F/I lines separating brackets

[paults1]

I need advice on installing the 3 brackets that separate the fuel injection lines. I know the location for each bracket, but cannot get the lines to line up for inserting the nylon separator & securing them with the metal clamp. The F/I lines are factory new & I afraid I will bend them.  I would appreciate advice or easy way to install these.

Regards, Paul '63 230SL

[66andBlue]

Paul,
here are some pictures that might help you to align the pipes, although my brackets and plastic inserts may not be exactly the same as yours.
Do a trial first, that is, install the brackets without the injection lines attached to the IP and engine.  That will give you an idea how they fit together.
Good luck!

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[thelews]

Take a look at the link in my signature.  There are a number of pictures of the engine that may help.

[paults1]

Thanks for the input. I will remove the lines first from the engine, install the bracket near the intake air adjustment screw. Hopefully this will align up for the large front bracket & the next smaller bracket near the distributor. I noticed that the pics show that there is also a bracket near #4 cylinder, which I don't have & there is no evidence that the original lines had markings on them at that location. Does it require a lot of force to line these lines up ?  I thinking that when I remove the lines from the engine side & install the first bracket that I will have to force each line to align up to attach to the injector. All in all if this does not work , I will remove the lines from the I/P & start over again. Darn this has taken much more time for what appears to be a simlpe job. Over the years I have had almost the entire car apart & re-assembled including the dreaded removable of the windshield wood trim!!!

[66andBlue]

Paul,
there should be a bracket at cylinder #4 that grabs 3 injection lines, although if you look at the SLS web site the brackets available now have only 2 grooves. I guess that is still better than nothing.
I am not sure if you keep the lines attached at the IP whether you should really start as far away as possible rather than the first one in line next to it.
This bracket grabs the six lines in two rows of three each. If you number the lines coming out of the IP 1 - 6 from left to right, then line 6 is on top of 5 which is on top of 4 on the engine side of the bracket. On the front side of the bracket you have line 3, 2, and 1 from top to bottom.  First slide the plastic inserts over the lines and then the metal parts.
Now be careful how the cooling water pipe that goes to the WRD is attached. On a 230SL it is at the bottom and not on the top as shown in John L's picture of his 250SL!!  Take a close look at my pic of the rear view (meaning looking at it from the passenger side of the engine) of this bracket.
On the front of the bracket you attach the fuel line that goes to the CSV. It also attached the same way on the front bracket.
However, the caveat in all of this is that mine is a late 230SL and yours is an early one. Perhaps James Huber can take a look at his early 230SL and tell us whether there are further differences.
Let me know if you need more help.

[paults1]

Thanks Alferd, I have pics of the old lines & the placement of the brackets on my car. The problem is that the lines are not close enough to insert the middle nylon piece & hence the metal bracket. Maybe if I un-screw the line nuts on the engine & IP I will be able to get them lined up better. I thinking that when I installed the new lines & tighten the nuts on the injectors & IP that maybe the lines turned askew. Any thoughts on this?

[66andBlue]

Hi Paul,
are your lines too far apart horizontally or vertically?
And how far - 1/8 inch or 1 inch?
Lets make sure we are talking about the same bracket - it is the one closest to the IP, correct?  This one is asymmetric, that is, lines 6&5 and 3&2 are closer together than 5&4 and 2&1. See picture.


If your lines are too far apart horizontally then I would certainly try what you had in mind and loosen them a bit at the IP so that you can squeeze them together to fit the grooves in the plastic.
If they are apart vertically then I would first make sure that they are attached in the correct order.  In the absence of any brackets, can you attach each line from the IP to the corresponding injection point without much strain in the line?
If they are in the correct order then I would fix the lines to the bracket first and then screw them on to the IP. The lines can be bent a little bit - with care and a gentle push!

[bpossel]

Paul,

I would not do any bending...  It might be possible that your "set" is not right.  If each line is installed on the correct injector and on its corresponding ip pump connection, the brackets should fit.  At a maximum with the bracket installed, you may have to push the lines together a bit in order to get the washer and nut on...
If your lines are all new, maybe pull them off again and lay them out on the floor or bench.  Make sure that each of them is different in length....
Bob