Help with vacuum harness replacement on 95 SC1 (SOHC)

Hi,

I have a 95 SC1 (SOHC) with a severed line on the vacuum harness.
It's the line that goes to the throttle idle control, so I get wild
throttle behavior at idle.

On this engine, there is one other line for this harness that is used
for the EVAP vapor canister (correct me if I'm wrong here). This line
is fine but the vacuum harness fitting that plugs into the top of the
throttle valve has both lines, so the whole thing has to be replaced
at the same time.

The lines are 4mm OD, and I've tried to simply repair the line that's
severed using an acetal coupler (McMaster-Carr part number 5449K191),
which would probably work fine if there were about a half-inch more
line to grab onto coming out of the throttle valve fitting on the
harness. As it is there is only about a centimeter maximum sticking
out.

After I failed to get a good connection with the coupling, I bought a
replacement harness from Saturn, but I'm having a hard time getting to
the connection for the EVAP line. It goes down behind the engine, on
the firewall side. I can reach the fitting from under the car, but at
this awkward angle it doesn't seem like I will be able to pull the
line from its fitting. There are also a few other lines (some
electrical and at least one more vacuum line) in the area where it's
plugged in, and I feel if I just pull hard on the line I want to
disconnect that I will probably pull a few other lines loose at the
same time. The line I want to disconnect seems to be in there pretty
tight.

Unfortunately, I don't have the factory service manual for this car,
so I don't know what Saturn's recommended procedure is for replacing
the vacuum harness. I'm dreading bringing it to a dealer because I
have a feeling they're going to want to pull the engine to replace
this $20 part.

I called the local Saturn dealer to ask what they would charge to
replace it, and the person I spoke with told me that I would have to
make an appointment to have them look at the car before they could
give me an estimate. I don't know why they need to look at the car,
it seems to me that they could just look at the service manual to see
where the line goes in order to give me an estimate. I have the part
so it would be labor only.

My question is: Is pulling the engine the only way to replace the
vacuum harness? If someone has the 95 factory service manuals, I
would be very appreciative if you could check the replacement
procedure and post what you find.

Thanks in advance.

 

If you can jack the car up and put in on jackstands (make sure the
chock the back wheels and find a stable place for the jack stands). I
am dealing with this Canister Purge Solinoid my self and I found the
best access and view is from the bottom passanger side. You can get a
good look at what you are working on. You may have the twist the lines
to break them loose. After that, they come of pretty easily. The top
vacuum line off the solinoid goes to the vapor canister. The bottom
goes to the vacuum harness you are replacing. It is kind of hard to
fish that stiff tubing down, but it will go eventually.

BTW, if you are not comfortable using jack stands, ramps work okay.
They are just harder to work around.