Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 12:24:29 -0600
Reply-To: Maggie Dew <wildebus@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Maggie Dew <wildebus@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: success - and what to do with old fuel pump
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
OK, I successfully put in a new fuel pump, filter, and lines from tank to
filter, between filter and pump, and from pump to rear line. Now, does
anyone need brain surgery? Oh, I forgot, you all own vanagons - nevermind.
Seriously, I know you guys can do this job in 30 minutes (at least I think
it was Unca Joel that said that), but I pulled into my Sis' driveway at
10:00, finished and started cleaning up my tools at 11:30. For those of you
who are newbies like me, I found it easiest to connect all the lines, pump
and filter ahead of time. Then I used the suggestions from the listees and
used vice grips to close the line between tank and filter. Then I started
from back to front unhooking the old setup and hooking up the new. I saved
the connection to the gas tank for last and had a little trouble figuring
out that (original) clamp since it was neither a screw nor spring clamp. I
finally just twisted it off with channel locks, lost only a few drops of gas
before jamming the new line on and clamping it. Started her up and there was
a very small amount of gas slipping down the line on the high pressure end.
Tightened that clamp and all is well. I did the job alone with the exception
of my sister who took pictures and laughed at me.
Thanks for the many tips that made it easier - I cut the toes out of an old
pair of socks and slipped them over my wrists, then put gloves over. I wore
goggles and prevented gas, grit, and dirt from getting in my eyes, and I cut
the fingers off some gloves and put the fingers over the vice grips ends.
And, yes, I unhooked the negative battery terminal before I started. Since
the + and - on the pump were very hard to read, I took a red marker and made
a big red + on the metal side of the pump before I started to make sure I
didn't hook it up backwards.
Now that I'm done - is there any use for the old pump? It was working when
I took it off, but had been making funny noises and may have let me down
when it quit running in New Mexico. Not sure about that - could have been
some dirt in there, but at any rate it got me back to Oklahoma.
Maggie
'85 Subaru-Westy "Anne Bonney"
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