Series 3 fuel line

[gldonahoe]

My S3 FHC incorporates a -4 stainless braided AN fuel line installed many years ago. It has now started to leak and must be replaced. It runs along the underside of the top of the drive shaft tunnel and is held in place by an Adel clamp at approximately the mid-point. My guess is that this fuel line/clamp arrangement was installed when the body was off the chassis. I have not started disassembly yet but I thought I would ask if there are any known tricks on how to remove this clamp without major surgery.

I thought the first step would be to remove the driveshaft and see if that gives me sufficient room to reach the nut holding the clamp. I don?t know if it is attached to a stud welded to the chassis or if there is a through bolt that I would need to access from the top. My plan is to keep taking parts off until I succeed in removing the clamp or at least getting the old fuel line removed from the tunnel; I hope it does not require removing the chassis from the body. In the end I want it to be a sanitary installation and I will do whatever is required to accomplish that.

Any advice that can be offered would be greatly appreciated.

[oldelanman]

If your clip uses the original hole in the chassis it is just rearwards of the propshaft front U/J and there is a large access hole for that through the RH side of the transmission tunnel. If you remove the driver's seat (assuming RHD) and pull back the carpet you should find a large rubber grommet - you might get at the clip through there.

I believe some have been able to replace the fuel line without removing the clips at all by attaching the new line to the old and simply pulling it through...may not work with your braided line though. If your clip is the rubber lined type you may still be able to use that method by pulling out the rubber lining from the clip to give you some clearance........getting the rubber back in afterwards may be a whole new challenge though !

[gldonahoe]

Great information, thanks so much. Mine is LHD so I will try removing the passenger seat. I had know idea there would be an access hole in the body. I'll give it a go.