Diy Vacuum Lines (fuel Line Maybe?)

[PranK]

While my Bora is in a million parts I've started looking for other stuff to fix.

I then leaned on a small piece of vacuum line and heard a crack and lots of airflow/sucking!

The brake booster vacuum line is brittle as hell and needs replacing. The two replacement hoses from VW are $300 so I thought I'd see if I can make my own up (car's not worth a lot, its not worth me getting OEM ones).

One end is apparently 13mm ID which could be a problem as I've only seen silicon line up to 6mm ID. This is the part that goes to a one way valve.

Can I use fuel line? Can I get some silicon line? Can I just fix the existing vacuum line somehow (cracks seem to be only around the ends of the line and not mid-way.) Looks like she's been in a bad way for quite some time and that I just made it worse.

Could I cause any probs by using non-exact hoses (ie larger or smaller ID)?

Is it easy to increase/reduse size of silicon lines?

Sanks.

[Jordy32]

I've used fuel line before as a bit of a "get me home" fix and may or may not have left it on my car for months on end

In my mind it's the most durable of the hoses on a car, shouldn't be any issue - $300 for a rubber hose is a joke hahah

[PranK]

I'm worried about the walls collapsing which apparently can happen to fuel lines used in vacuums.

[Jordy32]

Fair enough. on my R32 when i put the RB25 in i used a bit of silicon rad hose from the plenum to the brake booster to get the car running and didn't have any issues.

In saying that, I can see how fuel hose could possibly collapse under vaccum but you'd really need to give it a go

[hardsteppa]

You can get brake booster line per metre, try clark rubber

[tridentt150v]

any hydraulic place has rubber hose with fibre reinforced line, guaranteed not to collapse. Take your hose to them and ask, if they are any good they will have a solution for under $50 and it would be permanent.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Some fuel lines are reinforced

[hardsteppa]

Yeah but brake booster line is some seriously t hick shit, much thicker than fuel/tranny line.

[tridentt150v]

Hydraulic hose isn't always thick, and brake booster hose is only one type, there are lots of different reinforced hose types and sizes out there..

[PranK]

Yeah nice idea. Theres a few Hydraulic places in Mona Vale and Brookvale I can check.

Considering the cracks are only around the barb fittings, is there a tape I can use in the meantime? The lines have heat protection on all the fittings as it goes behind the engine block.

[tridentt150v]

Yep amalgamating tape..........get it at Jaycar and the like. As you stretch it it sets off a chemical reaction and binds together. Stretch it heaps, if you break it then back off a little bit lol.

It is not supposed to like degreaser, but I've used it and it seems ok, maybe if its sitting in it??

[PranK]

Beauty thanks. This line runs along the firewall, it'll be away from oil or degreasers.

[tridentt150v]

lol once you use amalgamating tape you will set and forget its good stuff. Only think is to get it off you need a pocket knife, it won't peel off or unwrap.

[PranK]

Yeah thats fine because the only way it'll come off is still attached to the lines when i replace them properly.

[tridentt150v]

And one last thing, when finishing off wrapping, just stretch the tape till it breaks. Keep your thumb on the work area and it should break under it and bond in to the work area, so no loose flapping tape like you get with insulation tape.

[PranK]

And one last thing, when finishing off wrapping, just stretch the tape till it breaks. Keep your thumb on the work area and it should break under it and bond in to the work area, so no loose flapping tape like you get with insulation tape.

Awesome, will do, thanks!