rick1916

Has anyone replaced the oil filler tube on a 993? I mean the entire three +/- foot snakelike thing, not the little extender just under the fill cap.

I had an oil leak that took forever to diagnose. It turned out to be a small pinhole leak in the main filler tube. I pulled the old leaking one out and tied some safety wire to it as I withdrew it to make pulling a new one back in easier. Unfortunately the wire detached itself from the replacemnt hose while attempting to get the replacement hose back in. I'm having a devil of a time fishing a pull wire back through the body. But I keep telling myself that these cars weren't born with this hose in place. It's got to go in one way or another.

I've searched the forums without success. Help someone!

e9stibi

I replaced it and it took me 30 seconds to do it. I am not sure what your problem is with the "safety wire". Hope others can chime in that had the same problems as you have.

Garth S

IIRC, pop off the RR wheel and drop the fender wheel well liner ...... in a couple of min., all should be in plain view.

rick1916

Thanks guys for the responses. I'm probably not being clear enough. The tube in question carries oil as it passes into the frame below the fill cap in the engine compartment, travels out of sight within the structural bodywork forward, then exits near the oil tank forward of the right rear wheel and attaches to the nipple second from the bottom of the tank. It's part no. 993-207-212-02 if that helps shown on pg.34 of 488
http://www.porsche.com/all/media/pdf...93_KATALOG.pdf

NC TRACKRAT

Rick1916, have you done what Garth S suggests?

Cupcar

Resurrecting this thread, I too am having same difficulty threading a guide wire for an oil filler tube replacement. I have complete access to both inlet and outlet holes in the chassis and since engine is out have removed a plug in the side member where I can look and still have not been able to pass a fish.

None of responses so far has answered the question, it appears e9estibi was lucky.


There must be a trick.

9934USC

Clearly a few of the responders didn't understand the question...

Instead of using wire to help guide the tube through the frame I used 1/2 inch nylon rope which I attached to the oil tank end of the hose. I tried wire but found that it would snag as I attempted to pull it through the frame. I actually was able to guide the rope all the way through the new oil tube (it was also lead through the frame) and tried a knot at the other end so that the rope couldn't pull out of the new tube as I feed the new oil line through the frame. Where the rope came out of the tube on the leading end I duct taped the end so that it would slide through any rough spots in the frame. This is no 30 second job. In all it probably took two hours.

Cupcar

First of all anyone who replaces the tube should not be stupid like me and assume a new one will pass easily. The TRICK is that the tube has little ears on it and use those to tie the new tube to the old tube and pull the new one with the old one!!

Thanks 9934USC, I used your 1/2" Nylon rope trick and it worked great.

I also finally decided to buy myself a fiber optic inspection camera over this whole deal and passed it into the chassis where the fill tube resides.

Looking with the camera, I found that using a small 1/8" diameter nylon fish had two major problems, first there is a false passage around the shock tower that is the most natural for a small fish.

Second, I found is that the there are two partitions with cutouts for the tube that the hose must pass through and below these cutouts there are slots that the small fish seeks as well and will pull the tube against the partition no where near its cutout.

Upshot: a larger diameter fish material like 3/8" polyethylene works best. Use this to pull the nylon rope where here the 1/2" keeps it out of trouble.

Something used to fashion a conical tip for the leading end of the oil tube helps keep it from catching on things along the way and guides it through the cut outs in the partitions.

Since my rear bumper is off, I was actually able to thread my video camera from the bumper mounting hole and used a long piece of 3/16 rod to prod the fill tube through the partition slots under direct vision.

Whew.

ToreB

Thread resurrection again!
I have a leak in this hose too. The oil seems to come from nowhere, no trace of oil in the engine bay, but leaks out in the wheel well around the shock absorber tower opening. It must be this tube that leaks in my car.
Do I need to drain the oil to replace this hose?

I do not understand the explanation above. Shall I fasten a rope to the old hose when pulling it out, to use for pulling the new hose through?
Maybe I can stick a wire through the old one before removing it for use as pulling guide for the new hose?
Cheers,
Tore

OverBoosted28

Not sure if I did this right, might help. Knew I saw it a few weeks ago. Hope it helps Tore.
https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...leaks-oil.html

Cupcar

Tore -

I made the mistake of pulling my hose out thinking Porsche had made a channel in the chassis for it and pulled the tube out with a rope attached to it. Porsche didn't make a channel and the run is tortuous and I could not simply pull the new tube in. I ended up using a fiber optic camera run into the chassis through the holes behind the bumper mounts to see what was going on and finally got the hose back.

With that in mind I would suggest:

There are little tabs on the hose ends that will allow you to wire the new to the old hose, do this so the wire ends are on the inside of the tube when done. Use a few wraps of wire so as not to cut into the tabs when in tension - they are actually pretty tough material.

Then wrap that assembly connection with some electrical tape - the smoother and tighter the better.

I would still run a flexible fish of some sort through the two hoses to help keep them aligned and coat the outside of the new hose with some silicon spray so it slides easily.

Then carefully pull (and push) in the new hose with the old one. IIRC starting in the wheel well worked best.

I hope this helps.

ToreB

OverBoosted and Cupcar, thanks!

What is a flexible fish? Maybe I could use electrical house installation wire? This is about 10 mm thick and fairly flexible, as well as strong enough to stand up for some pulling force as well if needed.

Is the oil level in the tank by any chance lower than the hose outlet at cold engine? As far as I can see is it about halfway down on the tank.
Cheers,
Tore

Cupcar

Flexible "fish" is term I used because electricians here use them made out of around 4 mm diameter nylon to pull wires through pipes and they call them that.

Something like the house wire you describe would work fine.

As far as oil level, I am not sure since my tank was empty when I worked on the line.

OverBoosted28

I'm sorta glad this has come up a few times recently. I am going to do a preemptive strike to remedy this before it forces me to take action. Thanks Tore & Cupcar, might make the task bearable. Aloha
Richard

ToreB

Ah, I have a electrician's nylon guide wire, thanks!
Cheers,
Tore