Date:         Sun, 27 Oct 2002 19:58:43 -0800
Reply-To:     Mike Collum <collum_westy@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Collum <collum_westy@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: gas overflow
In-Reply-To:  <3DBCA6D4.AE682548@adelphia.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

<snip>
I have a couple of questions:
> Is there any one of these
> particular parts that is more likely to cause the
> symptoms that I'm seeing?  Or
> is the bottom line that, if one of them is bad and
> you have to go to the trouble
> of taking the gas tank out, you should go ahead and
> replace all the parts in
> Ken's kit?
<snip>

Just 2 days ago I dropped my '85 Westy's tank and
installed Ken's kit along with a new fuel level
sender.

Most likely (in my opinion) to cause the leaking
problem is one or more of the cloth covered rubber
lines to and from the fuel expansion tanks.  There are
the ones you can see (in the wheel wells) ... and the
ones on top of the tank that you can't see.  These
lines tend to dry rot and tear quite easily.

Second most likely (again, in my opinion)is the
plastic vent line with the plastic "Y"s at each end
that runs across the tank connecting the two humps
(the afore mentioned hidden cloth covered lines
connect to these "Y"s).  The plastic line can crack,
the "Y"s can crack or break, or the plastic line can
become loose where it connects to the "Y"s.

Third most likely (yep ... my opinion) is that the
grommets that various lines pass through can become
hardened and no longer provide a good seal.

Fourth most likely is the "O" ring that seals the fuel
level sender.

Fifth most likely is that the top of the tank has
become rusty and is leaking when full.

Now to your second question.

My leak(s) when full were caused by the little cloth
covered vent lines having rotted.  I decided to do the
whole thing while I was in there so I wouldn't have to
mess with it again for 15 or so years.  Upon removing
the tank and its associated lines I found that the
plastic vent line was no longer tight against the
"Y"s, so, replacing that assembly was a good idea
anyway.  I suppose one could put hose clamps at those
connections (assuming the "Y"s and the pipe aren't
cracked but that would probably only buy some time as
plastic does eventually harden and break.

Bottom line .... do the whole thing.

My fuel gauge didn't work at all so naturally I
replaced the sender (works like a champ, now), but
when I do my '84s tank I will replace its sender, too.
 Its gauge works .... just not too accurately.

Mike
'85 Westy
'84 GL





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