Heater valve vacuum line broken. HELP!

I noticed today that the purple vacuum line going from my heater valve to the firewall has been partially broken. There is a hole in the side, and its barely being held on. So tape isnt an option i dont think.

My question, where can i get a replacement? Its a stiff plastic like material, not rubber. Auto parts store? How would i plug it in on the firewall side? It goes thru a rubber "pad" And, what does this line do? I have good heat...

Thanks!

why not make a clean cut and then use heat shrink with the glue in it to repair it?

You should be able to use the correct size ID vac tubing to sleeve the broken spot. Ive have several repairs in my XJ like this but with tygon tubing. Heat shring dosent hold up well to kinks etc and wont retain the opening if bent much.

The heater valve needs a vacumn to bypass the heater, so if it's leaking you will still at least have heat. I think the rubber elbow connector at the heater valve pulls right off, so you could slip some small rubber vacumn line or heat shrink tube over it.

lawsoncl said:

The heater valve needs a vacumn to bypass the heater, so if it's leaking you will still at least have heat.

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This is good to know. I will just plug off the vac line and disco it, until winter is over, or until i can get some new line whichever comes first.

Make clean cuts on either side of the leak (it's a hard Nylon line, by the by) and select a rubber vacuum line to patch the two ends together. Seal with a touch of heat shrink, if you like - but I've not found it necessary on other repairs.

Do not use heat shrink on its own - without something to "hold it open," that size is likely to block itself when shrunk! However, using it to seal the rubber/Nylon junctions will work neatly.

5-90 said:

Make clean cuts on either side of the leak (it's a hard Nylon line, by the by) and select a rubber vacuum line to patch the two ends together.

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This is exactly what i did a few minutes ago. Worked perfectly. Thanks!