Date:         Tue, 3 Aug 2004 09:06:21 -0400
Reply-To:     "Georgios A. Stylianides, PhD" <gstylia@TEMPEST.COEDU.USF.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Georgios A. Stylianides, PhD" <gstylia@TEMPEST.COEDU.USF.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon burned to the ground ( long reply)
Comments: To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2004080301453921@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

A couple of days before that burned Van, I opened our engine cover for
some final inspection after all the upgrades. I asked my wife to turn
the engine on and what do I see? Gas dripping down the
transmission/engine like a broken faucet. My wife said "I smell gas
hon". I said "I see gas hon".
So, I am thinking that it could be the same problem that other burned
vans have had.
As you face the engine, there is a plastic T piece on the upper front
engine wall (right above the starter and behind the AFM boot) that
connects the main fuel line from the front body with the gas lines in
the engine compartment.
Go to     http://pe.usf.edu/~gstylia/fuelleak.jpg     to see the picture.
I am talking about the white connector T bolted to the wall (2 bolts)
just behind the purple vacuum line.

Initially, I thought that the plastic piece was cracked. I tried to
unscrew the hose piece (about one inch long on the body's side), and
found it to be loose and old (not even high pressure fuel line).  The
leak was from a loose clamp. Actually, the hose was old and was bad. The
plastic T piece was not broken. The hose was pretty bad. I replaced the
hose with high pressure fuel injection hose (from PepBoys, $2.49).
I have been watching it since and see no apparent leakage, but I have a
pair of leather gloves and a fire extinguisher handy. The leather
gloves, to be able to open the engine cover if hot when under fire.

Feel free to replace that piece of hose right away (no more than $5 of
an expense). It was a little frightening reading that story and others a
couple of days later. I was lucky to witness the leak just like that.

Best,

georgios


Benny boy wrote:

>http://www.benplace.com/vw_sad_story.htm
>http://homepage.mac.com/rmstewart/PhotoAlbum21.html
>
>Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr............
>
>
>