Petrol Fumes, Part One: SAMCO breather tubes?

[tim_in_brighton]

Hello all,

Well, it took a whole week before I could get out in my newly acquired S3, and within 10 miles on a hot afternoon I could hardly breath due to the fumes. Of course you'll all know where this is going...I got myself here and read up and yup, my breather tubes came out in about 20 pieces. Side note: I have to admit it did take me the better part of two hours to get the whole lot out. Almost an hour to be sure I wasn't going to break the carpeted grp cover panels (wow, they took a fair bit of bending to squeeze out). And then in the end I had myself draped across the top of the engine so I could get a look in at the front of the buttress to see enough to unscrew the clip holding the last 10mm of tube on. OK, a chunk of that time was spent surfing for advice on the grp panels. Maybe this titbit will help some future browser who's as green to the esprit as me.

So anyway, I’ve read the debates about the tubing to use. Original does seem remarkably inappropriate, so I can see the point of going with normal rubber fuel hose. But I did once use Samco vacuum hoses on a Porsche and was impressed with the quality. It seems like a natural choice for this application. Vacuum tube should deal fine with the low (no) pressure application and not pinch or collapse too easily, but maybe bend and fit better?

If you think otherwise or if I’m being a muppet here please say, and save me the extra bit of cash.

Thanks!

Tim

[Choppa]

I went down to my local lawn mower repair guy and brought 6 metres of fuel line with the same internal and external diameters at the stuff that rotted on my S3. Cost £1 a metre. External diameter is important as there a 2 lengths of tubing running over the top of the window in the bulkhead and anything too thick might prevent the carpet from sitting correctly when you re seat it. No idea about the hose you mention in this respect and I suppose the other consideration is whether it's actually OK with petrol vapour.

[Esprit_Emperor]

Hello, i had shime in here... i smiled a bit when i read this post because i spend at least for hour doing this. A pain for the back. I just bought some transparent 6mm from SJ sportscars. My car didn't smell at all but i just did it complete my resto.

Cool good luck!

//Fred

[tim_in_brighton]

Right, sorting this tubing hasn’t been so easy. I couldn’t be sure the Samco vacuum tube could withstand the fuel exposure, although I thought that is the draw of silicone hose…that it will withstand just about anything. They do make a proprietary fuel line, at £50 per meter! That’s one expensive breather. I followed your advice, Colin, and hit my local mower specialist…who wasn’t nearly as interested in classic sportscars and could only offer me standard rubber tubing at a startling £11 per meter. Last stop was my trustworthy Camberley Auto Factors who sorted me with rubber tube for £3 something per meter.

So I’ve plumbed it in and I can see it will cause problems due to size. I can kind of force it into the gap but it looks like it will drop back out. One hose fits fine, so I’m thinking of routing the overflow up to the top of the buttress and then back on the same side, thus not crossing the car. I can’t see how it would make much difference, once it’s up to that height, whether or not it crosses the car.

Last comment…wow, this hasn’t been at all easy! Maybe my car’s special, but I’m headed towards five hours total now. Apart from those cover panels, the big struggle are the hose clips inside the buttresses. The O/S one was tough, tucked right up at the top and buried well back, but the N/S one was neigh on impossible. It seems to be riveted to a steel support strut that runs vertically to the inside of the buttress. In the end I cut through the rubber and joined the T-fitting there instead of further down the hose. I’ve had to leave a run of old breather in place, which is annoying. My forearms are black with bruises and covered in cuts and scratches from the grp. I’ve had engines out of cars with a lot less hassle than this breather has given me!

[Esprit_Emperor]

Hello,

A girl at my work asked me if i had bought a cat since i had scratches on both my inner arms . Took me about 3-5 hours aswell. A tried some new transparent TEC-7 glue that i have never tried before that was awesome and easy to work with, highlly recomended. Also used this TEC-7 but black when i glued on the new airvent hoses.

Fred

Edited May 31, 2010 by Esprit_Emperor

[Nelly]

I did what Frederik did and got mine from SJ (Steve even knew the exact length I would need, wasn't expensive).

Still to fit mine as the car is being resprayed, but my rear quater windows are currently out (which is how I spotted the tubes were completely shot) so I am wondering if I should do this before the windows go back in? Would it have made your lives easier being able to put your hands in via the quater windows?

Edited May 31, 2010 by Nelly9000

[tim_in_brighton]

Neil, I think it might help to be able to reach through and look through the empty windows. Also probably easier if the engine shrouding is out, but I figured that wasn't worth the trouble. I got access by removing the little horizontal vent grill on the inside of the butress, so I could see what I was doing through there. And access was easier by climbing into the boot.

I might re-do the job with the tubing from SJ. At least now that I know what I'm aiming for I think I could do it a bit more efficiently. I haven't glued mine in yet as it bulges out past the carpet as currently routed, so might give the TEC-7 a go too. Thanks for that one Fredrik.

[Esprit_Emperor]

Hello,

the in-airvent works good to work through and if the rear glass is off would be good to. One thing with the tech-7 glue is that its easy to to take a cloth and just wipe of your fingers if you get glue on them but it takes awhile for the glue to burn-in so be patient maybe 20 min and 24 hours to be completely solid.. Checked my new airventhoses yesterday that i glued on and the glue sits like stone now.

Fred