How important are the plastic injector line retainers. What happens or what effects would their being missing or broken cause? any noises maybe?

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Keith Schuster
2006 E350 98K miles
2013 Ford Explorer 15K miles

The plastic clips are very necessary.
When the lines rub against themselves or any metal (the support brackets especially) it wears thin. This is due to minute movement the pressure causes as it surges thru the lines. If you don't believe it feel the lines while the engie is idling.
Then net result is a leak and fuel at 10K psi mists onto the head and the cylinder doesn't receive the right pressure and the engine begins to idle poorly
I've seen some mechanics tie the lines together using a plastic tie-wrap (used for wire bundles) in places. Ii suppose thats better than nothing.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

The OE clips are just over a dollar each. No reason not to use the correct part. They are a consumable item. They get pretty brittle after a few years in place. I've got all nine of them on the way to me right now since I'm doing some work in the area.

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Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

Thanks guys I will get them on order.

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Keith Schuster
2006 E350 98K miles
2013 Ford Explorer 15K miles

I checked thse guys out carefully since I broke a few. Not only running but, the lines do have some torque as they "lay down". These devices are very neccessary.