VanD

OK, busting my *** replacing the soft fuel lines, going with Greg Brown lines for the soft parts. Problem is, after TONS of soaking with all types of penatrant, the goddamn adaptors on the hard lines are frozen to the soft line adaptors - I have cut the old lines, put sockets on them and flare wrenches, etc. and... - I can remove the soft lines but can't turn the adaptors. Already split one fuel line trying to free up the adaptor. I'm now at the return line and I really, REALLY do not want to replace that line...I think it's NLA from Porsche. The soft adaptor is stuck on the hard line. The long supply line I will either cut short and re-flare or have a hydraulic place make a replacement. Up top, the hard lines to the fuel ditributor hve the same problem - the adaptors are frozen to the tube - even after the soft line adaptor is off... Anyone know if these top lines are still available or should I have them made also? What a PITA....

So:

1) Any ideas on feeing up the adaptors on the lines without screwing up the hard lines?
2) Any source for lines if I do break the hard lines?
3) best way to make new lines, either by order or make them myself
4) any sources for #3 - lines, adaptors, etc.? Anybody had luck with the new 'nylon' lines used on 996's on up?

Getting desperate here

atb

Take pics of what you need. I've got hard lines off a '79 that I think are in good condition that I can send to you. The stubby soft line with two male ends coming off the firewall I had to pirate to make a custom fuel line to drop in my S4 motor, but I believe I have the rest.

VanD

Thanks Adam - I need the long feed hard line (from Accumulator to front of car), both front hard lines, and possibly the return line (the long one from front back to tank) as I may need to splice it...
Long line:



Long line from accumulator to front of car





These two front hard lines from passenger side of motor to drivers side (fuel distributer)





Fuel accumulator line (could also use a fuel accumulator if you have one

I don't need the soft lines as I am getting new one from Greg Brown...

jpitman2

I dont have an early car, but this might be worth something. My main feed line from accumulator to egine bas damaged, so i replaced - ordered both delivery and return - took two tries as the first delivery line was bent and kinked in shipping. Once I saw the routing of the return line between the body and the upper cross member at the rear I gave up on that one, still have the pipe. Without a hoist I could not find a way to lace the delivery line at the rear suspension and then up into the engine bay, so in the end I cut it near the firewall (about 1 ft back), and fitted a double compression joiner (Pirtek part) - have never had a leak in years here. This also enabled me to fit a new hose from the body mounted pipe up to the engine and get it tight before joining the front of the cut pipe to the rear section. Despite my car spending 10 years in Saudi Arabia, I found both delivery and return hoses in good shape with no signs of cracks or damage when fully flexed, which was good as one of these was NLA when I tried to order them. The short hose on the return line at the tank has a light metal ferrule on the end on the steel pipe, but it was worthless - the hose pulled off the pipe readily by hand. Since I had the tank out, I fitted a new hose to the steel pipe with a jubilee clamp. Looking at PET no much look familiar between a 79 and my 83, except that the return line in both is the same - 928.256.031.01, sitting in my garage, but its a LONG way from you. Another thing I found from previous work on the fuel system especially with CIS is when you are done and ready to fire it up - jump the pump relay and let it run for several minutes - its a good leak test for your work, and it ensures the whole system is primed and up to pressure - it can save LOTS of fruitless cranking waiting for pressure to come up.

jp 83 Euro S AT 56k

atb

Sorry Alex, still running the fuel lines under the car. I have the lines to the fuel distributor, let me see what shape they are in and I'll PM you. May take a couple days.

GlenL

As far as ideas: penetrating oil, heat and gentle persuasion.

I like the Liquid Wrench in the squeeze bottle for these jobs. A few drops on the gaps is what's needed (repeatedly) and it doesn't blast all over.

Clean the fittings as well as possible so the penetrating oil will get into the gaps.

Use some heat as well. I'll alternate oil and heat. A regular propane torch will be fine. No need to melt the tubes.

For persuasion, start with the clamp part of a tube flaring set. That has two half-round parts you clamp around the tube. That'll support the tube while you work the nut. Get a feel for where the tube starts to yield and avoid that. Go back-and-forth and use the heat and oil. It'll come eventually and it'll be a lot less work than line replacement or re-flaring or splicing.

Best of luck.

Optimator

If it’s any consolation, I went through this with my ‘78 too. First sign of trouble was when the tube nut on the supply line at the firewall sheared in half while trying to loosen the connection. It was all downhill from there! When I called up 928INTL and they told me they don’t sell used fuel lines, the gravity of the situation really started to sink in.

If there is significant corrosion on those 10mm flare connections, you will not likely be able to disconnect them intact. Penetrating oil will not help you. There is no gentle persuasion applicable here.

Here is the accumulator that I had to remove with all the lines still attached. I had this thing clamped in a bench vise, whaling on a line wrench with a 5 lb. hammer. Those two flare nuts fought me to the very last turn.

What had started as an effort to replace the two hoses in the engine compartment ended up instead as a replacement of every tube, hose and component from the fuel tank to the fuel distributor and back. Fun times!

drooman

Hello Alex! For next time, on super crusty fasteners/fittings, my favorite product for this is Fluid Film, apply then then wait a week or so.

All of these hard lines are something I pull out of every CIS parts car (If they're not already torn up) i fluid film all the fittings when i first get the car then wait as long as possible to remove the lines...if a few months has gone by they come apart very easy. I've had a few full sets over the years but they go quickly into my or others' projects.

I've also often thought that new metric flare nuts, unions, bulk tubing etc. has to be commercially available somewhere, although i've never put the effort into finding it.

VanD

Fluid Film? Really - never thought to use it as a penetrant to break fasteners - who knew? (I never noticed it says that right on the can) I just bought a Gallon last week as I use it to lubricate/preserve just about everything - I will try that for sure! - Wish I had known that a year ago! Also going to try the local hydraulic line place and see if they have the metric fittings new so I don't have to screw with cleaning/derusting/drilling the old adaptors...

Jim Doerr called me a ***** as I could not break the bolts loose....give him hell for picking on an old man....especially since I had to reattach my triceps surgically TWICE last year...

VanD

Optimator - yours looks even worse than mine....I WILL defeat this....

linderpat

Zen and the art of shark maintenance. Yes Alex you will win - these cars are a battle of attrition. Think like a gook and it is yours!

Glenn - do you recommend heat/open torch on a fuel line? Seems risky to me.

chrisjbell

Hey, Alex, if you don't defeat it or suffer heavy casualties I've also got a pretty close to complete set of hardlines, accumulator, etc from a '79 that are in great shape. If you wind up needing something PM me and I can probably help out - I might ask you to pay shipping if it is $$ but wouldn't charge you for the parts. (I'm looking for all the karma points I can get...)

...Chris

VanD

Chris - that would be fantastic! - please give me a PM with what you have - from the look of it I will be needing all hard lines and the accumulator - certainly willing to pay for them! Thanks!

Petza914

The fuel accumulator for the early cars (both fittings on one end and none on the others) is also getting very hard to find. About 9 months ago I was able to source one on eBay from a seller named DAX Autowerks for about $220 and another one off of Amazon of all places for about $205. Neither site seems to show any results currently though. Here's a photo of the one in my car located in the RR fender prior to replacement.

I found a good Bosch Cross-reference # of 0438170026 to the correct 928 part #, which may help to broaden your search.

The following list of part #s will NOT get you the correct one (or at least didn't get me the correct one as I had ordered a couple different ones that showed a correct photo but when the part arrived, was not the correct part, even though the # on the part matched the # I ordered).
928.110.197.03
928.110.197.05
928.110.197.07

These either have the intake on one end and the outlet on the other or the fittings are not the correct size.

If you're able to find one, you may want to buy 2.

Good luck.

SwedeInSiam

Here's a link to Bosch were you can find correct Bosch parts for classic cars
https://krusche.bosch-automotive-tradition.com/