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.
>