Heater hoses firewall oval cover plate fighting with brake lines

[Bmachine]

As I was re-connecting the coolant hoses to the heater core through the firewall, I noticed that the oval metal "cover" that goes around them cannot fit cleanly against the firewall because the brake lines are in the same space. So I went back to old photos of when I took the engine out and I noticed that even then, that oval plate was pressed on top of the brake lines as well as the blue fuel vapor tube. That must have been done by someone in a previous life since I am sure it would not have left the factory like that. No wonder water gets inside these cars.

When you look at the photos of the cleaned bay with brake lines removed you clearly see that if you imagine those lines secured in the metal clips on the firewall to each side, they go right over the top of the opening for the heater hoses. This makes it very difficult to install the oval plate snugly against the firewall. The rigid metal brake lines really do not want to be pushed upward to let the oval plate fit and, obviously, I don't want to force them and risk putting a kink in them.

Is there any trick to make this work?

Thank you

Bo

 

[bluecoupe30!]

I thought there was an oval foam piece that fit inside the cupped side of the oval piece, and was pressed against the firewall. Then the rubber heater hoses forced this assembly firm against the firewall. Perhaps the foam allows the brake lines to fit.
In your photo above, left, it is my understanding, the oval metal plate should be turned around, but a foam piece fits inside. I think this is what allows the brake lines to remain unaffected. Perhaps someone with a "before" photo can chime in.

 

[HB Chris]

Bo, It isn’t going to fit tightly, just move vapor hose upwards, mine is below the brake lines. Where is the oval foam piece?

 

[Bmachine]

Bo, It isn’t going to fit tightly, just move vapor hose upwards, mine is below the brake lines. Where is the oval foam piece?

View attachment 137564

Yes, it looks like in your photo the blue vapor line is also stuck between the firewall in the metal cover. I’m sure that it is not supposed to. That would allow water to come inside the footwell. But at least in your case it looks like the two solid brake lines are pushed above it. Are they fitting inside the two firewall clips several inches to the left and right of the hole?

The oval foam piece fits inside the oval metal cover. So you wouldn’t see it from this angle.

 

[Bmachine]

Here is the foam piece. It fits inside the metal cover. Number 12 and number 11 are from the realOEM diagram. You can see at the bottom of that foam piece the imprint of the two brake lines. I am sure that they should not have been squeezed in there. They should be above like in Chris’s photo. But if I push them above they won’t fit in their clips on the firewall

 

[HB Chris]

My vapor hose can easily be moved up, I haven’t tackled anything there yet. Brake lines are in their clips. Don’t obsess over a loose fitting cover here, I certainly don’t.

 

[Bmachine]

I believe @sfdon would say to get rid of that blue hose and vent the tank out the back (with the proper valve which is available from WN) like on the euro cars.

 

[HB Chris]

Vent it like it was designed and you will have less fuel smell in your garage.

 

[Ohmess]

I believe @sfdon would say to get rid of that blue hose and vent the tank out the back (with the proper valve which is available from WN) like on the euro cars.

I moved my vent hose out of the way and pressed the oval cover tight against the firewall. I have also routed my vent hose through the trunk floor as per the European design. I do get a bit of fuel smell in the garage, but the Webers are not tightly sealed, so I'm not sure that the trunk hose is the source of the smell.