At 14:00 4/22/99 -0700, Steve wrote:
>Dumb question number 2:
>
>how tight should the clamps be?  I would guess that they can be
over-tightened,
>which would shorten life-span and perhaps set one up for premature future
>leaks?

Er...this sounds like a copout, but...tight enough?  You are big and strong
-- *much* stronger than an eentsy little hose clamp.  I don't have a torque
figure, and I don't know how to describe a sense of how much force is
appropriate for small parts.  Working on a bicycle would be good training.
I'm tempted to say that this is one of those questions where if you have to
ask it the answer is "no."  But for a clean new clamp of the proper size, I
would say that if you're averagely strong you should be able to tighten it
sufficiently using thumb and two fingers on a screwdriver with a one-inch
diameter handle.  If the clamp bends or strips out the screw, that's a good
deal too tight.  Sorry not to be more help.

>
>Seems it might be a good idea to re-check a new installation several times
>after
>some initial use to make sure everything is seating properly and no potential
>leaks or human errors...given the grave consequences.

Absolutely.  Several times is maybe excessive.  Maybe once when firing up,
once after first ride?  Maybe a month later for any signs of chafe?  If
there was a problem with the pressure end of it I'd expect it to show up
rather promptly, and the fuel pressure is steady regardless of what the
engine is doing.

d
David Beierl - dbeierl@ibm.net