What is best way to cap a 1/4" air line?

[belfert]

I just finished removing my bathroom.  (What fun!)  There were several 1/4" air lines for various things including an air cylinder to dump the bathroom tank.  I removed all of the lines back to the supply.

What is the best way to cap the supply line?  It is 1/4" DOT plastic line.  I was thinking about just wrapping with electrical tape, but I want to make sure it never leaks.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

When I removed mine I put a air line compression splice fitting to a brass cap.

That said, it later came back to bite me in the rear as my exhaust developed a small leak and guess what ran right past the leak.

I then did what I should have done and capped it at the tee and removed the abandoned line.

FWIW

Cliff

[belfert]

The line disappears way back into the engine compartment and I don't have much interest in figuring out exactly where it goes.  I know an exhaust leak won't melt any lines as the exhaust pipe from my turbo is currently cracked in half.  They would already be melted.  (Exhaust pipe gets replaced this week.)

Even if I do trace the line back, how would I cap the line at the tee?  They use those slip on type of tees.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

Just put a compression type on before the tee or wherever it goes.

The compression and push on are interchangable, just one can be reused.

My thought behind removing it now is that,

If you remove it you wont have to maybe fix it/find it later on the side of the road.

Also if you don't have them I would get a small selection of tees and splices, ends in the compression format.

They are relatively cheap and you know the rule "If you have a spare it will never break!"

Cliff

[belfert]

Why use the compression style instead of the push on?  I have the push on style now.  I'm going to be heading to the store in a few minutes to see what I can find.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

Brian,

Can you reuse the push on?

I have never used them!

Cliff

[belfert]

Brian,

Can you reuse the push on?

I don't know any reason why not to.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

Brian,

I was guessing that they were for a single use.

Push in/locked in place/no way to remove.  Kind of like a Chinese finger.

I may be totally wrong!

Cliff

[Dallas]

Brian,

I was guessing that they were for a single use.

Push in/locked in place/no way to remove.  Kind of like a Chinese finger.

I may be totally wrong!

Cliff

Cliff, they're reusable.
YOu push in to connect but to release you only have to push in on the plastic cap.
They are made so that on the road repairs are much easier. If you get a crack in a line, just cut out the offending piece and clip the rest back in.
Dallas

[FloridaCliff]

I guess I am going to have to try some of this new fangled stuff.

But first I have to get an 8-track unjammed from my stereo

Cliff

[Dallas]

I guess I am going to have to try some of this new fangled stuff.

But first I have to get an 8-track unjammed from my stereo

Cliff

Cliff, just be glad your two year old didn't stick a peanut butter sandwich in your VCR.
Eject isn't the same. Or anything else.
Glad he's grown up now, I can go to his house and do it to him. AND THEN, blame it on old age/ bad memory!
Dallas

[Busted Knuckle]

Brian the reason to use a compression type connector to cap the line instead of a push in is that I've never seen a push in that you can screw a "cap" on. However you can go to where ever you want to pick up your fittings (I use NAPA mainly because we have an account there and I just call and they deliver what I need, but conveinence cost $. So that said there are cheaper places to get them!) get a compression style coupler and a screw on cap, and you've capped the line! Now on the other hand my self I'd find the source and cap it there for piece of mind, but that's my personal preferance and you don't have to worry about having a whole load of people standing on the shoulder complaining about being late to wherever they paid you to take them! Now as for an "emergency kit" I'd put a couple of both styles in it along with some "T's"  and "caps" and also some pieces of spare hose about 2' long coiled up and taped to keep 'm coiled! Now get these same set ups in 1/8", 1/4", & 1/2" each and you should never get stranded! If you have a problem with anything that has a bigger hose than this, it's abigger problem that an "emergency kit" is for! But with that said you might wanna go ahead and get a few larger "caps & plugs" to throw in just in case, you blow a braided line going to a brake chamber or something, some times you can disconnect the hose and "cap" or "plug" it to get ya to a repair facility and not have to call out a service truck ( big $ )! Just my two cents worth!     Knuckle  

[belfert]

I decided to trace the line all the way back to the manifold where the line connects.

I capped it there, but it still seems to leak after I capped it.  I think I'll pay the $50 or so to have JD's guys over at C&J Bus repair take care of it when they take care of everything else.  I already crawled under the bus four times.

Brian Elfert