Is this considered a Leak

[ITV]

... and get rid of the teflon tape on the MFL fittings.

 

[day_trippr]

^definitely yes^

 

[PCABrewing]

I'm guessing those aren't using any kind of gasket. I'd put some pipe dope in there or there's a chance it'll leak slowly past those threads.

Just a minor point; Teflon tape and Pipe-dope are Designed to act as a lubricant on threaded fittings. They are NOT intended to be used to affect a seal themselves.
Lubrication works by reducing the friction (and/or galling) of the threaded joint thereby allowing the joint to be tightened enough that the Tapered threads (NPT) achieve a mechanical seal.
Both products are commonly (mis-)used as a sealant, with varying success, but that doesn't make it right.

Flare fitting are also designed to achieve a mechanical seal at the faces of the flare. The threads do nothing to seal other than applying clamping pressure. The flare fittings that require the little washer have one or both faces that are too hard to conform to each other, thus the washer is required to provide the sealing surface. They actually achieve two seals, one on each side of the washer.

Understanding what the design result is supposed to be, should help in correcting minor leaks like these.

 

[tracer bullet]

Just a minor point; Teflon tape and Pipe-dope are Designed to act as a lubricant on threaded fittings. They are NOT intended to be used to affect a seal themselves.

We'll agree to disagree, or maybe agree that "it depends". PTFE tape, yes, is a lubricant to get the threads to go even further, and you do rely on the thread mate-up to do the sealing. Pipe dope, at least what I am thinking of, though it sometimes contains PTFE, it is (sometimes, at least) indeed intended as a sealant. I worked with these and other chemicals at an engine assembly plant and sat through the Loctite rep's annual class for our builders where this was explained each time.

Either way, it will help, and yes you should use the right things at the right times and know why things seal when they do. I too hate people putting straight and NPT fittings together with a boatload of tape and say "it works", I always tell them they have gotten lucky. In this case I just mean to say that - if those threads are bare metal to metal - they'll have a better seal if some pipe dope is used.

 

[PCABrewing]

I too hate people putting straight and NPT fittings together with a boatload of tape and say "it works", I always tell them they have gotten lucky. In this case I just mean to say that - if those threads are bare metal to metal - they'll have a better seal if some pipe dope is used.

That is one of the biggest problems, I agree.

 

[A1sportsdad]

... and get rid of the teflon tape on the MFL fittings.

I have added in the Flare washers and it's all good. Though the Teflon tape did nothing for me to create the seal, I don't think leaving it on is an issue. The Flare washer is there for the seal. If I have to remove the fitting again for some reason, I can remove the tape at that time. Don't see a reason to remove it now. Thanks for the input.