Question for a Gearhead
 

Hey folks,

I own a 1986 Audi Coupe GT. It's been in storage for a while and I've recently pulled it out to get it going again. The problem I have though is that there are quite a few problems with the car. It is currently not running due to a few problems.

I ran into one of the problems yesterday when I was checking out the state of the car. Since I've never really worked on a car before, I thought I'd ask some people who are more car-savvy than I am.

The fuel line from the fill cap to the tank is split/cracked. The hose is a simple rubber hose from what I can see. This is easy enough to replace. The only thing is that I fear that there may be more problems than just what I'm able to see.

Could the hose have been split from having no fuel in the line? (Dried up)
If this is the case, I was thinking that there may be some other issues with the fuel line. Would I have to check anything else for drying up or any other problems? (ie. gaskets, seals, o-rings, etc.)

Thanks for the help!

Re: Question for a Gearhead
 

Anything that is made of rubber-like material is usually used to transport liquids in vehicles. When liquids stop flowing through for a while and the hose is dry and vulnerable to the elements (even if you may have had it in storage, it may have been contrastingly warm/cold).

Usually when you put vehicles in storage you drain the gas tank to avoid it rusting, but I believe you insert some sort of chemical (saw it in a commercial) that maintains your gas tank.

I don't know much about storage of vehicles, so correct me if I'm wrong.


-Nick

Re: Question for a Gearhead
 

For sure the hose dried up and split. This is something you can repair/replace on your own. I would also check the fuel lines under the car and particularly where they are clamped to the underside. They are prone to wear at these locations and you may experience fuel leaks here as well.

Since the car has sat for a while I would certainly give it a good going over. If your not familiar with what to look for spend the money and have a good mechanic do it for you.

Re: Question for a Gearhead
 

Thanks for the input so far. I still have to get it up on some stands and go over the underside better. I'll take a look at the fuel lines once I do.

I still am worried if there is any other part of the fuel system that could have been affected.
(Fuel Filter, any gaskets or o-rings?)