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Date:         Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:40:53 -0700
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: VERBOSE: fuel pump, ethanol, cavitation
Comments: To: mordo <helmut.blong@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTikeq6=cUO=nz-e10rXwNeo-kHExmWRQiu0OsYW5@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

It sounds like your tank outlet is restricted. That 'laminate trimmer' noise only comes from lack of volume at the inlet side of the pump.

Do as Scott suggests and run your pump from a hose into a gas can to see if that makes a difference.

If the noise goes away, its time to replace the gas tank.

On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 7:38 AM, mordo <helmut.blong@gmail.com> wrote:

> O, List, > > I've been reading a lot of the discussion both here and on the Samba about > fuel pump cavitation since I had a discouraging failure en route to the > Outer Banks Saturday a week ago. I'd appreciate the collective wisdom of > the > list on this incident. > > Van is generally running very well tho' I was a bit apprehensive of my > instrument cluster after tearing the foil thus worried that any warning > signs won't be reported. So, traffic from Springfield, VA on 95S was > hateful > as usual and that day it was dreadful all the way to 295 interchange near > Richmond. Dodged the back up on 64E by going down to 460E, wade through > Norfolk area and on to NC 168/158 and am shortly mired in a hellish, 20 > mile > debacle of too many damned vehicles all going to the same place. And, it's > hot, hot, hot, approximately 99F "real feel" that day and the rad fan is > cycling on and off regularly and occasionally up to high speed (that's a > surprising sound). Stop and go, creeping, crawling with the AC on. About > four miles before the bridge over the Currituck Sound, I hear what I > interpret is a wheezing sound from the cooling system and the engine > sputters to a stop. We pull over onto a grassy verge and curse the gods for > their cruelty. I try starting again and it kicks over, runs momentarily and > the sputters to a stop again. Wheezing sound was present again. > > After hassling with an ESL support operator at my motor club, I get in to > tell the operator the VIN. I crank it over again just for kicks and it > starts and runs normally. So, I say, "Never mind, it's running again. I'll > call if I need a tow." We drove about 200 yards and kaput. Try to start > again and it sputters and coughs and kaput. And then the starter won't > crank > over. Wheezing sound again. After a long, hot ride in the tow truck cab > (three people plus driver) we are at our destination and I ignore the van > in > favor of several anodyne adult beverages. > > Next day, I start it and run it and discern that the wheezing is a noisy, > whining fuel pump. It was an aftermarket pump, about three years old so I'm > willing to believe that it is failing. So, I order a replacement from > BusDepot. Replace it and the filter. The old filter bled rusty-looking > fuel."Hrmmm," says I. Starts rough but eventually runs fine. On the way > back > to Baltimore, I start to get the whining fuel pump sound again and > occasionally, idling at stop lights, the engine quits. Restarts normally > and > runs well at high speed, pulls strong all the way to Baltimore. So, to > summarize: > > > 1. Hot ambient temps > 2. fill up in southern Virginia with 10% ethanol fuel > 3. fine rust in fuel filter before replacement > 4. new Bosch pump still have whining sound > 5. Engine runs well under load, acceleration normal > 6. Sputters at hot idle and sometimes quits > 7. cleaned the tank three or four years ago > > I have read of the theory that ethanol-blended gasoline is responsible for > cavitation, its specific gravity being lower than straight gasoline. I've > read the theory that the generic Bosch pump is too fast for gasohol and > that > a resistor in line on the pump is the answer. I have experienced the > effects > of cruddy fuel choking the fuel pump and my experience was inconsistent > with > previous misadventures. That usually presented as choking and losing power > under load. > > What do you all think is the most likely culprit? I was under the > impression > that most fuel around the mid Atlantic was 10% ethanol but perhaps I am > mistaken. I am suspicious of my fuel pressure regulator - haven't tested > fuel pressure in a couple of years. > > Cheers, > -- > mordo > 1990 Carat >

-- Jake

1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van' 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com www.crescentbeachguitar.com http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27


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