[s-cars] high pressure fuel line leak help

[Varon H. Fugman]

When mine starting leaking at this location (fuel supply line driver's side
firewall) about 4 years ago on an 8 degree Wisconsin winter day, I ordered a
replacement fuel rail assembly for $300+ (why oh why did they drop the banjo
bolt that the urS4 at the front of the fuel rail?!?)

The part was supposed to take about a week to arrive, but it ended up taking
*three months*!!!  Now, the day it was leaking it was a good solid drip,
drip, drip.  I only wish I thought to camcorder it.  When the part didn't
show up when promised, I experimentaly tried driving the car again... no
leak.  Ended up putting the car back into full service, and it never leaked
again, even at similar single-digit temperatures.

My replacement fuel rail assembly finally showed up from Germany.  Looked
like it had been hand-made... brazed together on a jig.  Good workmanship,
mind you, but not a mass-produced machine-made part.  Since it hadn't leaked
again in 3 months, I wasn't in any hurry to install the new part.  In fact,
I ended up waiting two years before I finally put it in!  And never had any
more fuel leaks (from *that* location!)

The only difference between the new part and the original is that the
transitions between the rubber part and the metal parts are
double-crimped... just like the recall replacement over by the fuel filter.
I think Audi should do a recall on this as well, but I guess there just
haven't been enough leaks (or car fires) to warrant it.  And of course the
cost is higher on an 95-97 S6 because the fuel supply line and the fuel rail
are all one piece.

Varon
'95 urS6

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