Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 10:57:03 -0700
Reply-To: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Does this look like a fuel leak?
In-Reply-To: <510AFF28.5000006@turbovans.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
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 ...
>>
