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Date:         Sat, 1 Jan 2000 11:24:50 -0000
Reply-To:     David Clark <DavidClark@HUMBERONIA.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Clark <DavidClark@HUMBERONIA.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
Subject:      Trouble comes in threes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

All We had our first snow fall here in the UK Saturday evening (18/12/1999) VW Transporter started fine and I was due to make a 300 mile journey to pick up my parents for the holidays the following day. On Sunday the snow was 2" deep and had iced over seriously when I awoke. The door locks worked fine but the door handles were frozen up as were the front and side door. The only way in was through the rear. My thermometer registered 22F inside the van. VW did not want to start, engine hardly turned which I thought was odd, given the battery is not that old and I replaced the starter this year. So abandoned trip and put battery on charge. Wednesday following installed battery all the snow and ice had gone so set off on trip.

First thing I noticed was the stereo was only giving sound from front left door speaker, so first stop I made I levered the door trim off wiggled the speaker wires, and we had stereo again.

I filled up with petrol and started off again, and made a mental note that (second thing) the courtesy interior lights did not come on when I opened the door. A strong smell of petrol inside (third thing) was also noticed and put this down to perhaps overfilling.

I stopped for lunch and when I set off again the strong smell of petrol filled the van, but soon disappeared. I reached my destination and collected my parents and the weather deteriorated into a strong tail wind and driving rain. We stopped for lunch and again when we set off there was a strong smell of petrol inside the van. I took out my spare petrol can,this was wet with condensation but not petrol.

We got home unloaded the van and I noticed the courtesy light switch for the sliding door was pressed in and would not pop out, on removing the switch the plastic had broken behind and the live lead was earthing out inside the door pillar - hence flat battery and no interior lights! don't know why this did not blow the fuse though.

The smell of petrol was apparent when I removed the engine lid, at first all appeared normal no leaks, then I started the van and petrol squirted from the hose between the petrol pump and the carb across the top of the engine. A new piece of fuel line later and all was secure again.

And to think what could have been, a petrol leak and an electrical short on the same day.

Please, please check your fuel lines when you get the chance and renew the piping before it's too late.

Happy safe Millennium VW Motoring.

David Clark (UK) 1985 VW Autosleeper VHT 1.9 2WD www.soft.net.uk/vwt2oc (see members rides) 1960 Humber Super Snipe Estate 3L www.humberonia.freeserve.co.uk 1988 Fiat Uno 1.1L automatic (wife's)


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