Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:16:36 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Gas Tank Fitment; Subframe Crooked?
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hi Neil.
I've never even heard of that adapter bushing until this latest go-around.
the reason VW went to the plastic filler tube is cost ..
far, far less expensive part.
that bronze large collar at the top of your pipe ...very expensive part.
You don't see parts like that in modern cars ...all plastic.
so where the metal pipe, heavy duty bronze-like collar and rubber boot cost
say ...
30 dollars in production,
the plastic pipe probably costs 6 dollars , something like that..even less.
plastic is used because ..
it's cheap, once you make the machine to make the part, the unit cost is
almost nothing.
it can't corrode or rust ( but they can deteriorate from age and heat, like
cooling system plastic parts )
and it's light wieght.
and it just happens to be a whole lot easier to deal with the smaller
plastic pipe.
I do have a whole tank with plastic filler neck if you want to buy one from
me ..
or ...
might be better to buy a new small filler neck fuel tank ..
though I have my doubts about new mostly cheap aftermarket parts these days.
personally ,
I would take a chance o a good used original tank and plastic filler neck
myself.
the only issues with the large metal pipe that I am aware of
.........hellava lot harder to remove and install.
I've done many.
they fit, just a pain to get the tiny screws to go through the rubber at
the top, and into the bronze collar. the plastic filler neck is a piece of
cake.
I suppose I could say I've noticed the metal pipes very close to the large
hole in the frame..
like almost touching the bottom of the frame hole.
I have never liked that system they use with a grommet there.
it's not 'normal' that a filler neck sticks into the side of a fuel tank,
( under fuel level too )
and sealing just depends on the resilience of the neoprene seal and the
right pressure to keep it sealing. I don't know of any other car anywhere
with a set up like that.
stay cozy !
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "neil n" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 6:56 PM
Subject: Re: Gas Tank Fitment; Subframe Crooked?
> Hi Scott.
>
> Yup. Got the old metal style filler pipe.
>
> You and Mark Drillock suggested the plastic filler neck, but I want to
> get this job done asap. The adaptor bushing is NLA at VW up here in
> Vancouver BC.
>
> Yah grinding the perimeter of the tank didn't sound right to me either.
>
> It's possible Mark Drillock, you or someone else made this comment but
> I can't help but think there were issues with the larger fill pipe
> from day one and VW improved the design.
>
> I was quite surprised to see that the old tank didn't fit well either.
> The PO's reciepts seem very complete (I even have the original
> dealership book) so my guess is that the "old" tank is what came from
> the factory.
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 6:10 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> HI Neil,
>> I think you said you are using the larger metal filler neck and matching
>> tank.
>>
>> If the problem is the filler neck won't fit nicely through the frame
>> hole..
>> what I would do is get the later type tank with the smaller filler neck
>> hole,
>> and the smaller plastic filler neck.
>
>
> Neil wrote:
>
>>> I'd pop in a filler pipe adaptor but my Visa card is cut up
>>> (fraud)......
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines