Colored Plastic Vacuum Lines

[NeilV]

Has anyone found a good source for the colored plastic vacuum lines that go to the in-dash HVAC/Defroster? The ones in my 2001 Winnebago Adventurer have started to split lengthwise and are turning to powder. I believe I will need long lengths of at least red, blue, green and yellow of these thin hard plastic lines which no local parts store I have been to yet has ever seen before.

[subford]

You might give EVENS a call and see if they can send you some.
- Phone 616-361-2681

[mel s]

Originally Posted by NeilV

Has anyone found a good source for the colored plastic vacuum lines that go to the in-dash HVAC/Defroster? The ones in my 2001 Winnebago Adventurer have started to split lengthwise and are turning to powder. I believe I will need long lengths of at least red, blue, green and yellow of these thin hard plastic lines which no local parts store I have been to yet has ever seen before.

NeilV
Most auto part stores sell thin hard plastic black vacuum hose by the foot.
You don't need different colors to operate your heater/dash air vent doors...

BTW, even soft black vacuum hose works, (as does clear aquarium air hose).

Mel
'96 Safari

[Tom N]

Originally Posted by mel s

NeilV
Most auto part stores sell small black vacuum hose by the foot.
You don't need diferent colors to operate your heater/dash air vent doors.
Mel
'96 Safari

You do have to be careful you do not use hose that will collapse under a vacuum.

[NeilV]

When I said the no local parts stores I have been to carry this line that included all colors including plain black or clear. I brought the sample that broke off in my fingers the moment I touched it with me and they just stare and say they have never see that before.


On the Ford forums I see that many people have had to make do with something else do to the lack of availability of the automotive grade product even though Ford has been using it for some years in everything from Bronco's to Mustangs.

[LVJ58]

If you can't find the colored lines, I would get clear lines of the same diameter then get some paint of each color involved to dab on each end of the line where it makes it's connection.

Just a suggestion...good luck

[mel s]

Originally Posted by NeilV

When I said the no local parts stores I have been to carry this line that included all colors including plain black or clear. I brought the sample that broke off in my fingers the moment I touched it with me and they just stare and say they have never see that before.
On the Ford forums I see that many people have had to make do with something else do to the lack of availability of the automotive grade product even though Ford has been using it for some years in everything from Bronco's to Mustangs.

Nearly every automaker has been using small vacuum hoses for 40-50 years.
As I said any auto parts store will have a rolls of various size "black vacuum hose" and sell it by the foot.
(If it's brittle don't buy it.... go to a different store)
Mel
'96 Safari

[NeilV]

It's called 5/32" OD Hard Vacuum Tubing and 4 local stores so far have not had it in black or any other color. Full spec is Hard Polyurethane Vacuum Tubing with 5/32" OD, 3/32" ID and a .031" wall thickness.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by NeilV

It's called 5/32" OD Hard Vacuum Tubing and 4 local stores so far have not had it in black or any other color. Full spec is Hard Polyurethane Vacuum Tubing with 5/32" OD, 3/32" ID and a .031" wall thickness.

NeilV
Do you have a local NAPA Auto Parts store?
I'm pretty sure this hose will do the job: NAPA AUTO PARTS

Or this one: NAPA AUTO PARTS

Go to, (or call), any NAPA store and ask.

Mel
'96 Safari

[BFlinn181]

Since NielV provided the name, a Google 'Shopping' search brought up various suppliers:

https://www.google.com/search?q=5/32...w=1275&bih=701

You could also go to a salvage yard with a pocket knife but it might be age brittle like your sample piece.

[chboone]

For decades before manufacturers started using the hard polyurethane tubing they used black EPDM rubber vacuum hose. Just get some 5/32" ID and replace the polyurethane with it. Normally you can find good ends of the polyurethane and push the rubber hose over it. If you want to keep the color code get some electrical tape of various colors.
http://www.autozone.com/heating-and-...the-foot/4942/

[NeilV]

I was looking for a local source so I would be able to compare and verify suitability. The hard tubing makes it so tie downs are at a minimum and it can span longer distances unsupported like the blue line that comes through the dash and goes some feet across the front of the radiator over to the AC box under/in front of the passenger foot-well. I do not want to get into a situation where I will be having to modify every connection that this hard tube is inserted into to adapt it to a soft line with a transitional hard nipple.

For all that I see on-line from folks complaining about it over the years I did not expect so many major parts vendors to give you such a blank "Deer Caught in the Headlights" stare when presented with it.

I was hoping for bulk spool of white or clear and then to just tag it with some red, blue, green, yellow or black permanent markers which I already have.

WW Grainger Supply lists it in their catalog in 50 and 100 foot spools so I may need to drive on over there when I have a chance to. Its just that their local warehouse closes early and is not opened when I am not working.

BTW: I have a feeling that the damage is not just from time and heat but may be ethanol related also.

[BFlinn181]

I'd be surprised if ethanol is getting into the vacuum lines. Vacuum lines suck, not blow, and the vacuum is created by the intake manifold which doesn't have any fuel mixed in it unless your 2001 has been retro-fitted with a carburetor or throttle body injection system.
Whatever plastic tubing you buy, you'll need a short length of flexible vacuum hose to cut into unions to couple the hard plastic to the nipples on the ends. Usually it's the rubber flex hose unions that rot and split, I've not seen the hard plastic doing as you describe.

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I'd be surprised if ethanol is getting into the vacuum lines. Vacuum lines suck, not blow, and the vacuum is created by the intake manifold which doesn't have any fuel mixed in it unless your 2001 has been retro-fitted with a carburetor or throttle body injection system.
Whatever plastic tubing you buy, you'll need a short length of flexible vacuum hose to cut into unions to couple the hard plastic to the nipples on the ends. Usually it's the rubber flex hose unions that rot and split, I've not seen the hard plastic doing as you describe.

I have seen it on fuel injected motor cycles where a little bit of the back pulse in the intake allows enough ethanol vapor to migrate back into the intake to cause a problem. Many times it will dissolve a foam air filter as if the formulation of the media was not ethanol resistant.

The hard tubing is just turning to dust at this point and it appears to be doing it mainly at the seam along the length of the tube where the center die support was located in the extraction head of the machine it was made on. At first inspection it all looked good and new however when I put a vacuum pump on it I was getting zero inches of vacuum registering. Only when I touched the line to further inspect it did it start to crumble enough to see that it had gone porous over most of its length.