Vacuum lines

[Dan O.]

Replacing some vacuum lines and I'm finding some pretty brittle nylon (?) tubing, can anyone suggest a good source for this stuff or should I try this:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#5173k86/=qzrdp2

I know temps get pretty brutal under the hood, especially in the engine valley..is a max temp rating of 225deg enough?

 

[gsxr]

It's cheap to buy from MB. A few bucks per meter. Part numbers at link below, for both clear and the color-coded tubing:

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?1472

 

[fredtga]

I use vacuum tube from Maxdatrix in Signall Hill. I sold all my rx7 cars but still go back to buy their vacuum tubes:

http://www.mazdatrix.com/C-SILHOS.HTM

 

[gerryvz]

Hard plastic engine vac line is EXTREMELY cheap from AutohauZ though it is only available in white/offwhite color. Which is just fine as long as you pay attention to where it needs to be routed. I keep about 10 meters on hand for when I need it.....

 

[emerydc8]

I prefer the Uro brand myself, but it is expensive and hard to find.

 

[gerryvz]

I prefer the Uro brand myself, but it is expensive and hard to find.

Are you sure you are not the PeachParts members tjts1 or tram, in disguise?

 

[emerydc8]

Sorry, I forgot to put the /sarc at the end of that post.

 

[clarkz71]

Are you sure you are not the PeachParts members tjts1 or tram, in disguise?

That guy is infamous for his URO propaganda on Banzworld.

I've got a great pic he posted of a homemade injector noise reducing "blanket"

You won't belive your eyes.

I'll post it when I get home.

 

[Ron500E]

Hard plastic engine vac line is EXTREMELY cheap from AutohauZ though it is only available in white/offwhite color. Which is just fine as long as you pay attention to where it needs to be routed. I keep about 10 meters on hand for when I need it.....

To identify the lines one could use heat shrink tubing on the ends, 3M makes it in various colors. The local electronics store, Joseph Electronics, stock it in various colors and sizes in 3 foot lengths.

Ron

 

[clarkz71]

Great idea Ron

 

[gsxr]

To identify the lines one could use heat shrink tubing on the ends, 3M makes it in various colors. The local electronics store, Joseph Electronics, stock it in various colors and sizes in 3 foot lengths.

A fair number of the original MB color-coded tubing is still available from MB for a few bucks per meter... per my link in post #2. The heat-shrink idea would work very well if you didn't want to buy different color tubing and/or all the colored tubing eventually becomes NLA.

 

[Roma_500E]

A fair number of the original MB color-coded tubing is still available from MB for a few bucks per meter... per my link in post #2. The heat-shrink idea would work very well if you didn't want to buy different color tubing and/or all the colored tubing eventually becomes NLA.

All white looks nice and fancy . In addition , if you installed them once you will remember which one goes where forever. So vaccum lines from AHAZ are the best option so far .

 

[gsxr]

Um, there is a reason why MB has color-coded tubing. It's not a good idea to replace it all with clear... makes things miserable for the mechanics. Trust me.

 

[M104-AMG]

The pic-n-pull is your friend for color-coded vacuum lines. When in doubt, I have 4-different colors of 3M vinyl tape, that I would put on each end of the line to facilitate easier identification.

neil

 

[gerryvz]

My experience with "soft" items at the pick n pull (such as hoses, many rubber bits, vac lines) is that they tend to be in worse condition than the ones that busted on the car in the first place !! I never pull items like vac lines of off dead cars at the wrecking yard simply because these cars often have far more use/mileage on them than my cars do !

As long as you have photographs of the original lines and where they are routed to/from, and perhaps make a notation of this information (example attached from my M117 Top-end Rebuild) about vac lines on an engine, there is ABSOLUTELY no problem using regular vac tubing of the same diameter to replace color-coded vac lines.

Of course, if the color coded stuff is still available, great, but only a fraction of the original color coded lines are currently available from MB. I think about 50-60% of the original colors were available when I did my M117 rebuild.

You can see the check marks and on the M117 table the hashed-out check mark that served as a "double-check" that I had correctly routed the vacuum line. Never hurts to double-check one's work as a mechanic.

Cheers,
Gerry