Date:         Tue, 24 May 2005 13:45:56 -0600
Reply-To:     David McCallum <dmcc@DIMENSIONAL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David McCallum <dmcc@DIMENSIONAL.COM>
Subject:      Fuel Lines...my turn! And a replacement question.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I first smelled gasoline about 4 days ago, but I had
just filled up and got a little splash out the filler
neck, so I figured it was on me. Smelled it again this
morning, stopped at my destination, inspected and found
that the fuel pump seemed to be leaking. As I was only
about a mile from home, put the extinguisher next to
me and motored to my driveway hypersensitive to any
sign of smoke or flame.

Once parked, I got out, heard a distinctive intermittent
hiss and saw a small puddle forming under the left side
of the engine. Did my heart leap! The drip stopped after
about 30 secs, and by that time I had opened the engine
compartment (checked the license plate door first to make
sure of no feiry surprises) and noted that the send and
return lines to the left fuel rail seemed soaked with gas,
as did the short line between fuel pump and fuel filter.
Now *that* is tragedy narrowly averted!

Upon buying the van last July, I was assured that the lines
had been changed with the rebuild ~2000 miles ago, and they
looked good to my untrained eye...cloth-braided and marked 7mm.
Oh, well, all things considered I got very lucky. The new parts
are on expedited order from Bus Depot, and I know what I'm doing
this weekend...

In the meantime, I have a question about proper routing and
fuel line protection. I note on Ben Huot's excellent website that
the lines are "floating" and sheathed in what appears to be a
plastic sleeve. Mine have no sleeve and are zip-tied to the
air runners going to the injectors. Does anybody have any
suggestions of a suitable sheathing to protect the fuel lines
from contact with the hot engine? I have a few days before I
tacle this, and I want to do it right!

Thanks for reading!
David McCallum
'89 Westy - "Boris"