Vacuum hose for high-heat application

[Squankum]

I'm looking for a durable type of 3.5mm vacuum hose. I normally use the German cloth-covered stuff, because that's what my cars came with.

But this is a bad spot. It's the vacuum servo for a locking center differential and it's too close to the exhaust downpipe. And it's a place I can't get my hands into. I'll be removing the entire RF suspension & driveshaft just to get at it, and two other things in this inaccessible zone while I'm at it.

I've heard that silicone vacuum hose is the thing to use, but after poking around the net last night, I got the impression that some brands ****. Or, don't. They collapse under heat. Some silicone vacuum hoses might be better than others.

Any opinions regarding type and brand of hose?

Thanks in advance!

 

[wornoutoldman]

Why not fab up a hard line? One and done!

 

[steve911]

Get an insulating sleeve for your vacuum line. There are many race shops that carry it in different diameters. It is used to protect brake lines, fuel lines, wiring etc from exteme temps. Most of it is rated for upwards of a 1000 degrees.

I use https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/ for my stuff. I use them because they are close. I have no connection with them. If you go to their website, look under thermo-sleeve.

You'll get the idea of what I am talking about.

Hope this helps.

 

[DonnyT]

Try Summit Racing. Here is a link:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-350115/overview/

 

[Tarheelgarage]

fab up an exhaust heat shield for the pipe

 

[Squankum]

Why not fab up a hard line? One and done!

Vacuum signals going to the servo are coming from the center console inside the car, so some flexibility is needed, as the drivetrain wiggles about.

I've already ordered heat shield jackets like you guys suggested. I'm a big fan of overkill.

The servo itself is a little plastic box, but the factory did at least build a metal heat shield for it. I'll be covering that metal in relfecto product, too.

 

[nehog]

Grainger probably carries what you want...

 

[VHF]

Me thinks this must be for a quattro of some sort!

 

[Squankum]

Me thinks this must be for a quattro of some sort!

You are correct, sir!

And I didn't even mention the battery above it all, drooling sulfuric acid fumes down on all this stuff!

And the battery tray that blocks almost all vision and nearly all touching of anything from above...

The hard vacuum plastic piping that supplies the entire diff lock system hangs out in this zone, too. It died long, long ago. A tiny stub of it sticks out of the firewall, down... low...

I normally defend German engineering and "overengineering", as some call it, but this whole corner of this particular car is stoopid.