VR6 fuel lines, information needed please!!

[Westie 10]

So as with many other VR6 engines, my Corrado VR6 has an intermittent fuel leak, which after some looking around the rubber hoses at the side of the engine are the likely suspect, even though I see no obvious splits or leaks atm.

 

Anyway my question is, what's the purpose of the clearer plastic fuel line that runs with the fuel feed and return lines?? As mine terminates at the hole in the chassis underneath the air filter box and I'm just wondering if either its meant to be fitted to something or whether I can be rid of it all together??

 

Many thanks for any wisdom

[Jim Bowen 1]

Its a breather line and normally runs to the charcoal cannister. Which some people seem to remove

[Westie 10]

Ah ok thanks Jim. I'm guessing then that there's another hose that comes off the carbon canister and goes up towards the PCV valve and throttle body?? Because there's another hose in the same area that the breather line terminates that's been blanked off at the end.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Yeah, exactly that, it goes to a little blue purge valve mounted (i think thats the name) and then back into throttle body.

[Westie 10]

Ah nice one, thanks Jim. I actually looked up the carbon canister after you mentioned it and stumbled across a forum thread about it and the hoses connected too.

Might see if I can delete the purge valve altogether and blank off it's delivery hose to the throttle body too. It's been blanked where it would have connected to the canister anyway, so losing the valve too should clean things up in the bay a little.

[Brunty's Dad 10]

Help again please guys. I set off on a 10 mile journey today with half a tank of fuel. Part way, there was a faint smell of fuel and by the time I reached Aldi car park the gauge was reading empty and a strong smell of fuel. Called the rescue service and on inspection I was told that a fuel line about midships had split (Plastic line with unions?) It must be the return line, is there an off the shelf replacement available or should I look at breakers?

[VEEDUBBED 0]

Find the actual split in the line and cut out the damaged bit, grab a metal barbed hose joiner, heat the pipe with a hair drier and not an open flame, for obvious reasons.. and repair the line.

You have an idea the amount of work involved changing the entire nylon line??

Quite rare for them to split though, if I had to change the whole line I'd go braided metal pipe, like I did on my Corrado many moons ago.

[Jim Bowen 1]

From the tank to fuel filter its rubber hoses, and these have the unions on them. Then underneath the car you have the three plastic lines which run to the engine bay, then they go back to rubber lines in the side of the head. They do disappear in to a channel in the floorplan. I noticed mine had the remains of some foam at that point, but had perished away to dust, so i added new foam. But i could see the plastic lines could rub there, that's about midway down the car.

 

I recall someone saying the golf vr6 lines are the same, but not sure about it. Or you could replace with a cupronickel pipe. But that might be fiddly without the right tools