Date:         Thu, 10 Jan 2002 06:13:42 -0600
Reply-To:     Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Fuel Tank Puzzle
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Listees,

My fuel tank is dropped and out to investigate why fuel won't come out. My
suspicion was small particulate matter  forming and re-forming a block near
the fuel outlet, since the outside is clean, rust-free and the inside
appears pretty clean from what/where I can see. Several times I have sloshed
gasoline around and released it through the fuel outlet - which then flows
fully for two seconds, reduces to a dribble, then stops. I reamed this
outlet with a coathanger and cleaned with a cloth twisted through - no
apparent crud. I tried releasing fuel through the fuel inlet on the opposite
side (not fuel filler hole) and had the same flow-dribble-stop pattern.

I know the OEM tank has baffles, etc. inside. Are there possibly some check
valves or gravity valves which stop the fuel flow by design? The tank is, of
course, out of it's normal orientation in space while I do the
slosh-release.   I couldn't feel anything in there when poking around wih
with the coathanger but who knows - maybe you do?

Any and all suggestions on how to remedy this situation are welcome. A new
tank may be lurking in my future but I would like to avoid that if possible.

Regards

Tom in KCMO
82 Westy