Date:         Sat, 2 Oct 2004 16:57:05 -0400
Reply-To:     Angus Gordon <agordon@BRIGHT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Angus Gordon <agordon@BRIGHT.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fuel pumps
Comments: cc: Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <415F0440.9040902@mchsi.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Al wrote:
>I'm adding an intake filter just as soon as I can find one with 7/16"
>inlet and outlet.



Seems the rusty fuel tank/blocked fuel pump is a common phenomena. Late
model Vanagons could use a filter ahead of the pump like their older
brethren. Here's my experience -

Shortly after buying my '89 Carat I put a bottle of Techron (injector
cleaner) in the tank before a long trip. The trip was cancelled, and the
bus sat for a few days with a full tank of gas (and Techron). Instead of
cleaning my injectors, it went to work on the inside of my tank.

The first symptom was a slight whine from the pump, and a day or so later
my wife reported the engine wouldn't run over 4000 rpm (not a bad thing I
told her!).

I pulled the pump off and found the inlet side completely gummed up with
loads of reddish brown rust gunk. There's a screen on the inlet side of my
pump (and all the late model pumps I've checked) which is the second line
of defense in keeping the pump clean. The first is the tank outlet screen.

The best solution would be to change the tank, but being cheap I drained
the tank, blew compressed air back through the outlet to clear the screen,
cleaned the pump and added an inline filter ahead of the pump. The tank
outlet is 11mm (about 7/16") as Al noted, and I couldn't find filters in
this size so I forced a 3/8" fuel line on the outlet side of the tank and
used a NAPA 3002 filter. This is a clear plastic filter so I can keep an
eye on it's condition. I also changed the stock Bosch filter after the pump.

Initially I had to change the inline filter after just a few hundred miles
as the tank kept expelling it's load of rust, but the interval increased
rapidly. Now, 4 years and 60,000 miles later the pump still works fine and
I'm reminded by all the problems on the list, to check my fuel filter. It
looks a little cloudy, and according to my records it has 12,000 miles on
it, so I'll invest the $3.79 and put a new one on. Cheaper than a new tank.

Angus

================================
Angus Gordon                       '89 Carat
NW Ohio                            '86 Syncro