Originally Posted by funola

i.d. is inside diameter. Don't go and buy that vinyl hose from home Depot, that was just a suggestion so he can make a connection to the tank breather under the car so he can blow into it to test if it was clogged.

I did not drain the tank. I crimped both the rubber supply hose at the tank and the cigar hose with a vise grip before undoing the hose clamps to drain the metal fuel line (into a pan). Have plenty of rags handy. If you can work methodically you can do it without spilling a drop on yourself or the ground. Lay cardboard down and use a small pan. Loosely snake the nylon line under the car starting from the engine bay and hose clamp it to the cigar hose, zip tie the nylon line to the metal fuel line (which you leave in place) till you reach the rubber hose at the tank, cut the nylon line to length then hose clamp it to the tank rubber line. Undo the vise grips and prime the system and you're done. The key is the nylon line which is tough and stiff (won't sag like rubber) but flexible enough to be easily routed and zip tied to the existing metal lines. I've been using it for under the car fuel lines for 8 years now with no issues. The stuff I have is water clear and does not yellow with age so you can see what's in it easily. I still have a small supply left if you want to buy some. VW's use nylon fuel lines under the car which never have problems. Don't know why Mercedes chose steel lines which rusts.

Tip: With cigar hose crimped and still connected to metal fuel line, place pan under metal line under the car, then undo hose clamp under the car, then remove hose from metal line. It will just trickle out instead of gush out. Now undo the hose clamp on the cigar hose to drain the line.