Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 12:53:47 -0400
Reply-To: "Joe L." <jliasse@TOAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Joe L." <jliasse@TOAST.NET>
Subject: Re: emergency--gasoline leak
In-Reply-To: <16122-392F3C4E-3835@storefull-622.iap.bryant.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I am reluctant to address your immidiate problem of getting home without
blowing up the joint. I can only say that I made it and others have as well.
Some have driven for months with the leak taking care only to ensure that
the tank is not filled more than about 3/4.
Your symptons describe a common trouble that is easily fixed for about $30
if you do it yourself. The top of your gas tank is shaped kind of like two
hills with a deep valley in between. The Peaks of the two hills are
connected by a plastic crossover pipe that prevents air being trapped in
either of the hills and ensures the gas level in both hills is equal. That
plastic crossover pipe is connected to the tank by two plastic fittings that
are held in place with rubber grommets. Those fittings have a tendency to
dry out and crack. When they do you get the leakage you describe.
If you crawl under your van and jamb your head up behind the gas tank so
you can sight along the "valley" you will likely see a small discoloration
coming down from the hills and going down the valley. This discoloration is
a "stain" left from the leaking gas. If you see this then it is almost
certain that your fittings need replaceing.
When I did mine a few years ago the parts for this should ran about $30
or so and should be about the same now.
You need:
1. The crossover pipe (comes with the plastic fittings attatched).
2. About 4 feet of fuel line (to go from the plastic fittings to the plastic
overflow tank; 2 feet of line for each side of the van. Two feet is really
too long but this way you will have plenty of extra so you can trim to fit
when you get everything in place.)
3. Small fuel line clamps to secure the line in #2 to the overflow tanks)
4. Two new rubber grommets to replace the ones you are going to wreck when
you remove the old pipe.
The "official instructions" for replacing this say that the tank must be
dropped; this is not necessary. If you jack up the van so that the front
wheels fall away from the wheel well you will be able to get your hand in
there and feel around on the top of the tank. On the driver side of the tank
there is one fitting, on the passenger side you will feel TWO fittings
coming out of the tank. One of these is for the passenger side of the
crossover pipe, the other one if for a METAL vent tube leading up to your
gas filler pipe. Which one is which will be obvious as you will be able to
feel the PLASTIC crossover pipe coming out of the grommet and heading off to
the other side of the tank. When you locate it you will also feel a SECOND
tube coming off of the fitting. This tube is the gas line mentioned in #2 on
the parts list. This tube leads to an small plastic overflow tank located in
the upper part of your wheel well. Look up into the top of the wheel well
and you will see this overflow tank.
Take a look at the bottom of that plastic overflow tank. Note where the
gas line goes to the nub on the bottom of that overflow tank. You will see
that the line is clamped to the nub with a small metal strap wrapped around
the line and permanently secured. That metal strap must be destroyed to be
removed. The clamps mentioned in #3 of the parts list are to replace the
destroyed clamps. Taking the old clamps is best done with a small pair of
wire cutters. *****BE GENTLE WHEN CUTTING THIS CLAMP**** The overflow tank
is made of the same material as the fittings that have dried out, cracked
and leaked and so are likely to ALSO be somewhat brittle. If you get too
rough you will crack or break off the nub the line is attatched to. The ONLY
cure for this is to get another overflow tank.
Other than this caution everything proceeds pretty much like you think it
does. The old parts are simply pulled off and "should" come out easily with
a minimum of knuckle busting. One thing you may not notice right off is that
your crossover pipe is held to the van with a metal keeper that is screwed
to the bottom of the van with a single screw. If you shine a light along the
top of the crossover pipe and look along the pipe you will see it. Try as I
might I was unable to get a screwdriver into position to take out that
screw. I ended up just bending the &%$^ thing to release the crossover pipe
and bent it back in place to secure the new one.
Puttings things back togeather is also fairly obvious but to mention a
couple of tricks:
1. Clean around the top of the tank before removing the old pipe and
grommets. There is a LOT of crud around there you dont want to fall into the
tank.
2. Put the new gas lines onto the crossover pipe fitting BEFORE you install
the crossover pipe. It is hell to do it after.
3. Put the new grommets in the tank first, THEN put the plastic fittings
into the grommets. If you put the grommets on the fittings first the
grommets will NEVER go into the tank holes.
4. Lubing things up a little with a bit of motor oil is a help.
The whole job took me about an hour. The knuckles only took 2 days to
heal and although there were some spots where I was mumbling under my breath
I would say that the entire operation could be done while still keeping a
"G" rating so there should be little need to get the wife to keep the
kids/grandkids in the house.
If anything I have written here is a little obscure grab a flashlight
and go look at your van. All should then become clear.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Lee Kouns
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2000 11:09 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: emergency--gasoline leak
Help! When I filled my van with gas just now, half a liter or so dripped
onto the ground from somewhere near the gas tank. There was no sign of
gas on the filler tube. The tank is full and the dripping has stopped,
but I'm worried about driving the van home from the station. I don't
want to risk a fire. Any suggestions from the people on the list would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Lee Kouns
'88 Westy
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