v8250 said:
Definitely this. It's amazing how cool our diesel engines run...and carbon up with short journeys, especially in winter. My run out to the Alpes the other year in the summer, two+ weeks of 28-36degs, climbing mountains and not once did the temp gauge go beyond normal middle position and heard the rad fan come on only once.

A quick run down to Goodwood last month and the fan came on only in the queue to the parking. This after the great road climb up and over Harting onto the South Downs.
Click to expand...
Even worse with modern vehicles.

The diesel Mondeo could do about 130mph, but as it was Auto, and rarely got over 2500 prm in normal driving before it shifted up, the DPF was always coking up.
I found that putting it in Sport mode, and taking a good drive round holding it in the gears until it was revving 4500 rpm on the morning of the test worked wonders for emissions results.
 
I'm a bit late to this conversation, but I'd much rather replace the whole length of pipe. Yes, of course you can get connectors, but the less joints there are the less there is to go wrong. Those little square pipe flaring tools like the one in @gstuart 's picture are excellent, and produce the most professional looking little pips. I hope never to have to use my crappy Machine Mart one ever again.
 
My laser entry level pipe flaring tool is mangling the pipe end hence question on pipe wall thickness.
I do have a mini pipe cutter which works well, also have mini pipe bender care of the late FIL.
More fun tomorrow. Bearing change as well!
 
My mot garage will make up a single line inc the correct fittings for self fitting, the last time a couple of years ago it was a tenner,
 
retneprac said:
My laser entry level pipe flaring tool is mangling the pipe end hence question on pipe wall thickness.
I do have a mini pipe cutter which works well, also have mini pipe bender care of the late FIL.
More fun tomorrow. Bearing change as well!
Click to expand...
That Laser kit, is it the teeny weeny sub £20 affair, wif wing nuts?

If so then you need an additional g-clamp to work on steel pipes.
I do have a proper vice mounted Sykes Pickavant flare tool but I have carried out 'on vehicle' splices with the cheapo kit.

Served me well for a couple of years until I could be ar5ed to renew the whole kit and caboodle of pipes.
 
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myfirstl322 said:
That Laser kit, is it the teeny weeny sub £20 affair, wif wing nuts?

If so then you need an additional g-clamp to work on steel pipes.
I do have a proper vice mounted Sykes Pickavant flare tool but I have carried out 'on vehicle' splices with the cheapo kit.

Served me well for a couple of years until I could be ar5ed to renew the whole kit and caboodle of pipes.
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My mate has a Sykes Pickavant set for the vice I used to borrow now and again. It’s the dogs bollocks, but obviously only does flared off the vehicle. I’ve never needed to ask for it since I got the handheld block tool. I tried to source an SP set the same as his for a while, but they are silly money, even second hand.
 
meego said:
My mate has a Sykes Pickavant set for the vice I used to borrow now and again. It’s the dogs bollocks, but obviously only does flared off the vehicle. I’ve never needed to ask for it since I got the handheld block tool. I tried to source an SP set the same as his for a while, but they are silly money, even second hand.
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Hack shully, I have managed to use my vice mount SP kit 'on the car', but it requires deft use of a 3' Stilson and an unwilling assistant, the latter of which makes it all the more rewarding.
 
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Must confess got one of those laser brake flaring kits a few years ago and was absolutely useless

IMG_4339.jpeg
 
retneprac said:
Probably going to bite the bullet and do a full replacement as I have all bits, after I’ve sanded the bit a bit.
Bigger issue possibly, failed on emissions too.
Suggestion was to use Forte smoke stop. Any good?
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I'd replace all the lines on the vehicle. If one is rusting through, the rest won't be far behind. If you don't push a diesel, it will often fail the smoke test. Just drive it like you've stolen it before the next test.
gstuart said:
Must confess got one of those laser brake flaring kits a few years ago and was absolutely useless

View attachment 287500
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I've used that kit (the Sealey version) for 3 decades, and always had good results on copper and cupronickle pipe.
 
The trouble I've had with those cheap kits that you get at Machine Mart or which are branded as Laser, Toolzone etc. is that the part that grips the pipe often leaves rather alarming serrations on it. The pipe still works, but it doesn't look very professional. The other problem is that the pipe flaring dies are rather brittle and I've had the pin in the middle break off inside the pipe. Those tools that look like a block of metal with handle on are much better and give a factory quality finish. They seem to squash the pipe up a bit to give a flare of generous thickness for the compression nut to get some purchase on.
 
Brown said:
The trouble I've had with those cheap kits that you get at Machine Mart or which are branded as Laser, Toolzone etc. is that the part that grips the pipe often leaves rather alarming serrations on it. The pipe still works, but it doesn't look very professional. The other problem is that the pipe flaring dies are rather brittle and I've had the pin in the middle break off inside the pipe. Those tools that look like a block of metal with handle on are much better and give a factory quality finish. They seem to squash the pipe up a bit to give a flare of generous thickness for the compression nut to get some purchase on.
Click to expand...

funny enough had the same issue with the flaring tool in that blue box , after doing a flare the edge was very thin and flare would then break off where it seemed to stretch the copper to far

never had an issue either with the other block type flaring tool , done perfect flares each and every time , plus of course done a few flares and forgetting to put the nut on first, lol
 
Yes, if you're trying to make a trumpet shape they stretch the pipe very thin.
The other good thing about those block tools is that they're nice and compact and I can run the pipe through the Land Rover first and then put the flares on where I need them.
 
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Brown said:
Yes, if you're trying to make a trumpet shape stretch the pipe very thin.
The other good thing about those block tools is that they're nice and compact and I can run the pipe through the Land Rover first and then put the flares on where I need them.
Click to expand...

very true with regards to how easy they are to use on pipes in situ

another thing I found out was never to do a single flare on brake pipes , plus didn’t realise that 4.75 and 3/16 where virtually the same size as bought both block flaring tools in each size , oops

those block flaring tools are great value for money considering the cost of some of the other brake flaring tools that can go into several hundreds of pounds

best of all saving £100’s by doing it ourselves along with the peace of mind it’s been done correctly
 
Cheap nasty flare kit. Thread stripped on the wing nut!
Thankfully I have a vice and a bench mounted one to!
 
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