Replacing rocker/sill hoses on a 308GT4

I was dreading doing this job based on what I had read but it turned out to be an anticlimax. Two hours for the four hoses.

The engine and fuel tanks were already removed which no doubt made things easier. Personally I would not attempt it with these in the car. Also the outer sound proofing panels in the engine bay were removed which gave great access to the lateral run behind the doors.

Here is what I used:
Side cutters, knife and pliers
Electrical fish tape
Weed trimmer cord
Duct tape
Steel wire
Spray foam pulling lubricant


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First step was to run the weed trimmer cord to be used a pulling cables.

These I fed from the trunk opening down into the inspection opening in the front wheel arch.


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I then attached the cord to the steel fish tape for the lateral run through the rocker panel to the engine bay. Note the rocker panel has an inner channel too but you need to kink the tape so it goes through the larger opening along the outer edge of the car. There is a brace part way along the panel behind the door which you need to navigate over but if the outer insulated panel in the engine bay is removed (just pop rivetted on) it is easy to reach in and lift up the end of the fish tape and pull it into the engine bay.


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I then drilled 1/8" holes about an inch from the end of each hose (thanks Absostone), threaded the weed trimmer cord through to form a loop and made tight with the steel wire, twisting tight with the plier and wrapped with duct tape.


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The heater hose and brake booster hose on the drivers side were more flexible than the AC hoses so I pulled those together. The AC hoses were pulled one at a time.

The lateral pull through the rocker was done first. Stopping when the end of the hose was visible in the inspection cutout of the front wheel well. The spray lubricant was then applied down the "chute"from the trunk opening above and the ends of the hoses guided up into the chute and then pulled from the above in the trunk while someone fed from the engine bay to prevent snags.

 

First pic shows where the hoses exit the enclosed rocker section to the "open" area behind the door jam. The hoses are secured by steel "wings" behind the outer engine bay panels which probably makes them harder to remove with the fuel tanks and panels in place.

 

Good work! Now you can forget about them for another 30 years.
/Peter