Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (April 2002, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Fri, 12 Apr 2002 08:28:48 -0600
Reply-To:     Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Subject:      McGyver ain't got nothin....NVC was: Re: McGyver fix (was Re:
              opening rear hatch from inside van)
Comments: To: Fryday <fryday@CALIFORNIA.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <web-24163952@california.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

OK, since it's Friday....

A number of years back, I was with friends in a 74 bay window van, and we went up into the mountains of CO to hike a couple of 14ers. We made it to the top of a fairly steep 4WD trail, parked, and took off. After two days of hiking, we came back to discover that sediment had been kicked loose in the gas tank, and had totally blocked something in the fuel system. We bypassed the filter, no luck.

Spying an empty 1-gallon Ocean Spray Cranberry bottle, I had an idea. I got under the van, and pulled the fuel line, allowing a gallon to flow into the bottle. Then capped the line with a twig and existing hose clamp.

I cut a round hole in the cap of the bottle, slightly smaller than the fuel line's OD. Next was to remove the fuel line that attaches to the carb from its other end (where it goes around/through the engine to the fuel tank) and insert it into the bottle. With the deck lid off, I held the bottle upside down, and away we went! We had to stop every 12 miles or so to "fill up", but we made it home. Not for the faint of heart, but it beats a tow.

Best part was when one of the guys with us thought he'd light up a cigarette--we just about left him by the side of the road......

I have a picture somewhere, I'll see if I can find it and scan it in.... bmc :) "Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."

> From: Fryday <fryday@CALIFORNIA.COM> > Reply-To: Fryday <fryday@CALIFORNIA.COM> > Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 14:44:29 -0800 > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: McGyver fix (was Re: opening rear hatch from inside van) > > Talking of cool fix, I once fixed (temporarily) the fuel pump relay of my old > '80 Golf with a dime! Got me home! > > A bientot, > > Philippe > > On Thu, 11 Apr 2002 14:14:46 -0700 > Steve Johnson <stevej@WB32TV.COM> wrote: >> On a side note I had what amounts to nothing short of a miracle occur last >> night. >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.