88 Carrera do I have to remove Intake to Replace Fuel Line?

porschzilla · porschzilla's Garage

Hi All,

I have seen some posts on the dreaded fuel leak. But I still haven't seen how to remove the original fuel line from the 2 fuel rails that has a metal T line that goes to the front of the motor and has an L line to the fuel filter. I bought an OEM replacement line and I am hoping that there is a way to do an R&R without having to remove the intake. The front mounting bracket on the line is long and there doesn't seem to be room to slide it under the intake.
I removed the air box, blower motor and the air flow meter so the whole intake is exposed and I can reach the front of the motor (towards the front of the car).
Please let me know what to do here.

Thanks
Jack
1988 911 Carrera

dan88911 · 02-13-2009, 12:36 AM

I just removed mine this past week. I read all of the threads posted on this task. After wrestling with the line for a few days trying to get that J shape section out I end up having to reach in and hacksaw it in the back just before the 90 degree turn. Still couldn't get it out so I reached in with side cutters and cut it just past the 90. That took care of everything from the filter to that point. The last 4 to6 inches to the T under the intake has a slight curve to it , so to my surprise it would not exit from under the intake plus the plastic shroud over the fan just would not allow it to come out. So I hacksaw again, oh yeah the blade was in one those single hand frame holder things. Had cut to at an angle but I got it out. What a pia. I took it along with some pictures from some of the earlier threads to a local hose shop. The guy make one for me, 267.00 bucks. I would have preferred the oem I just didn't want to spend the cash on the engine drop and intake removal which from what it seems you have to do to install a oem. Well good luck I plan to post some pictures after I get this replacement line in.

sjf911 · sjf911's Garage

It is very simple to do with the intake off.

rick-l · 02-13-2009, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjf911

It is very simple to do with the intake off.

I removed the drivers side intake.

The hard part is cleaning the cylinder head where the intake manifold gasket has cooked on for twenty years way back in there. It might have been easier to drop the engine and not disturb that stuff.

masraum · 02-13-2009, 07:12 AM

You don't have to, but it's a major pain in the butt if you don't. It's probably faster and easier to remove the intake than it is to try to get it off otherwise.

porschzilla · porschzilla's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum

You don't have to, but it's a major pain in the butt if you don't. It's probably faster and easier to remove the intake than it is to try to get it off otherwise.

Steve,

Can you please give me a small breakdown of how you did it? I don't want to upset the motor by taking off the intake. (I never did a Porsche. Me/Be, Jags, GM, Ford etc-yes)
The car I bought new and it only has 14,900 original miles on it.
I am sure that it would be easier to remove the intake and replace the line but you know how it is doing something the first time.

Thanks
Jack

BReyes · BReyes's Garage

When I replaced 3.2 fuel lines I went with stainless (there was one very expensive OEM piece that I later replaced as well). Dave White "lowered" the motor by removing the rear motor mounts to allow better access to the motor. Easy to lower down and get in there better.

Regards,

mthomas58 · 02-13-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschzilla

Steve,

Can you please give me a small breakdown of how you did it? I don't want to upset the motor by taking off the intake. (I never did a Porsche. Me/Be, Jags, GM, Ford etc-yes)
The car I bought new and it only has 14,900 original miles on it.
I am sure that it would be easier to remove the intake and replace the line but you know how it is doing something the first time.

Thanks
Jack

You might try here. Orig poster states that he was able to remove the lines and was going to follow-up with details and pics but never did.....

'87 Fuel Line replacement

sjf911 · sjf911's Garage

I think you are underestimating how difficult this is without removing the intake and how easy it is with removal. Removing the intake is relatively easy and affords you the opportunity to replace your oil pressure sender switch, thermostat O-ring, and other preventive maintenance items.

jwetering · jwetering's Garage

We did this a few years back on an 88 clubsport with no AC and a heater backdate. It was painful even *after* the intake was off. IMHO There is no way to do a clean job on this with the intake installed.

porschzilla · porschzilla's Garage

I am going to try to do it without an intake removal.
All that I have is time................
It is Friday and I can't even get the gaskets till Monday so.................................
Was it pulled out and put in from the tranny side or the rear side?

Thanks
Jack

jwetering · jwetering's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschzilla

I am going to try to do it without an intake removal.
All that I have is time................
It is Friday and I can't even get the gaskets till Monday so.................................
Was it pulled out and put in from the tranny side or the rear side?

Thanks
Jack

Good luck with that....erm with a positive attitude like that you may be able to do it without even opening the engine lid or crawling underneath the car!

porschzilla · porschzilla's Garage

I will take Rick's advice and lift the drivers side intake, as I can't do it without opening the hood or going under as Jasper recommended.
Yes, I have a lot of time as there is no work, so I have to save on labor and do this solo.
It is time to learn Porsche.

Thanks
Jack

jwetering · jwetering's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschzilla

I will take Rick's advice and lift the drivers side intake, as I can't do it without opening the hood or going under as Jasper recommended.
Yes, I have a lot of time as there is no work, so I have to save on labor and do this solo.
It is time to learn Porsche.

Thanks
Jack

I was just joshing earlier...if you have the time then I'd recommend taking the intake off even more. The job becomes more time consuming, but *oh* so much easier. We tried to do it without taking the intake off at first and it was not going to happen without breaking something. Plus you can also take the time to clean up your throttle body and maybe replace some other small worn bits.

Good luck man!

rick-l · 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschzilla

I will take Rick's advice and lift the drivers side intake, as I can't do it without opening the hood or going under as Jasper recommended.
Yes, I have a lot of time as there is no work, so I have to save on labor and do this solo.
It is time to learn Porsche.

Thanks
Jack

As I said (I did this several years ago) I did it by taking the manifold off. Having watched an engine drop I'm not sure this was the easiest way.

When I was getting ready to do this I PM'd John Walker about how to do it and he wasn't committed to one being easier than the other.

Quote:

it's a bit easier if you have the engine out, but then you have to take the engine out first. it's doable in the car, but a bit of a pain to get at all the stuff that's in the way. jw

On the other hand I wouldn't have found the dry cracked manifold gasket if I had dropped the engine.

p.s. From your low post count you must be new on the list but if John Walker had told me the easiest way was to stand the car on end that is the way I would have done it.

john walker's workshop · 02-13-2009, 03:20 PM

engine removal will get you the cleanest and easiest to access job. you don't need to remove the intake that way. i've done it several times without removing the intake with the engine in the car but it's a pain dealing with the bend in the line where it attaches in the center and where it bolts to the left front area. i've straightened the bend somewhat and rebent it after sliding the line into the center area so it can veer left. removing the airfow meter helps. removing the throttle housing helps more. lowering the engine helps even more. never removed the intake though.

porschzilla · porschzilla's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwetering

I was just joshing earlier...if you have the time then I'd recommend taking the intake off even more. The job becomes more time consuming, but *oh* so much easier. We tried to do it without taking the intake off at first and it was not going to happen without breaking something. Plus you can also take the time to clean up your throttle body and maybe replace some other small worn bits.

Good luck man!

Jasper,

I play back harder, I learned that playing hockey.

I took off all of the nuts on the drivers side intake and as I did without lifting it I managed to get the fuel line out from motor front. I managed to get the new line in from motor back (bumper side). I got the bolt on facing me and my light died. I might have to bend the front pipe a bit as it is tight to the filter and i cannot get the hole aligned up. I guess that I can put the intake washers and nuts back on and tighten up without new gaskets. (I did get 12 new gaskets). The new line that goes across the front of the motor is either 1/8 inch too short or i will fight and when I tighten it up it will close. My throttle is like new, remember I only have 14,900 miles on it. Everything is wearing from age not usage. I did manage to pull out the 2 black thin lines and I gather that these are the vacuum lines and each one goes to the top of the controls on the fuel rails that the line that I am replacing is attached to.
Thanks for the help.
I should have taken pix as I have a lot of parts that I removed to do this. I did notice that on the drivers side, on the middle of the motor there is a 3 plug mount. all 3 on the inside the wire insulation has cracked off. I will have to tape it and rewire it in the future.
A Porsche is a strange toy to work on. Not like the rest of my toys. Next I have to do the brakes as they are sticking and from the calipers not returning they are boiling and I lost my pedal. It is all from not using the car.
Tomorrow I hope to put the motor back together.
When I am done with the lines can I just turn on the key to see if there are any fuel leaks or must the motor be running for that?

Thanks
Jack

1988 911 Carrera Cabrio
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