I have some significant oil leakage, and I think most of it is from this tube. I understand that it's rubber and I believe I've heard that it can be replaced in-situ; without removing the head (I don't want to do that!).
I gave it a little squeeze with some Channel-lock pliers and it does seem to be rather flexible. If I warm it up with a heat gun and pull it out, can I re-install it after cleaning things up with some degreaser, using a little bead RTV?
Any first-hand experience or advice would be appreciated. Maybe I should go with a new one; God knows how old this is.
-Vince
Ahhh....the infernal return tube. Just did mine a month or so ago...it's a messy and icky job, no matter how you slice it. Couple pointers from my experience:
1. Replacements are cheap from the usual suspects. Can't go wrong with just pulling the old one out and sliding in a new one.
2. Pull the old one out. Grab it with your channel locs and pull. Then get up in there with a rag and some lacquer thinner and clean off both mating surfaces of old RTV.
3. Put the new tube in a pan of water and boil it for 10-15 minutes. Yes, boil it. You want to soften the thing so it will be more pliable. A heat gun will be too aggressive. When cool, or right out of the package, it's stiff. Trust me. Boil it, then bring the pan with the hot water and the tube into your garage.
4. Head and block clean? Great. Take the tube out of the water (it will stay pliable for about 10 minutes), dry off, and apply a bead of high-temp RTV to the base of both ends where the flange meets the part that inserts into the holes.
5. Insert the top serrated portion into the head, then, using a thin (thickness) putty knife as a compression tool, lift up on the lower serrated end and slide the tube to its location, holding it in place (it takes some muscle...), slide out the shim and finagle the hose into the lower hole on the fuel pump mount area.
6. Take your channel locs and gently rotate the tube to evenly spread the RTV to seal (a quarter turn should be more than you need).
7. Let the RTV set per the package.
8. Clean up what gets squeezed out by smoothing around the perimeter of the exposed flange before it sets up. Lacquer thinner works fine. Clean your hands, too, because it is messy.
Did mine, used the 500 degree red RTV, and it's not leaked since (I have a weep from the head/block joint back there, but that's another issue). This is how I did it, from memory; others may chime in with other ways. Pick what seems to make the most sense...and good luck...
