Date:         Wed, 3 Apr 2013 15:44:37 -0600
Reply-To:     david hardy <david@PLANETMIND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         david hardy <david@PLANETMIND.NET>
Subject:      Spare Fuel Pump Saves the Day
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Just wanted to pass along a little advice to anyone doing long trips to remote places in a
Vanagon...Last week we were about halfway through a 1200 mile trip through Colorado and Utah -
just south of Natural Bridges National Monument on Rt 261, to be exact. The Westy was running
great, not even a hiccup...when it suddenly wouldn't accelerate. I just couldn't get the engine
to rev. Coasted to a turn-off - middle of nowhere, of course - where it just died. I know my way
around the wasserboxer pretty well, so I got underneath and felt/listened for the fuel pump
while the wife turned the ignition on/off - sure enough, it wasn't coming on - then it did, but
just made a sick, gurgly buzz. About 20 or so years ago, I had pulled the fuel pump off an old
fuel-injected Type II bus I was parting out, figuring "someday this is gonna save my butt", and
sure enough... So 15 minutes later we were back on the road, cruising through some of the most
amazing - and desolate - terrain in the country.

Moral of the story: carry a spare fuel pump, and learn how to replace it (it's easy). You can
get an after-market one for $50 on ebay - but you'll be waiting at least a couple days (and pay
many times that) for a parts store to get one in most places. Another good spare to carry is a
distributor, since it can also strand you (and also easy to replace). Those are a little
pricier, though.

David
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