Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:32:56 -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: Does this look like a fuel leak?
In-Reply-To: <510AF428.3000102@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi John,
that's why I said the safest default thing to do is not drive one when
there is a sniff of fuel.
and ..this may drive people nuts ..
I basally don't ever see original fuel hoses leaking on vanagons ...
I own 9 ..I have 4 more here at least that are running.
I keep an eye on things for sure..
and I do remove the original crimp clamps for sure ...
those do eventually leak.
I always eliminate the firewall fitting weakness - that one is *Mandatory*.
And of course if I see anything fuel-hose wise that is weak or funky, I
fix it, you betcha.
heck .I think people introduce problems they wouldn't have had by using
less than OE quality hoses.
I have never seen a leaking fuel rail yet.
I have no kidding ...about 20 on vans and at least that many in boxes
..amazing plastic ..sure wish all plastic things were that tough.
I know people that let their vans get all rusty have the metal ends rust
sometimes..
I just don't have that issue ever.
Oddly ..I have watched a waterboxer engine running ..
when there was no hose clamp of any kind of one of the fuel rail
connections !
and it wasn't leaking there either.
Iput a good clamp on of course.
I would say 'not looking' is what leads to problems.
I think, like you do .....one should be nosing around the engine
compartment on a regular basis ..like for any excuse.
Like get in there and carefully eyeball each and every tiny part, wire,
hose etc.
With emphacis on fuel hoses and clamps of course ..
but even more, in my world ....'corrosion'.
People freak out when I say spary the entire engine down with WD-40 (
except in the alternator ) but having done that to thousandsof cars over
a period of many decades .....it's a hellava lot better than things
rusting and corroding.
I have vanagon parts ..
including aluminum ones that are corroded to just dust. Point is ..it's
not hard to preventand treat.
The waterboxer hose layout is pretty sweet all right. I have no
criticisms of it really ..
except for the dorky firewall fuel fitting ..
a part with no purpose at all. And ..that 'one spot' is hard to get at
and see., right above the starter there.
And it likes to leak there.
like the old saying ..a chain is only as strong as its weakest link ..
if a vanagon's engine compartment fuel hoses and clamps are all perfect ..
there still some hoses forward of the firewall and above the transand if
it's original there...all the new hoses on the engine in the world won't
help.
glad you are checking things on a regular basis !
not doing that is what causes vanagons to have problems.
scott
On 1/31/2013 2:46 PM, JRodgers wrote:
> Scott,
>
> I think that over-paranoia is fully justified. I've never owned another
> vehicle that was as fuel-leak prone as the Vanagon - even with new hoses
> and clamps. I check my hoses for seeps, leaks, loose clamps, fittings
> and wear once a month and any time I have the engine hatch open.
>
> BTW - I can't think of a vehicle on which the fuel system inspection is
> any easier that the stock Vanagon.
>
> John R
>
> On 1/31/2013 3:08 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> I think people are a little over-paranoid about fuel leaks sometimes ...
>
