Live & Learn - PTFE Tape

Superstrath

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12 Dec 2003
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There was a thread on here a couple of months ago about how to seal fuel unions, if I remember right Shipswoofy got quite adamant about the right and wrong way to do it.
This weekend we found the cause of a total engine failure four weeks ago that resulted in an embarrassing tow home on a windless day. After trying to get it going for two hours, while we drifted in the wrong direction, I decided it was a failed fuel pump (Yanmar 3HM) and gave up. Once a new one was fitted and the system bled, the engine ran perfectly again. In the workshop, we dismantled the old pump and found a small ball of ptfe tape holding open the non-return valve on the inlet side. It must have come from the union at the water separator, which was fitted before we bought the boat. A tiny bit, but enough to disable the boat.
We now intend to carry a spare pump along with everything else, and anything other than mechanical sealing is off the menu.
 

smb

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10 Jul 2002
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In a similar vein...

15 years ago I fitted a dishwasher at home. I wanted a quick job so I could go play rugby, therefore I bought one of those fittings that include a shut off and bore a hole in the pipe as you screw it into place. No mess, no dismantling, at the ground in plenty of time for kick off.

10 years later our shower will not shut off. In fact it will barely slow down. On dismantling the mixer unit what do I find obstructing the seal? A 4-5mm disc of copper pipe as dislodged by the dishwasher tap all those years ago.

Never again.
 

bumblefish

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22 Dec 2002
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Similar situation, I had a problem with my washing machine outlet, water overflowing and pouring out into the garden. 5p piece stuck at a junction! Teach me to go through the pockets in future.
 
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