Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 20:04:26 -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: <08875342-C3C6-46BA-80B7-700FDEA96DFB@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi ...
they must have made that vanagon on a bad day then.
The only place I seeproblems is where the hose clamps are.
As I've said ..the original crimp type don't work very well after a long
time.
( espeically on that 'one spot' forward of the firewall fitting
...thosejust loveto leak )
also ..cheap american small hose clamps that cut into the hose .
just one way or another..
it's where the hose clamps go ..on the ends of the hoses.
I just keep a close eye on all those..
and any original hose clamps are automatically on a list of things to do
- cut 'em off..
replace with a good clamp , I use german screw clamps..
and the 'real' fuel injection screw type clamp is a band style camp with
a screw.
I like those over any crimp type clamp because you can check tightness..
retighten the clamp some if you need to .
and take things apart and put them back together with the same clamp.
Just running and engine and not *driving* the van is pretty rough on
things in my mind.
I hope you at least made sure the clutch disc wasn't rusted to the
flywheel..
it's much better for everything ..clutch , transmission , brakes etc...
if you drive it ..
and even then ....not getting much use is just rough on them. Like even
driving one say 2 hours a month ..
it still goes downhill with that little use over time.
maybe the fuel hoses are like a wooden boat ..
they have to be exposed to the fluids they were made to be in contact
with in order to remain healthy and sealing well.
I think the air pillars/chimneys in the rear are a brillinant design and
serve a very useful purpose..
if nothing else they take in engine air for it to run on up off the
ground, and not down by wheels where there could be a lot more dust.
Perhaps heat-triggered doors that slam shut in the case of a fire .....
but I sure wouldn't block those off myself.
flowing air is a good thing in an engine compartment, at least a decent
amount, not that thebottom isn't pretty much open anyway
On 2/1/2013 9:57 AM, OlRivrRat wrote:
> Scott & TWIMC
>
> I can tell you for a fact & from experience that OE Vanagon
> FuelHoses
> do deteriorate & LeakLikeASieve ~ Quite literally ~
>
> Back in 1983 I bought what I was told @ the time was NMs very 1st
> H2OBoxerWesty. Over the next several years I proceed to
>
> put 92K mi's on it & then parked it ( when a FamilyDecision was made
> to get a more powerful van that was capable of pulling
>
> of pulling a HorseTrailer ). The Westy didn't budge for a bunch of
> years but I did start it & allow to run for 1/2-1hr every month
>
> or 2. Now I don't really remember how many years that scenario
> continued but on one of those occasions I went to check on it
>
> by looking out a window where I had a view of its full profile & saw
> fluid pouring out of it near the back of the engine bay so I
>
> rushed out & shut it down. I was in middle of something @ the time &
> very dismayed about what had just occurred so I did not
>
> look into what the fluid was 'til the following day @ which time I
> pulled the EngineBayCover & much to my surprise, didn't find
>
> anything obviously wrong ~ I had it in my head for some reason that
> the RearMainSeal had gone & I would find oil all over the
>
> back end of the EngineBay. So I started it up & went back to have a
> look & was shocked to find a VanagonFuelHose rendition of
>
> a LasVegas fountain display ~ needless to say I very quickly ran back
> & shut it down. The rubber in the hoses on both sides of
>
> the PressureReg' had deteriorated & only the woven sleeve was keeping
> it all together & acting like a sieve.
>
> One other point I'd like to make about VanagonEngineFires ~ I have
> spent time pondering why they seem to do so much
>
> destruction & have come to the conclusion that it may be due to the
> fact that VW provided them with ~ Chimneys ~ DPillars ~
>
> so one item that I have thought about having on hand in addition to
> FireExtinguishers is something to quickly cover the DPVents
>
> to try to prevent TheFanningOfTheFlames ~ or possibly just plugging up
> the DPillars ~ are they really necessary on an H2OBoxer ~
>
> ORR ~ DeanB
> On 31 Jan , 2013, at 4:32 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>
>> 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 ...
>>>
>
