Date:         Mon, 3 Mar 2008 23:12:38 -0800
Reply-To:     Kim Springer <kimspringer@RCN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Springer <kimspringer@RCN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Calif 2008 emissions fuel tank pressure testing? /NO
              Emissions Question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

There is no conspiracy in California to get old cars off the road, though
the State will pay you a handsom price to do so.

To get my truck legal in California (from Europe), I had to have it tested
at a CARB approved test facililty. That test they heated the tank up with
special heating blankets and put the truck into a cloased room and measured
the emissions from the truck by sampling the air in the room for 45 minutes.

To get it to pass, I had to modify the tank with soldered, brass, barbed
fittings and new hoses with hose clamps. The last item that almost made the
tank fail was the filler pipe. I had a neck soldered to the tank that would
accept a large diameter fuel hose from it to the filler neck itself, much
like the American trucks have. I was told by the staff at the testing
facility that the Vanagon (VW) design of hoses and grommets in to the top of
the fuel tank could not have ever passed the original CARB importation
requirements when VW filed to import them  into California. They said the
system design is faulty and couldn't imagine VW ever actually passed the
required testing. I would be shocked if anyone on the list has ever (even as
a brand new van) had their Vanagon hold pressure in the tank like properly
set up emission systems do.

But, no more leaks and the tank holds pressure. When I take the cap off it
puffs out air like my other cars do. Yet when I mentioned this before to the
list, I got replies that I had hooked something up wrong. Nope, mine seals,
yours does not. 4 lbs of pressure is what those heaters on the tank created.
If you can hold 4 lbs, your good, but you can't hold 4 lbs with the stock
tank sealing system. Grommets and plastic tubes will keep the gas from
spilling, but it will not handle fumes on hot days.

So if Vanagons are passing with the standard re-seal kit on the tank, you
all have nothing to worry about besides maintaining your vehicles. They are
not doing the CARB test and never will. Be grateful for that ! The only
upsides of my expenses on my Tristar is that I have one (legally) and I know
I'm not adding CO2 from fuel vapors leaking from a poorly designed system.
By the way, with the parts right parts (maybe someone could kit this out), a
radiator shop can make the mods that are on my tank for about the same price
as the reseal kit and you will never have to reseal again, not even a cross
over tube, just a standard piece of fuel hose.

Kim
'89 Tristar #7






----- Original Message -----
From: "VW Doka" <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: Calif 2008 emissions fuel tank pressure testing? /NO Emissions
Question


> Both.  They're testing the gas caps and the evap system.
>
> There's some light reading available here:
>
> http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/stdhome.asp
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Michael Elliott
> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 2:18 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Calif 2008 emissions fuel tank pressure testing? /NO
> Emissions Question
>
>
> I are cornfused -- is CA testing gas caps or fuel tanks? Seems like some
> folks have had one tested, others have had others tested.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>
> On 3/3/2008 1:29 PM BenT Syncro wrote:
>
> > On 3/3/08, Michael Hart <mjhart853@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> I just had my '87 Westy SMOG tested in the SF Bay Area (2/23)
> >> As far as I remember, it was the same test procedure & equipment as 2
> >> years ago.
> >> The gas cap was tested off the van using a pressure hose & attachment.
> >> There
> >> was no pressure test of the gas tank. The machine used seemed several
> >> years old.
> >> This was at a 'SMOG Test Only' center, which they seem to send our old
> >> vans to every time now.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just did 3 of my vehicles in the past week. All required off tank test
of
> > the cap. I used the same non-locking cap for all three cars just be be
on
> > the safe side. Ran into this issue last year. My locking cap gasket was
> > supposed to be a leakerper their test equipment. So as a serial &
> > multi-Vanagon owner, I keep a good known (newer) cap sitting around for
> this
> > purpose. I swap out my daily cap just before smog check time. Hasn't
> failed
> > me yet.
> >
> > On a separate note, I use the same cap for my Mercedes. Same cap, same
> fit.
> >
> >
> > BenT
>