How to remove a stuck crimped fuel line fitting
Standard methods like PB Blaster and brief applications of MAPP gas often fail to loosen a stuck crimped fuel line fitting, especially in tight spaces where leverage tools won't fit. Successfully freeing it requires prolonged heating with a MAPP torch until the entire assembly smokes to overcome the heatsink effect of the surrounding metal.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Cut off the crimp or ferrule using a Dremel, zip disc, or tubing cutter.
- 2Cutting the fitting with a reciprocating saw and chiseling out the remaining pieces
- 3Heating the fitting repeatedly with a torch and applying penetrating oil
- 4Increasing leverage using a larger wrench or pipe extension
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I went through something similar with a cleanout recently... I too, tried these things. what eventually worked for me was heating it with my Mapp torch until the whole thing started smoking, cast iron is a massive heatsink!”source ↗
“Now I want to remove the brass fitting so I can replace it with PVC. Note this is in a ~2 ft crawlspace and I do not have leverage for a cheater bar because there's a concrete mound directly to the left. I've tried PB blaster and hitting it with MAPP gas and it doesn't seem to loosen.”source ↗
“old fuel line is ripped, this is tank side, and I can’t figure out how to remove this like crimp.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5How to get a stuck hydraulic hose loose without breaking it
- 4How to get a blown spark plug out of engine threads
- 8How do you take apart push-to-connect plumbing fittings?
- 2How to remove stuck threaded pipes from an old boiler without breaking it
- 3How to remove a snapped valve adjustment screw
- 10How to get off a stripped or over-tightened oil drain plug