1990 L98 Engine Vacuum Line Kit?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 39
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1990 L98 Engine Vacuum Line Kit?
Hi,
I am finishing up my intake manifold re-seal on my 1990 Corvette and I am in need of a few vacuum lines.
It seems that every vac line I touched on the manifold assembly broke when either removing, or reinstalling them.
I did a search of the web and didn't find any "kits", only generic vac lines and "t's".
Does anyone know of replacement OEM style prebent vac lines?
Thanks,
Tim in Mass
I am finishing up my intake manifold re-seal on my 1990 Corvette and I am in need of a few vacuum lines.
It seems that every vac line I touched on the manifold assembly broke when either removing, or reinstalling them.
I did a search of the web and didn't find any "kits", only generic vac lines and "t's".
Does anyone know of replacement OEM style prebent vac lines?
Thanks,
Tim in Mass
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 384
From: Northern California
Some of the vacuum lines were made as pre-formed / pre-bent harnesses by GM, such as the famous EGR solenoid / EGR valve vacuum lines which are crazy bent to shape from the factory. But those are long gone from GM spares inventories as many people here have needed them over the years and haven't found any in a long time. Other lines are mostly straight tubing that is bent to shape only where needed.
You can, however, get rubber or silicone vacuum lines that will slide over the hard plastic and connect them back up where they broke. This is what most of us do. Any Napa will have that.
I've been lucky enough to keep all of mine intact except for that EGR harness, which broke at the Y connector but then I was able to repair it back to original. I was lucky, but probably won't be that lucky again.
So I ordered up some replacement black plastic tubing from McMaster-Carr. It comes in multiple diameters, and I got the two most likely to work. When needed, it can be bent to shape using a heat gun carefully. Here are the part numbers and descriptions:
Hard Nylon Plastic Tubing for Air and Water
Opaque Black, 7/64" ID, 5/32" OD, 25 ft. Length
5548K82
Hard Nylon Plastic Tubing for Air and Water
Opaque Black, 9/64" ID, 3/16" OD, 25 ft. Length
5548K83
You can, however, get rubber or silicone vacuum lines that will slide over the hard plastic and connect them back up where they broke. This is what most of us do. Any Napa will have that.
I've been lucky enough to keep all of mine intact except for that EGR harness, which broke at the Y connector but then I was able to repair it back to original. I was lucky, but probably won't be that lucky again.
So I ordered up some replacement black plastic tubing from McMaster-Carr. It comes in multiple diameters, and I got the two most likely to work. When needed, it can be bent to shape using a heat gun carefully. Here are the part numbers and descriptions:
Hard Nylon Plastic Tubing for Air and Water
Opaque Black, 7/64" ID, 5/32" OD, 25 ft. Length
5548K82
Hard Nylon Plastic Tubing for Air and Water
Opaque Black, 9/64" ID, 3/16" OD, 25 ft. Length
5548K83
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
I've always thought that if you wanted you could actually use high quality 'heat shrink' to reinforce/mend the hard nylon tubing. I've done this for very few through the years but it would seem pretty straight forward. Specialty 90° soft and straight are difficult finds these days, the generics ain't pretty.
Drifting
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,663
Likes: 702
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, metro area
I just used rubber vacuum line to replace all the lines under my hood. I ended using two sizes, but forget which two.
I pushed the rubber line over the hard line in the wiring harness going through the firewall.
Been doing fine for over a year now.
I pushed the rubber line over the hard line in the wiring harness going through the firewall.
Been doing fine for over a year now.
