Where can I buy a snubber?

[WMeyers]

My recently installed Westach fuel pressure gauge sender is failing (thanks to Briarhopper's gauge for verifying that it is the sender and not the pump). I plan to get another sender and install a snubber this time. I'm looking for one that is Brass and 1/8 NPT; the closest I've found is at Omega.com but theirs are stainless steel. I'm thinking I'll have better luck not having any leaks if I can find one that's brass. Anybody know where I can buy one?

 

[Joe G.]

Grainger

 

[Texas Diesel]

I'm going on my third Westech sender (they are backordered) and also have installed a snubber, I got mine from WierCummin, perhaps he can tell you where he ordered them if Grainger doesnt have any.

 

[Bob Wagner]

How and why are the senders failing?



Is Westach replacing the failed senders under warranty?



I just installed the Westach combo on Friday



Thanks,

Bob

 

[DEZLPWR]

Bob,

I think the ones that are failing are NOT being mounted remotely... .

Anyone want to correct me on this? Let's put it this way: Has anyone had one fail that WAS mounted remotely?

How did you mount yours, Bob?

 

[RustyJC]

Bob,



I've failed three (3) Westach post-filter fuel pressure senders. The first two (2) failures occurred within 1000 miles total before I installed a W. W. Grainger gauge snubber - both showed wild gauge fluctuations followed by "sticking" of the potentiometer wiper - the gauge would freeze and was likely to read any (or no) pressure when it did. It would then break loose and go through the same cycle.



The third failure occurred last week. Driving home, I noticed that the post-filter side of my dual combo fuel pressure gauge was reading about 3-4 psi lower than the pre-filter side. Normally, they are the same or, at most, 1 psi different. When I got home, I found that the post-filter sender was leaking diesel fuel around the two (2) electrical terminal screws. I tried tightening the brass holding nuts between the terminal screws and case, but to no effect. Looks like a ruptured diaphragm in the sending unit. Luckily, I had a spare sender from one of the earlier warranty replacements. This latest failure is going back to Westach this week.



My senders are remote-mounted on the firewall and plumbed to the pre- and post- sides of the filter with Ray's banjo bolts and stainless steel braided lines using -4AN fittings.



Rusty

 

[DEZLPWR]

Rusty,

Were your sending units mounted remotely?

 

[RustyJC]

Yes - see edited prior post.



Rusty

 

[Bob Wagner]

Steve, The westach combo works awesome, I am very happy with it (thanks again)



I mounted the sender remotely using a 12" greasegun hose off of Rays banjo off the bottom of the fuel filter.



The pressures are very constant.



I better get a snubber though



Can you "snubber group purchase"

 

[DEZLPWR]

Good to hear, Bob. Pardon my ignorance, but what is a snubber & what does it do? Maybe I need one... . hehehe

 

[WMeyers]

Thanks for all of the fast responses; the problem with Grainger is (1) they won't sell to me -- I tried awhile back and they cancelled my order after I couldn't supply information that I was a business and (2) my search on their web site today for "snubber" didn't turn up anything that was 1/8 NPT. They have a local place here that also won't sell retail, but if they do in fact have one that is 1/8NPT and is brass, I could call them and find out what retailers they have locally.



Any other sources or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob Wagner]

for the cause

I have a business account with Grainger. If enough interest is shown I will purchase in quantity, if someone can get me a P/N





Johnstone Supply here in the Northwest would be another source



I am going to call Westach for their input too.

 

[DEZLPWR]

What's a snubber?

Sounds like something you'd jimmy up with to help prevent STD's & pregnancy... .

 

[Bob Wagner]

snubber

I talked to Vern @ Westach, Vern said it wouldn't be a bad idea to run a snubber but its not manadatory.



The snubber will help if you have gauge pulsations.



Vern said most problems are associated with running to high a line pressure with the gauge, if you have a modified fuel system, purchase the 0-30 psi gauge not the 0-15psi



Steve, I read that a snubber is like a small diaphram with gylcol on the opposite side of the fuel inlet, it helps dampen the pressure spikes.



So ... .....

 

[WMeyers]

Bob - the glycol thing sounds more like an isolator used in mechanical gauges to keep fuel out of the cab. The snubbers I have read about are described as having "a porous metal disc". They are used to dampen pressure spikes and I think the idea is to reduce the effect of pulsations generated by the VP44.



My failure was defintely not caused by too high a line pressure -- in fact replacing the lift pump may be the next item on my agenda. It may have been (and probably was) caused by being directly mounted to the fuel filter (not how I specified it to be done) so this time I am going to do it myself and mount it remotely. However I've heard of others doing that and still having senders fail so I figured I might as well put the snubber in at the same time.



If someone knows a Grainger part number for one that is brass and is 1/8 NPT, I'd sure appreciate a part number.

 

[Bob Wagner]

WM, I was going by memory, I know someone posted the P/N but I cant find it doing a manuel search



I will be back with more info if I can find any

 

[Bob Wagner]

here ya go

http://www.versagauge.com/acc_snubber.htm



http://www.gaugestore.com/722beraypors.html

 

[WMeyers]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! And thanks to BriarHopper's test gauge as well for telling me that the sender was bad and the fuel pump is on its way.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I installed my sender from Nordskog with 4' of hose that I did not bleed the air out of. My digital gauge is rock steady.



Later,

Mark

 

[Thomas]

Rock steady on both halves of my Westach combo dual fuel pressure gauge. Both senders are remotely mounted, each connected to Ray's banjo bolts with 2 feet of 1/8 inch fuel line—air-filled.