fuel pressure accumulator: required?

[Paul Hill]

I just diagnosed a fuel leak on my 1986 5000 CSTQ to the fitting on the
accumulator in the supply line just in front of the right rear wheel. I
ended up cutting the supply line to the accumulator just before it and
adding a piece of quarter inch rubber hose directly to the metal fitting
that connects to the line running forward to feed the fuel filter in the
engine compartment.
First, what is the potential  consequence of removing the accumulator from
the circuit?
Second, anyone found a reliable way to terminate the hard plastic pipe Audi
uses? I tried barbed fittings, but 1/4 inch was too big and 3/16 was too
small. The tube does not stretch at all to accommodate an internal fitting
(I don't know how it's done in the factory, it looks like heat shrink). I
tried boiling water and a heat gun, but the tube does not soften. In the
end I forced the 1/4 inch rubber tube over the top of the plastic tube and
added a hose clamp but I'm not that confident about this solution.
Third, what pressure is this system working at?

Thanks,
	Paul