Replacing vacuum lines

[Stefan]

I have a 1999 Boxster with a 3.4L Carrera engine. When working on something else I acidentally broke one of the vacuum lines. I went to the local auto parts stores to get a replacement and they only had the soft lines. I used the broken pieces of the hard lines as connectors and connected the soft lines. I consider this only a temporary solution. The (old) hard lines are clearly brittle from age so I am thinking of replacing them.

So I have some questions:

(1) Is there a reason to use hard lines as opposed to soft lines? The soft ones are certainly much easier to deal with. They easily can be bent around corners and cut to any length.

(2) What size are the hard lines?

(3) Do auto parts stores carry the hard lines in the "Porsche" size?

(4) Do you heat the hard lines up and bend them or do you have to get ones that are pre-bent?

[wvicary]

I have a 1999 Boxster with a 3.4L Carrera engine. When working on something else I acidentally broke one of the vacuum lines. I went to the local auto parts stores to get a replacement and they only had the soft lines. I used the broken pieces of the hard lines as connectors and connected the soft lines. I consider this only a temporary solution. The (old) hard lines are clearly brittle from age so I am thinking of replacing them.

So I have some questions:

(1) Is there a reason to use hard lines as opposed to soft lines? The soft ones are certainly much easier to deal with. They easily can be bent around corners and cut to any length.

(2) What size are the hard lines?

(3) Do auto parts stores carry the hard lines in the "Porsche" size?

(4) Do you heat the hard lines up and bend them or do you have to get ones that are pre-bent?

I've used the same repair technique and have never had a problem.

Edited November 12, 2007 by wvicary

[PTEC]

If I have to replace vacuum line I always replace it with the soft stuff. Its much easier to work with and in the future it wont be so brittle. I have no idea why they used the hard stuff in the first place. Just go to autozone or where ever and get the soft stuff in the same inner diameter, I think its 1/8".

[Hurdigurdiman]

you might laugh but fish tank air line is the exact fit. It's soft enough the bend around places and cut to length longer for easier movement.  It tightly goes over the existing brittle parts of the evap system behind the alternator.  Some say that gas fumes may rot the fish tank line but it is real hardy stuff.

[Ahsai]

I strongly prefer the OE hard lines because they are light, strong, and take up much less space than the soft stuff.

Check out this thread (for a 996, no Boxster but same principle)

 

http://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/849770-mkii-996-vacuum-line-routing-and-related-components.html