[s-cars] @#$%^&* hose clamp on vacuum hose connection to intake manifold

[Steve Marinello]

So, I have wasted over an hour trying to get the freakin' hose clamp off the
vacuum hose attaching to the intake manifold from the bypass valve.  It is
clearly the original Audi piece, which is/was either one of those roll or
pinch type clamps.  I remember that I did not deal with it when I put the
Stratmosphere bypass valve on years ago, but in trying to find where the
vacuum leak is, I noticed that the hose rotated freely at said connection.
I also note that the clamp looked somewhat, umm, manhandled, and I have
added my fair share of that.  At present, the outer metal wrap rotates
pretty much freely, apparently over an inner band of metal.  I can't seem to
get in there to improve the situation.  To complicate things, apparently
when my mechanic did some work on the car, the screw clamp on the lower end
of that hose was tightened from below before everything was reassembled, so
I can't get at that end.  I figured I'd just disconnect the other lines to
the valve and pull the connection at the intake manifold, get a new hose and
clamps and reassemble again with the hope that the leak would no longer
exist.  Not happening.

 

I don't even know if I can get in there and destroy it with something, but
I'm worried about messing with it too much because of the connection stem.
Anyone got any BTDT's with that @#$%^& clamp in that semi-tight space?  

 

Thanks,


Steve