I have a 1995 Accord EX, 4-cyl, hoping to move forward on replacing the brake lines and ran into a couple of problems. First, where a fuel line attaches to a bracket on the frame under the left rear wheel, it refuses to become unfastened. I tried a variety of penetrants to no available. The nut is rounded. Yes, I tried using a flare nut wrench. I tried using vice grips (which tore the line). Any tips? Do you know what this part/these parts are? I couldn't tell by looking at the parts diagram--nothing looked quite like it, but I could have been looking in the wrong spot.


Can't get this fuel fitting off and tore in process of trying.

This is zoomed out for reference.

 

Now for the straps, I previously posted that there was not enough clearance to loosen the fuel tank straps on one side, whereas on the other, the bolt holding it on seemed to be spinning (or at least at risk of breaking the bracket holding it on). I thought, no problem, I'll hacksaw the strap off, lower the tank, so what I need to do with the brake and fuel lines, and replace the straps and brackets. Well, there's a problem with that as well. The bracket that attaches (over the rear cross beam) does not have enough clearance to put a socket in, so even if I saw the straps off, there's no easy way that I can see to remove the bracket. The bracket does look like it needs to be replaced, otherwise I guess I'd try my luck at drilling them out...though there would still be the issue on one side of installing the bolt back in without clearance. Do I need to remove the rear cross beam to do this job? Is it complicated? Sorry, my Haynes manual does not go into detail on this, and the service manual only displays the cross member parts, not the best way to remove them:

Technically, all I should have to do is loosen this bolt and slide the fuel tank strap off the bracket, but there's no clearance to get a socket on the bolt. If I saw through the strap, there's no clearance to remove the bracket, either. Is there a special tool that can help?


There's definitely clearance to put a socket on this bolt, but the bolt seems to just spin and seems like the bracket is going to break right off. There is an excess of bolt length of about 1 inch on the other side of the bracket (not visible in this image).

 

It really doesn't look like any PB blaster was used. I would probably just replace it along with the other lines. It's just too corroded. You don't really want fuel pipes to be leaking or at risk of leaking while driving. It could be disaster, especially down by the exhaust. You can probably get that other bolt with an offset wrench. Not enough info to tell what's going on with the bottom post bolt. Maybe a vice grip on the 1 inch portion that will allow it to bottom out against the frame while taking off that bolt.

 

I used PB Blaster, Deep Creep and Liquid Wrench all on different days. The car's been on jackstands for a month now.

ANYHOW, I came upon this post here in Honda Tech where someone cut the line at both sides of that bracket and connected the two lines with compression fittings. I doubt that would pass inspection and don't really trust compression fittings anyhow (it's a pressurized line as well, isn't it?), BUT is there any viable bypass option or is it OK to go with compression fittings just to get this car out of the garage? I drained the fuel tank, but I could add some back in to start it and move it out.

I COULD hacksaw off the fuel tank straps, repair lines and so on, but if I do have to remove all the rear suspenson components to replace the strap brackets, then it'll end up being a huge project, where I replace bunch of other stuff because it's better to fix things while you've got it out then have to take everything apart later on down the road, and given my time constraints, that car will end up being down a while if that's the case. (And if that's the likely result, then I just want to find a quick way to get it running enough pull this out of the garage and move it around easily while I turn my attention to a different car that needs work to pass inspection. Torn, because it will take overall more $$$ to fix that one. But if one is running, it takes the pressure off.)

BEFORE MAKING A DECISION @Holmesnmanny I'm going to buy a long offset boxend wrench to see if that allows me to loosen the second bolt. I don't think visegripping the bolt stem will work on the other one, though because it will immobilize the very bolt I'm trying to turn. I don't know how I feel about drilling it out, if I'll make a bigger mess than not. I've drilled out a couple of bolts with overhead access and one which the head was completely stripped off. One thing I'd love to know is if there is an actual nut on the other side of the strap or if the bolt just threads into the bracket itself.


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Just a reference pic:
Part #4 are the brackets the fuel tank straps attach to. The bolts that attach the brackets are not easily accessible, if at all. There is less than 1/2" clearance underneath those bolt heads. #23 is, I think, the fuel line that attaches to the frame and to the fuel line feed...but I'm not 100% certain.