Disaster strikes

C

corsachili

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I have been working on putting the CSL together for three straight days now. Fuel injector problems aside I'd hoped to have her running today. I opened up the intake manifolds 1 mm to accept the larger caps on my injectors (figuring that if this didn't work, intake manifolds are neither rare nor expensive) and proceeded on. I was down to the last few items. The harness was in, the radiator and hoses were connected, and all that was left was to finish the brake lines and bleed the hydraulics.

That's when I figured out that the hard lines from the front right wheel were not long enough to reach the brake MC. I stared in disbelief. I blinked, hoping it was all a bad dream and opened my eyes again. There they were, about 4 inches too short, mocking me.

I cannot believe this. I measured the old lines, used them as a pattern to bend the new ones, and installed them as efficiently as I could. There is virtually no areas where there is wasted line, it fits tightly and neatly against the firewall and fender wells but for one small area (certainly not enough to make up 4 inches. My big mistake was not assembling the brake booster and MC to make sure they fit before I proceeded. This was my fatal error for the brake lines are installed underneath the firewall insulation (two layers). Removing it and them will be a major hassle, and I may end up ruining what was a decent looking engine bay. If that doesn't work I have no other option but to remove the engine again, pull all the firewall insulation, and start over. This thought is more that I can bear so I've decided to drink Ketel One and Tonic and imagine that no matter how bad my heartbreak, it's not nearly as dear as that suffered by Marco Andretti today.

Sigh................
 
Leeson one..

Always check the fir before gluing the firewall pad in place..

I feel for you brother..

Is there any way you can slit the insulation and excise the lines? That or make new brackets at the other end and use longer hoses?

S
 
TJ,

You may not be pooched, here. The Front Right lines are not supposed to run along the fender, but actually about 3+" away from it to clear AC hoses. This might explain why your perfectly patterned lines are not working. I hope this helps. My Bav is also tubed exactly the same way.

P4140125.jpg
 
Aha! This is most interesting! I might be able to pull the lines through if I change the bend so that it's like your picture. Thanks so much for this, it's most helpful.

Hope still exists!
 
Do not tamper with your firewall insulation. why not just add 1 or 2 new lengths of brake line about 4+ (or as needed) inches in length to each brake line? An extra connection or two will not create a problem as the lines/connections rarely leak when correctly tightened.
 
Brake lines

jrcalvin said:
Do not tamper with your firewall insulation. why not just add 1 or 2 new lengths of brake line about 4+ (or as needed) inches in length to each brake line? An extra connection or two will not create a problem as the lines/connections rarely leak when correctly tightened.
Click to expand...

I agree. If the new routing of the lines doesn't solve the problem, just add a small piece to make up the difference. You can paint it pink and attach little flashing LED's so no one notices.

Dan
 
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