This is the opposite of what happened. The engineers were confronted with a novel and unexpected problem, and instead of following procedure (which they lacked access to) they applied "creative problem solving skills". From TFA:
> Although it was possible to install the post-SB fuel lines and hydraulic pump with a pre-SB hydraulic tube, the tube would rest against one of the fuel lines at a point where it rounded a 90-degree bend close to the pump. Aware that the plane could not be dispatched unless there was clearance between the tubes, the technicians torqued a nut on the end of the hydraulic tube until it rose approximately 0.635 mm off the face of the fuel line.
Torquing a nut so that the hydraulic tube isn't technically rubbing against the fuel line is pretty creative and seems to solve the problem. But it didn't take into account pressure and vibration while in flight, and almost caused the death of 306 people.