightening the bolts, as they are hollow. Torque to specs. Good luck.
Harold S/V Mischief Maker

 

[TAPH2O]

Of topic but im trying to locate a fuel filter for this engine 3515 wix fits but the gasket is to large