Date:         Tue, 24 Apr 2001 14:32:28 -0400
Reply-To:     "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <Doug@beaconmarketing.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <Doug@beaconmarketing.net>
Subject:      Re: ??Syncro Fuel Leaks??
Comments: cc: JKrevnov@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Rico Sapolich <JKrevnov@aol.com> wrote:
<<I can smell fuel somewhere in the rear end of my Syncro...>>

I am having the EXACT SAME experience. A faint whiff while walking by the
van
or when standing downwind, but no visible leaks whatsoever. (Or, as Rico
said, no leaks other than oil and anti-freeze.) I also, after much
investigation,
determined the smell was not coming from the filler area, not was it
discernible at all while poking my head inside the engine compartment on
multiple occasions. I do detect the smell in both real wheel wells, but it
seems to me that the smell comes predominantly from the driver's side rear
wheel well. There is a whole lot of stuff crammed in there, including what
looks to me like vent lines from the fuel tank, but maybe not. Could a vent
hose have fallen off? Tank cracked somewhere? Some filter clogged? I have no

idea, and I do not relish the thought of performing further research. I may
be hallucinating, but it may have started happening late last summer, which
coincides with two events - 1) filling the tank from a jerry can rather than

the gas pump, and 2) replacing the entire exhaust system (during which
process
I fouled something up which causes the temp light to blink intermittently,
and
the engine to run roughly and eventually stall after going through an
automatic
car wash without the undercarriage wash - and not in the rain. But I
digress...)

I doubt the gas cap is the answer - unless a leaky gas cap allows fuel to
escape
from somewhere else in the gas tank - Ah Ha! Maybe the jerry can spout
distorted the cap sealing surface on the filler neck? Maybe that's it? Any
fuel
tank replacement veterans or other walking wounded have any
suggestions/ideas?

> Cheers.
>
> Doug Fitz-Randolph
> Freeport, ME
> '90 Syncro