Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:12:42 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: major fuel leak
In-Reply-To: <ccd73a10801272028r144dac23j9796d470ca28cd7f@mail.gmail.com>
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Just want to concur with Roger particularly about any gas water heaters or
furnaces near the vanagon while working on a large fuel thing like tan R &
R-ing of the tank.
I also, perhaps from doing it so long, don't think gasoline is
nitroglycerin trying to explode just every second , but sure watch out for
sparks. About the very worst thing you could do is drop an incandescent work
light and have it get smashed in spilled fuel - but mostly you just need to
be very mindful of any kinds of spark or flame around gasoline.
Usually it's just messy, smelly and toxic, is all lol . Always have a fire
extinguisher at hand, or two, a plan if there is a fire, etc. Water
sprayed on a spilled fuel fire is usually a bad thing. Liquid gasoline isn't
even that dangerous much, it' s fumes mixed with air.
Pump the fuel tank empty first, with the electric fuel pump, just hot wire
it or jumper the relay, it's easy. Jumpering the fuel pump relay is safer
as you won't be messing with voltage by the fuel pump down by the fuel tank.
'generally speaking' in my experience it's better to replace vanagon fuel
tanks if they clog up, or get badly rusted. They're not quite like an old
fashioned plain ole metal tank you can see everything in. They have a sump
screen area, but you have to cut things apart to access it. And seems to me
that radiator shops don't work on metal gas tanks very much anymore these
days.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Roger Whittaker
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 8:29 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: major fuel leak
Dear Allan
i hope you do not take the following post as an insult to your intelligence
but in the interest of safety i will venture forward
Prior to proceeding with any gasoline tank repairs ...
if repairing in the home garage ... read your home owners policy to see if
burning the house down while doing own repairs is covered
ensure all lights on extension cords or used for remote light are non
breakable low heat
ensure there is adequate ventilation in your work area
remove all gasoline from the tank before attempting to remove tank from the
vehicle
if there is even the remotest chance that you will introduce sparks or open
flame to the work area
have the tank steam cleaned by professionals prior to attempting repairs and
immediately after removal
Most importantly remember that furnaces in the work area ... are a source of
flame or spark
remember also that if there are heater vents from the regular house forced
air heater ...
fumes can seep into the vents and make their way to the fire chamber ...
good luck with your repairs ...
yours
On Jan 27, 2008 5:49 PM, Allan Streib <streib@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> On Jan 27, 2008, at 8:12 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
> > If this van is new to you consider that the upper leaks have been
> > there for a while which also mean that road debris and water have
> > gotten in
>
> Yeah good point. If I have to drop the tank, which seems inevitable,
> I will definitely be going over it to be sure it's not perforated,
> and plan to clean up and POR-15 the whole thing.
>
> Allan
>
--
roger w
There are two kinds of jobs in the world:
Picking up garbage and telling people things.
Successful people do both, with the same good attitude. (riw)
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