I noticed that this tube (see the red box in the image) was fitted incorrectly - the clip that hold it was pressing into it, more or less blocking it off completely.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/att...1&d=1255961475

Here you can see the damage:
https://www.audiforums.com/forum/att...1&d=1255961475

The tube is very stiff now and probably brittle- there's no way I can get it to open up again.

What's this tube for? Is it very important to get it fixed?

 

that seems to be just a "heat shield" or sleeve for some of the electric cables. I may be wrong though since I don't have anything like that running across the manifold in my C4.

 

I should have mentioned it's a 1998 2.8 30V V6

 

If you look right over the fuel pressure regulator, you'll see that the same "tubing" is bunched up with the sleeve of the power supplies that go to the purge and change over valves.

You can check what you have at the other end (below the air intake tube and purge valve), but I doubt is anything else other than a sleeve for electrical wires.

 

^^ Believe he's correct... its a wiring harness crossover...

 

I would say the same!
It's fine leave it. It's just firmly secured.

BTW your vac lines are shot and you could use a little dusting in there! Jeese!

 

Think thast bad? Dont look under my hood.... I live on a dirt road

 

Thats part of the wiring harness, i ran a whole new one when a 3.0L caught fire in the shop a while back.

 

Thanks guys.

Yeah - that's what I was doing when I noticed the wiring harness I have a new breather hose and purge valve, going to fit them soon.