Date:         Tue, 4 May 1999 21:49:31 EDT
Reply-To:     KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject:      How-To Fuel Line Replacement 1.9l Vanagon (Long)
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Finally did the fuel line replacement in the engine compartment on customer's
'85 Vanagon.
Aproximate time: 2 1/2 to 4 hours (depending on skill level)
Materials needed:
At least 10 ft of high pressure fuel line (smooth exterior with braiding in
cross section. $7 a meter for German line from me)
20 #15 rolled edge clamps (I used ABA stainless clamps really nice! $1.50
each from me)
Tools needed:
7mm socket and ratchet and/or nut driver
Flat head screw driver (for prying or tightening clamp in hard to reach place)
Stanley utility knife (or other really sharp knife X-Acto etc.)
Hacksaw blade (or Dremel tool)
Pliers with cutters (I used horseshoe nail pliers)
CAUTION: No smoking or open flames as you will be spilling some gas.  I would
also allow the engine to cool down before doing this one.
CAUTION: You will be spilling gas so if you don't want it to slop on your
driveway etc have a small glass jar, etc to catch it in.
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal
2. Spray all old FI clamps with WD-40 or equivalent.
3. Start with one of the fuel rail supply lines on one side.  Untighten the
clamp and carefully pull the line loose.  Have your jar ready to catch gas.
You may have to cut the line off of the fuel rail with a slit.  Be gentle and
try not to put any side loads on the plastic fuel rail teets as they may
break.
4. Disconnect both supply lines on that fuel rail.
5. Disconnect both short inner lines and set the fuel rail to the side. (Be
sure you keep it facing the same way you took it off so you can reinstall it
easily).
6. Cut the fuel lines off of the injectors right at the metal sleeves.
7. Unplug the electrical connections on the injectors being sure to mark them
for proper reinstallation.
8. Using your hacksaw blade (or your Dremel tool) cut a slot (or two) in the
metal sleeve on the injector and remove the cut sleeve (I tried to remove the
hose from the sleeve to reuse it as some folks recommended but after messing
up my knife and wasting 30 mins I gave up).  Be sure you don't cut into the
plastic injector body.
NOTE: Now is a great time to replace injector seals and/or sand the steel
part of your injector body (if rusty) and paint it.
9. Using your old lines as a guide cut new short lines.
10. Lubricate injector teets with WD-40 or silicon lubricant and push and
turn short lines back on injectors.
11. Slide on your clamp for the injector short line nearest the front of the
van and tighten it with the open side of the clamp pointing down.
12. Slide the clamp on the other injector short line and repeat last
instruction.
13. Now slide one clamp on each short line and reinstall the fuel rail (be
sure that your clamps are all facing the same direction so that you won't
have then hitting up against each other.
14. Using the old hose as a guide replace the line from the pressure
accumulator to the fuel rail and install clamps.
15. Repeat this proceedure on the opposite side.
16. Systematically tighten all clamps.
Note: When tightening clamps allow at least 1/16" of hose to protrude past
the clamp and feel on the other side of the clamp to be sure you are clamping
before you get to the bulge in the fitting.  The clamps that I sell are idiot
proof in a way since you merely tighten them down until you can't tighten
them any more and then they are tight enough.  A worm drive clamp would allow
over-tightening and thus would cut into the line.
17. Unfasten the clamp at the firewall on the fuel supply line that runs
under the intake setup (may need to cut/break the crimp on clamp at this
connection).
18. Pull out the "T" fuel distributor and the three fuel lines connected to
it (one that you just disconnected from the fire wall and the other two
attach to the fuel rails- that's why I haven't told you to replace those yet!)
19. Replace these three fuel lines by measuring them and cutting and
replacing old clamps with new ones back onto the "T" distributor.  Also be
sure to replace the fuel line covers on all lines that originally had them.
20. Thread the three lines back to thier former locations and clamp them (two
go to the fuel rails and the other to the firewall).
21. Replace the fuel supply line above the intake setup (attaches to the fuel
pressure accumulator).  This one can be tricky to remove as it has a clamp
above the tranny onto a plastic line.  This clamp was a crimp one that I had
to cut off with the pliers.
22. Allow any excess fuel that might have dribbled onto your motor to dry up
(or clean it off).
23. Plug your electrical connections back on your injectors.
24. Reattach your battery ground strap.
Now you are done.
Note: I cut slits in most lines to allow easy removal from fittings as the
old lines have a set to them and are difficult to remove.
 Here are my line measurements in case you are interested:
22" passenger side (PS) from accumulator to fuel rail
17 5/8" PS from "T" to fuel rail
1 1/2" PS short line on injectors
19 1/2" driver's side (DS) from "T" to fuel rail
18 3/4" Center- firewall to "T". Below intake setup.
17" DS from accumulator to fuel rail
15 3/4"- Center firewall to accumulator. Above intake setup.
Total 117 1/8" Getting three and a half meters would be advisable.  You could
always get 4 meters as I haven't started replacing the lines under the van
yet!
Hope this helps.
Ken Wilford
http://www.vanagain.com
John 3:16
PS Any input is welcome on this one.