Name the mystery hose

What is the hose in the picture marked red? How long would it take to replace with the coolant tank out? My coolant tank leaked on me tonight and while surveying the damage, I found the end of the hose cracked. I've zip-tied VERY temporarily, but need an idea of what it is and how long it should take to replace, to know what I'm talking about when negotiating with the dealer. Thanks, Joe

I think its a part of the AOS breather system. Does it ultimatly wind up at the base of the throttle body?

Nope. It appears that both ends of the line run to the front of the engine compartment. One guess I received was a fuel return line.... thoughts?

Im thinking that is coolant, it is used to cool down the gases that goes through the AOS before it is pulled into the intake...

The line next to the cap goes to the oil cooler. The one below that goes to the AOS into the small LH coolant hose T. The one in the mid upper right goes to the brake booster. The one just below that goes from the AOS to the T/B. The one he has highlighted looks to me like a fuel return (or send?) line, but I could be wrong, does fuel come out of it if you clip your tie wrap and put your finger in there?

Clipped the zip tie and tried to disconnect line but it was not cooperating. It seems to have a permanent connection to the elbow and the elbow 'looks' like it is a compression fitting on to the metal line. Snapped another photo. The rubber portion is clipped to the side of the coolant expansion tank, runs towards the front of the car, then up over the manifold. The metal line. The metal line is clipped to the top of the compartment and runs straight forward to the front of the car, where I lose it at a second clip.

Sorry, unfamiliar with that line. Do you have a tiptronic?

6-speed While this is a pic of a 3.4L motor, I believe the line that runs over the intake manifold is the same as one of the two I've circled in the bottom right.

Download the PET file probably named 996_USA_KATALOG.pdf then you can look up all your parts with diagrams.

The service manuals list that as a Fuel Return line.

I tried to come up with something for ya and think this might help, http://www.freedrive.com/file/191499,e_996_katalog.pdf you can download catalog. Go to page 39 and look at item 5 in diagram. to me that looks like the part you have a split in. 996-106-723-02 is the part number. or go to autoatlanta.com and do a search for the part and you can view the diagram etc.... if you go to pelican parts and do a search for that part number it's going to have a superseded to number 99610672305 Hope this helps ya some.

even money on fuel return line

Hard for me to see but it could be the fuel return line. My 2001 runs fuel through a heat exchanger at the back of the ac compressor to cool the fuel before it is returned to the tank. These fuel lines are part of that bundle

Man you guys chimed in fast... I added a pic to my last post showing how I think the line crosses over the top of the intake manifold. Looking through the PET catalogue, those elbows seem prevalent in fuel lines, not water lines. If I had to guess based on the diagrams, I'd say it's a fuel vent line 996 201 361 01 (page 61/605). Thoughts? I really appreciate the efforts guys.

Could be fuel air vent lines. He's in Canada, so could be ORVR for fuel. For an 02... Best guess hard line 99611031555. Soft line 99620136103.

The car is a US car. So if it is the fuel vent line, I guess we'll have to drop the motor to replace... 4 hours labor. Can you cut the line and replace the affected section by splicing it to the existing line? Or is that unsafe?

Quotes source post: 8767929

I think US has ORVR too, but not certain. In any case I'm not sure how safe splicing would be, you would have to be certain it is leak free and get a hose coupler and hose that is rated for fuel. Without splicing, yes I think you are looking at the very least lowering the engine a little to gain better access, as I'm not sure you could thread those lines through without doing so. Might not have to completely drop the engine though. There are a few things I don't personally mess with on any car and have to submit to the professionals. 1.) Air conditioning gas. 2.) Fuel systems aside from replacing a pump or disconnecting/reconnecting lines that were meant to be. 3.) Insides of transmissions.

Look up any of the Porsches here. I posted the listing page instead of a direct link since some sites don't like posters of direct links. Not that I care though You might want to watch out for non USA catalogs being different. The page has a catalog for remanufactured parts at the bottom. http://www.pcars.com/porsche_parts/model_catalogs/

Is the line leaking? I think that the "hose" is just some kind of protector to the real line. Check if the cracked part is just a heatshield, and then make the desision if it needs to be replaced.

Retired mechanic friend of mine said it would just be rubber hose and suggested using Seal-All and the zip-tie as a semi-permanent fix. When the motor gets dropped for something else, replace this line as well. Anyone have experience with Seal-All? http://eclecticproducts.com/sealall.htm

3.4 engines have a fuel return line. 3.6 engines don't, one of the differences that has to be addressed when trying to upgrade. So it can't be a fuel return line if the car is a 3.6. Could be a vent line though.

Dropped the car off at the dealership for a new coolant expansion tank and asked them to ID the line and figure out if it needs to be replaced. Didn't have time for an in-depth discussion when I picked it up, but to summarize... 1) It is a fuel line (I didn't get the part number) 2) The part splitting is a rubber sheath protecting the fuel line 3) The fuel line was borescoped and found to be in perfect condition. 4) The car is safe to drive as-is I've filled the splits with Seal-All and zip-tied for reinforcement. Thanks for all the input.

Its good to be right...