Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 11:10:33 -0800
Reply-To: Zoltan <thewestyman@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zoltan <thewestyman@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: leaking gas when engine is on (long)
In-Reply-To: <1446AD2D-6632-43DC-9C02-E560BF79831D@sheilah.org>
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reply-type=original
Where are you located?
Which area on the car is it leaking at? Front, rear, which side?
Is it a leak or a drip?
Yes, there can be leak at several places. The hoses are very old.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sheilah Rogers" <sheilah@SHEILAH.ORG>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 9:44 AM
Subject: leaking gas when engine is on (long)
wow you all, thanks for the warm welcomes.
i went down a rabbit hole yesterday for a solid few hours, checking out
websites from your various sig lines. my oh my, i've been pretty hands off
with my own Vanna (ack! six other Vanna White's!), though i have tricked out
her interior and am told, she's quite comfy.
but you all made me wish i had one of those fancy garages where i can get
all greasy and such. but alas i'm a city dweller with a rented carport and
don't know jack about any of it.
short of fixing my GAS problem myself for fun, i might ask my mechanic if
he'd allow me the opportunity to get under the van with him and see where
all these gas lines are. (he might consider this a customer nightmare, nice
as i am. we'll see. i'm open.)
so that's my main problem right now. gas lines.
i couldn't find anything on leaky gas lines though my review of these
websites though. all i know is that there's apparently a bunch of gas hoses
(two off each reservoir x2, from the main tank to the engine). all in all, i
hear there's about 12 or so.
this might explain why i keep driving off in Vanna only to find her leaking
gas from different hoses. eek! i want this remedied already!
i (perhaps erroneously) figure that if all these hoses are about due to
leak, then why not replace them ALL at once. isn't that somehow cheaper
(certainly less of a headache) than one by one they begin a'leaking? cuz
i've already had 4 leaks and it blows.
fwiw, i've already had done the fuel tank reseal (april 2009)
so the other concern i have is that i need to get Vanna out of a basement
garage, where no tow (or fire engine for that matter) can fit in. so i'm
about to get in there myself, and per a friend's instruction:
1/ bring flash light, eye protection, hand protection.
2/ start engine, find leak. tshirts or rags to wrap gas leak, duct tape the
rag, or direct duct tape if possible.
3/ roll it to the hill inside garage with the engine off.
4/ drive it up the hill with friend standing by with a fire extinguisher
while i drive up the hill. (gas hopefully held in by rags and duct tape.
gawd, i love duct tape)
5/ cut engine at top of hill. then roll it out of garage to a tow-able
place. (tow trucks don't fit in this garage)
6/ disconnect battery so engine won't start. remove gas rags.
7/ call tow. tell them engine won't start. tow to mechanic.
ALTERNATIVELY
1/ i've heard it's actually not hard at all to replace a gas line myself and
have at it.
SOOOOOOOO
the reason why i'm posting all this is that i'm afraid that the engine will
catch on fire. i suppose i might be too paranoid about this, but a little
personal detail about me is that i'm one of those kids that managed to start
a big ol' kitchen fire (boiling oil) so now i'm ahem, weary of fire. ha!
so anyways, does my plan sound safe?
(sorry for the long post)
s.=