Burnt clutch line

[64 Cheyenne]

Went wheeling yesterday (gumbo mud) went about five miles in 4lo, engine starting to get hot, nearing another uphill, decide to stop, pushed in the clutch and to the floor it went. Smoke starts coming out from under the hood, luckily no fire (FWIW I do keep a fire extinguisher in all my vehicles). Seems that the engine got so hot that it melted the plastic clutch line. I have done a AX-15 conversion (external) hence the plastic line. So I guess I'm asking for opinions on the fix. I could replace it with another plastic line but the way I wheel, this would definitely be a weak link. I'm hoping I can cut the line and replace the burned part with compression fittings and a section of brake line for a temp fix (will this work?) till I find the best solution. I know Advance Adapters has a kit for TJs, not sure about what they have for XJ/MJ. Not sure what year the tranny came out of but it has the pin fittings at the master and slave. Suggestions?

[Eagle]

The same thing happened to one of our NAXJA-NAC members at a NACFest event at Paragon a few years ago. Got back to the campground mid-afternoon on Saturday and he and another guy made an emergency run into town, getting to the NAPA about 10 minutes before they closed. So they loaded up on steel brake line and various fittings and adapters, and then spent the evening making an all-steel line to replace the plastic. It took a couple of adapters, but they made it up without too much work.

 

The key is to remember that the engine moves relative to the chassis, and if there's no way to allow for that -- the steel line will fatigue and crack. Best way around that is to make the line extra long, and on at least one end (both is better, if you can do it) carefully coil the line around something like a screwdriver handle about three to five times to make a spring-like section that distributes the movement through the entire coil.

[Jeep Driver]

Braided steel line. The plastic liner will take a lot more heat than the tubing that you have now. I used to use it for cooling line on large scale RC gas boats....connected directly to exhaust and it never melted on me.

[64 Cheyenne]

Braided steel line. The plastic liner will take a lot more heat than the tubing that you have now. I used to use it for cooling line on large scale RC gas boats....connected directly to exhaust and it never melted on me.

 

Seen a write up and info on something like using braided steel...

Got a link or info on where how?

[Jeep Driver]

There was a shop back home, Clearwater Hose and Hydraulics, that would make up ANY hose you need. And cheap too.

 

NAPA is local to me now but their prices are high.

 

If mine went out I'd probably take it to Knoxville and have one made up in braided hose. OEM replacement is $85 IRRC so I figure I could have one made for $50 or so.

 

You can also insulate it prior to installing it.......a good shop should have the insulation sleeve.