Fuel return line replacement

[kristian]

HI,

I just changed the leaking coolant tank on my car (1999 C4 Convertible). At the same time I broke a return fuel line.

I saw from the picture that they are long and it looks like it's going behind the engine and down the frame. It takes a week for me to get the part from Germany. Has anybody replaced these before? Is it an job that I can do myself? I hope I don't have to take off too many parts of my engine to do this.

KL :huh:

[kristian]

HI,

I just changed the leaking coolant tank on my car (1999 C4 Convertible). At the same time I broke a return fuel line.

I saw from the picture that they are long and it looks like it's going behind the engine and down the frame. It takes a week for me to get the part from Germany. Has anybody replaced these before? Is it an job that I can do myself? I hope I don't have to take off too many parts of my engine to do this.

KL :huh:

(1999 carrera 4 convertible)

When I got the return line from Germany, it was about six feet long and it had several 90 degree angles on it. I followed the old line from the engine to the bottom of the car and I saw that there was no way I could have replaced it. The line had to go under about 5 other lines on the frame and I could not loosen the lines enough to get the long fuel line it. It didn't help that I could only get my car about a foot off the ground. I ended up cutting the end piece off that was broken and doing the same to the new piece. Then I went to a hardware store to get a brass pressure attachment. I also saw online that you can get a "fuel line fix kit" for about $150-$200. I guess I could have done that too and it had several other parts I could have used if I ever had a problem again. But the fuel line was $110 so it came out a little less.

I recommend everybody to detach the two fuel lines that are near the bottom of your coolant tank, if you ever need to replace it. The coolant tank is in a tight spot and it's easy to ruin those lines while you are twisting it out of there.