Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

I see lots of resto's with teflon tape on the flare fittings... fuel lines and sometimes brake lines... can anyone explain this to me? I have never seen teflon tape cure a flare fitting leak...
Also do the judges dock points for it?

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

Makes no sense. A bad flare is a bad flare.

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

Also teflon tape softens and breaks down when it comes in contact with any kind of solvent or petroleum based fluid ...........Use the blue paste used on natural gas and oil fittings if you feel it necessary to use anything...But flare fittings in most cases are not very forgiving if the flare is bad as Belair said...

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

Threads on a flare fitting do nothing as far as sealing. The seal comes from the taper of the pipe or tubing being pressed into the sealing surface of the fitting. A thread lube is a good idea on the threads just to prevent galling and make the flare nut tighten down a little easier.

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

The nut doesn't seal, it just holds the flare surfaces tightly together so that they don't leak. Bad flare, bad leak. It's not a pipe thread.

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

Teflon tape was not originally used, and is not needed in a flare fitting application.

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

Plus if the tape tears and gets into a line it could plug the line. I was priming a motor I rebuilt. I used teflon tape on the threads for the oil gauge. At first I wasn't getting a pressure reading on the gauge. When I removed the gauge, the tape was covering the small hole for the gauge. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/ooo.gif

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

OK https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif--In a ****quick fix ****if the flare is just having a problem seating against the face of the nipple fitting and unless the flare itself is not split or chipped--wiping some blue paste on & around the **face** NOT threads of the nipple fitting usually stops the leak----------I've had to make ***temporary repairs*** in a pinch ------Replacing a worn flare fitting is the proper procedure for a permanent repair--------save teflon for the faucet. ......

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

<font color="blue">I've seen a locking compound on threads so they do not back off. Not for sealing though. </font>

Re: Teflon tape on flare fittings
 

It just makes me laugh every time I see it...BKH