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Date:         Sun, 1 May 2005 08:44:42 -0800
Reply-To:     "Tom L. Salicos" <TomSalicos@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Tom L. Salicos" <TomSalicos@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: My hats off to you do it yourselfers
Comments: To: Daryl Christensen <aatransaxle@DIRECWAY.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

----- Original Message ----- From: "Daryl Christensen" <aatransaxle@DIRECWAY.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2005 8:08 PM Subject: My hats off to you do it yourselfers

> After just removing the fuel tank from my syncro westy...(Don't ask me how > I > am going to squeeze the silly thing back in....> 86 Syncro Westy > Turbocharged

Hi Daryl,

For me, removing and replacing the Syncro fuel tank is about the worst thing I ever did voluntarily. And that would include Basic Training at Ft. Lewis during the winter. After hearing about all the burning vans recently, I wanted to make sure my fuel lines were all fresh. So I decided to take the tank out while my transmission was off getting a rebuild at some place up in Tacoma. Turns out all the rubber bushings looked as good as new. I ordered new ones anyway. I broke the very brittle plastic tube fitting on one of the vents trying to remove the vent line.

What burns me up is that you have to pry the tank past the left frame member, pushing in on the fuel sender plate to clear the sender connector, fuel return fitting and too-long studs. How is this thing going to hold liquid after being manhandled so much?

I found the two top bushings and vents were available at VW pretty cheap. They could not identify the rubber bushing for the fill tube at all with their parts system. My mechanic said there were two sizes for that one, and ordered both. Also pretty cheap, being aftermarket. I ordered the fuel sender and got an OEM VDO for $160 from him.

Here's a good one: The hose that runs in the metal sleeve to the fill tube, about 14" long, is $130 from VW and there's apparently no other source. Mine still looks serviceable, I think.

I replaced the tank in my Syncro yesterday, dedicating the whole day rather than feeling rushed. Oh, that was the second time. The first time, I pushed and pried and shoved and cursed and wound up ripping the two end heat barrier wraps off. Not only that, but I had a little gas in the tank and had a piece of hose crimped and tied back for a stopper. I almost had it up there when the tied-back stopper became untied and I wound up getting drenched in gas. But being "almost there" I kept going. After all that I pulled it back down to re-glue the heat barriers.

Yesterday was nicer. I wised up and took a two foot long piece of 2x3 and drilled a 1" hole at it's center so I could put it over the stem of a bottle jack without it falling off. After shoving the "sharp end" of the tank up, I used the jack to support the tank while working the "sender" end up.

I had done two things that helped: 1) The left frame member had extra steel sticking out so I ground it back. 2) I dremmeled off the extra length of the sender's studs so they would clear better. They were at least 1/4" longer than necessary. You still shove and pry the thing back up, but with the jack, you can assert upward force while you pry.

The front end of the hangers need to go on first. For me, there was still a lot of tank hanging down when I started on the straps. The driver's side strap was tough for me, trying to get the hole for the fuel outlet fitting over the fitting without stressing it too much.

Oh well, at least I'm not working on gravel...

Good luck doing yours.

Tom Salicos

'87 Syncro Westy


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