Date:         Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:16:58 -0700
Reply-To:     al sinclair <alvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         al sinclair <alvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Gas filler neck replacement and other post-bump advice please
Comments: cc: alan sinclair <anadem@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

It's an '81 aircooled westie automatic ... Because of body damage the fuel
filler neck (Bentley page 20.11, Fuels Supply (great, great book!)) has
moved outward from the filler pipe. In trying to repair it I've #$%&ed one
of the three filler neck bolts, so its threaded end is stuck in the back
plate (beside the gasket marked in Bentley with a star above.)
It's not feasible for the body side to be pushed back in, because things are
a bit crumpled (it wasn't me did that). So I have several problems

(1) replacing the back plate, or the whole "Filter neck" assembly.Are such
parts available?

(2) slightly extending the Filler pipe. I've got a neoprene collar with
steel shim wrap that might do, but the vent line connection into the pipe
makes it a bad fit. Hoping I can make the collar fit.

(3) Will the gasket into the tank, at the inner end of the Filler pipe,
likely have gotten damaged when the side got crumpled? If so, are there
other parts I need to check out?

(4) The transmission is getting quite noisy but I haven't figured out what
part. One of the CVs broke up in the crumple, so we replaced both on that
side. I wonder if the bang damaged the diff's axle bearing, or maybe it's
just the gearbox (I put in a used one about 20K miles back, which always had
a growly low gear)

I have to add that my heart is saddened by the damage. She'd only done 50K
when we got her in '95 but her engine was blown and she'd been under a tree
for lots of years. Very pretty under a tired outside, but now a bit strange
(white door in Sahara body). Still, a lovely way to go places.

Any thoughts please kindly Vanagon lovers?