Just took the 20 mins to inspect and here's what I saw.
Looks like the driver's rear line as it crosses over the differential. I feared the lines would be horrible to access. The rear lines are not that bad. The rear line distribution is fairly simple and goes like this:
- Rear left and rear right line come down on the passenger side with the fuel lines.
- They route up kind of on top of the fuel filter and come out at a brake hose bracket.
- The passenger rear line simply connects to the brake hose at that bracket and goes to the caliper.
- The driver's side rear line goes to the bracket, to another hose, and then to another hard line to get over to the driver's side. This is the only "complex" part about the rear line distribution. My CTS-V and the SRX were the same. The extra brake hose is because the driver's side rear line is suspended by the rear subframe, which can move while the brake hose bracket is on the body.
The minimum repair plan is this:
- Simply disconnect each end of the line that runs above the rear diff and pull it out. One end is on the driver's side and the other on the passenger side. I could even just cut the line and use a socket on the fitting. That part shouldn't be too hard.
- Bend up some cu-ni line, put some fittings on it, put some flares on it, and screw the ends back to their respective hoses
However I think I should consider actually breaking into BOTH rear lines under the car where they are quite clean, add a union, and run new lines (L and R) to the aforementioned brake hose bracket. Then do what I said above with the driver's rear line that crosses over the diff.
It won't be clipped back in nicely as it was factory but I should be able to shove it over the diff without too much issue and hand bend it into place.
Not that I want to do this but it looks quite doable.
The REAL issue is I do not feel like doing this on the ground. This would be WAY better on a lift if I could stand under it and just work with the lines on my feet, upright. Even with a Quickjack system, I would still be on the ground. Maybe I could use a creeper and have partial mobility though. I could also just try to jack the car up really high on stands and get a creeper.
The other potential obstacle is if I have issues loosening any caliper bleeder screws. And I don't know if I need to stimulate the ABS with the Tech 2 while bleeding but, hey, I have a Tech 2.
This will probably take me 3-4 hours if I had to estimate.
To be continued.