I started getting a check engine light with a degraded performance message. I didn't notice any issue with the car. Checking codes I got P0174 Power Train System too Lean (bank 2), P0171 Power Train System too Lean (bank 1), and P1111 Powertrain Tap for multiple descriptions. The check engine light would clear with the code reader, but after awhile would return again with no symptoms. Today the check engine light came on again with the degraded performance message as I pulled away from a stop and the car stuttered for a second then was OK. The next stop it did it again. I noticed for the first time a whine or hiss that changed with engine speed. Looking under the hood I found the corrugated hose from the part load breather looked like it had been melted through. There is some blue rubbery sleeving on the hose that is melted. Is this a previous attempt to repair the hose or is it supposed to be there? Is there a way to repair the hose. I'm not familiar with this, but it looks like I would have to do some disassembly of things to get to the other end of the hose which I would rather not have to do. How is the hose supposed to attach to the fitting?
Would this cause the codes? For reference I found the attached tech bulletin showing the part in figure 3 in another forum. Sorry about the size of the picture. I don't know how to shrink it.

 

Looks like several attempts at repair!!
Get a new breather hose and 'fish' it through the manifold to the intake/purge valve.

bob

 

The best idea would be to replace it but finding a new one, that does not cost a fortune, may be quite hard.

Personally Id remove the pipe. Carefully remove all the previous repairs. Slide over some black heat shrink. Heat it up and shrink it back in place. It looks like that has been done before but has gone brittle. I used it on one of my pipes and, touch wood etc, its still ok and looks fine. As I said before though you have to be careful its a type of plastic used that goes brittle and would probably snap if you put any sort of pressure on it.

A 'Franks Tip' for you. If you do remove the old stuff and put on a nice bit of heat shrink put the pipe loosely in place before you shrink the wrap. Masking tape the connectors at the right angle before you fix them by shrinking with a heat gun. You would be quite annoyed to find the pipe fitting at one end and at the other the connector pointing in the wrong direction. .

 

I'd just buy a new one. The plastic is so old and plasticizer is depleted so any repair will likely have a short lifetime.

 

I think he has worked that one out. As I said these are as brittle as potato chips, or crisps if your in the UK. Even repairing them can damage them, if that makes sense. Replacing is the best way but finding a replacement is sometimes very hard.

This is the last part of my experience with these brittle pipes. click here

 

I used some encapsulant heatshrink to patch the tube back to gather. So far so good. No more faults as of yet. I don't want to have to try to access the other end of the tube if I don't have to and my quick search for the part came up empty.
Thanks for the replies and again I apologize for the huge picture.