Date:         Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:13:43 -0600
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fuel Line Freezing
Comments: To: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <20090219113432.2A08E774003@pop7.cfu.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I lived in Alaska for 30 years and never once had a fuel line to freeze.
You just knew to religiously put HEET or other alcohol product in your
fuel to remove any moisture condensate that might occur.
If your vehicle is outside a lot, and then you put it inside, then go
back out side with it, it is possible to introduce ice crystals into the
fuel that will clog the line. For this, and many other reasons, people
up there don't park their vehicles in garages generally. The constant
changes in temperature and subsequent moisture changes introduce
problems out of the ordinary. Going in and out of heated garages caused
all kinds of grief, like doors where the latching mechanism won't work,
windows that won't go up or down, just all kinds of stuff.

If you have a frozen line, get the vehicle inside long enough to thaw
the ice, then add HEET or similar to the fuel, then go back out and
drive it a while to get the HEET through the fuel system. Then park it
outside and leave it there. The cold will keep the air dry and moisture
accumulation and condensation then should not be a problem.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Max Wellhouse wrote:
> I was wondering IF and I do mean IF, I'm having fuel line freezing
> issues with cold starting with my Vanagon, where would the most
> likeliest locations for the freezing occur?  Tank? Lines in the
> engine compartment?  Plastic line from firewall to pump?  Pump to
> Tank?  Or....all of the above?  IF this was occuring, would some sort
> of exterior foam hose insulation be beneficial for when the Vanagon
> sits outside in severe cold?  Adding Heet tot the gas when filling
> up(despite using Alcohol blended gas in the first place), or just not
> drive it when it gets below 10F?
>
> Thank
>
> DM&FS
>
>