Help me decode ETKA readouts

[mk1mark at gmail.com (Mark F.)]

> +Spinoff question: How universal are these fittings?  Am I going to be
> working with the same types of hoses and lines on the fuel line and
> brake line?  Should I just invest in a cutter, bender and flare tool?
> Where would I get such fittings besides the stealer?  (I checked
> Autozone today and they seem quite metric unfriendly)


NAPA carries metric "bubble flare" brake line (flared and "nutted") in
pieces from 1ft to 7ft (in one foot increments), and unions you'll
need.  Most modern brake line bends very easily by hand without
kinking.  I wouldn't bother with flaring brake line yourself - it's
almost like an "art" - it takes practice to make flares you can be
confident in...  With the lengths NAPA sells you'll be able to run all
new lines with the "accepted" practice of using no more than one union
per run...

Bending fuel line is a different story - if you're bending that stuff
I recommend a bender...  Also, fuel lines aren't flared with bubble
flares...  You'll need to pick up a flaring tool to do the fuel lines.


> ++Spinoff spinoff question: stainless steel brake lines...  how
> universal are those?  I was going to order some for my car, but was
> also thinking I might not necessarily need A1 VW Scirocco specific
> lines if the fittings matched and lengths were approximate (especially
> since I see Parts4VW has them backordered).  I found some on ebay that
> look fairly legit.  Anything specific to look for in a set?


16v sets are 6 piece, and 8v are 4.  I just checked the stainless
braided lines on my stripped 8v for you - the rears are 8 inches long
(end to end), and the fronts are ~13.5 inches.  The 16v kit has the
same ones as the 8v kit, plus two more (don't know the lengths of
those, sorry).  The better kits out there have an abrasion resistant
sheath on them that'll keep grit from getting into the stainless braid
and prematurely wearing the line out.  Some 3:1 heat shrink tubing
might do the trick on the lesser kits - I've wanted to try that but
never got around to it...  Anyone do this?


 
> I'm going to the dealer tomorrow morning to see what they can provide
> or tell me about this stuff too, but don't really think the parts dept
> guy is going to sit me down and teach me about metric line fittings.


The dealerships around here haven't carried pre-bent brake lines for
Sciroccos for a LONG time now, so I doubt yours will be much help. 
You'll be able to find anything you need at NAPA though (and much
cheaper as well)...

HTH,

Mark.
75
80 S
81 Caddy
90 Audi Coupe Quattro - 10vt