Date:         Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:47:25 -0500
Reply-To:     Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: major fuel leak
Comments: To: Mike <mbucchino@charter.net>
In-Reply-To:  <1a2201c86267$5a250bf0$0a00a8c0@OWNERMIKE> (Mike's message of
              "Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:09:00 -0500")
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

"Mike" <mbucchino@charter.net> writes:

> This has been a problem on both of my most recent Vanagons.  Some
> people have made up a brass tee fitting to replace the plastic, but
> I managed to repair mine. By reinforcing inside with tubing, epoxy
> and wrapping the outside with tape to hold it together until the
> epoxy set, it made a strong, lasting repair.  My vent and filler
> grommets were fine; I just cleaned and lubed them with silcone
> grease. I reinstalled it all back together and it hasn't leaked or
> come apart in over a year.  I found the repair kits to be overly
> expensive and lacking some key pieces.  IIRC, VW no longer sells
> some of the vent pieces; maybe the overflow valves?.

The whole design seems ill-conceieved and prone to leaking in a
rollover.  I mean if you are in a wreck and your van tips over do you
want nothing more than an old rubber grommet and a few bits of brittle
plastic keeping 10+ gallons of gasoline contained?

I can see the need for cross-ventilation between the two "lobes" of
the tank, but in my view they should have brazed or welded a steel
pipe across there at the factory.  The plastic tubing and fittings, in
a place that's pretty much inaccessible to routine inspection, is just
a bad design.  IMHO.

Allan

--
1991 Vanagon GL