Date:         Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:41:31 -0500
Reply-To:     Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: major fuel leak
Comments: To: Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <C25ADC2C-8E99-4A6A-8721-F225ADC48B5A@cs.indiana.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Allan,
I have dealt with this problem many, many times.  Almost always it is
that the plastic tube that goes from side on side on the top of the gas
tank is broken.  You can feel for this by tracing
the fuel hoses that come from the gas expansion tanks in your front
wheel wells back to the top of the tank with your hand.  Usually they
fail on the passenger side.  If you feel that hose connected to
something that is loose instead of attached to the top of the gas tank,
then your plastic line is broken.  We offer a kit to repair this problem
for $103 on our site.  The part number for a 85-92 Vanagon is
gastankkit1.  If you have an older Vanagon with the metal filler neck
the kit is slightly more expensive and is gastankkit2.
I also have a write up on how to do this repair on my site here:
http://www.vanagain.com/gastank1.htm

Ignore the pricing on this write up page as it is over 7 years old and I
just haven't gotten around to updating it (in the future I will delete
the pricing).
Let me know if I can help you with this problem.

Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com


Allan Streib wrote:
> Several issues tonight, but I'll post them separately in the interest
> of keeping the thread topics focused.
>
> Filled up my van for the first time since I've had it -- it was just
> above the reserve mark when I got it, and I put 5 gallons in it to
> get home that night.
>
> Today I filled it up full.  But, just as the pump shut off, I heard
> splashing under the van.  Looked underneath, and a significant amount
> of gasoline was spilling out of the center "valley" of the tank.
> Probably at least a pint, maybe more, went onto the ground.
>
> Looking at the Bentley illustrations, it appears that the most likely
> suspect that could leak that amount of fuel that quickly would be the
> fuel sender opening.  That's assuming, of course, that the tank does
> not have a completely open rust hole in the top.
>
> What's likely here?  Anyone dealt with anything like this?  I guess
> I'm going to have to drop the tank, too bad it's full to the brim of
> fuel now.
>
> Allan
> --
> 1991 Vanagon GL
>