Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:57:23 -0400
Reply-To: Steve Cotsford <cotsford@AOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve Cotsford <cotsford@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Fuel pump folly (little Vanagon content)
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk28M+Txbqe02rPoM1-VextpgLr1nVeg5LGD0pGkGs31-w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Dis donc ! Si tu vas jurer en francais, il faut l'ecrire correctement. C'est "merde! ", pas "merdre" and putting "alors" after it adds some weight. The tone was understood anyway ;-)
You are indeed brave to own a Dauphine. Does it still have both horns fitted?
Steve
On Apr 26, 2013, at 12:38 PM, Jim Felder wrote:
> That is a good point about the accessibility of vanagon stuff. I shudder to
> think about working on some of the cars I see.
>
> Speaking of inaccessibility, ever try changing a master cylinder on a
> Renault Dauphine (of course you haven't, you wouldn't be stupid enough to
> own one). Well I am not proud to admit it, but I figured out where it was
> located and cut an access hole with a cold chisel and did the job from
> inside the "boot."
>
> Merdre! C'est la guerre.
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 11:21 AM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Been a bad month for my cars. First the fuel pump died on my '03 Ranger.
>> I
>> had plenty of warning for about a year, but you know how it goes. Since
>> it's been cold and wet here I had AAA tow it to one of their recommended
>> shops figuring maybe a $200-$300 repair. Next day I get an estimate of
>> $900
>> for a new fuel pump!!! Paid them $105 to tell me what I already knew and
>> had AAA tow it home where it sat for a couple of weeks while I waited for
>> the weather to improve, and that's when the new Vanagon heat valve started
>> leaking. So, the breakdown was fortuitous, since I likely would have been
>> on a trip when it leaked later.
>>
>>
>>
>> The truck conked out in the Lowe's parking lot about a mile from home too,
>> so I guess I still have pretty good "Carma." Oh yeah, I killed the trucks
>> original 10 year old battery trying to start the car (beat another dead
>> horse), so there's another $100. I've got to get over this compulsion to
>> wait until something breaks before I fix it.
>>
>>
>>
>> Went to NAPA and bought a Bosch replacement pump for $98 (Rock Auto had the
>> same pump for $64 but I was in a hurry). I opted to remove the bed with my
>> engine hoist to replace the pump since the tank had a lot of gas in it, and
>> dropping the tank would be difficult without a lift in any case. About two
>> hours later I torqued down the bed bolts and patted myself on the back for
>> saving $700. Of course, if I had just towed it home and ordered the pump
>> from Rock Auto I'd have saved $835. As I was putting my tools away I
>> noticed a hose clamp on the ground and quickly realized I had forgotten to
>> hook the filler pipe back up, the last step in installing the bed! I'd
>> have
>> figured that out sooner or later, and hopefully not while wearing my dress
>> shoes.
>>
>>
>>
>> Turns out the fuel pump is in an assembly bigger than a shoe box with the
>> sender, back pressure valve, venting, etc. and Ford only sells the whole
>> thing for $350. Tax to get to $900 is $82, so the labor on that repair was
>> $468 at an independent shop. Yikes.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Vanagon fuel pump takes about 15 minutes to replace! Inaccessible
>> in-tank pumps are a really dumb idea. The assembly did have
>> quick-disconnect connectors for the hoses though, which was the only easy
>> part of the job.
>>
>>
>>
>> BTW, I live in a DIYer's paradise! Both Lowes and HD one mile, NAPA 2
>> miles, O'Rielly 1 mile, Sears tools 2 miles (on the way to NAPA), Harbor
>> Freight, 5 miles. I got to buy a new tool for my collection too, a Torx
>> T-50 bit for the bed, and only NAPA had one. Life is good in the big city,
>> but I still order 95% of my parts online.
>>
>>
>>
>> Have a great weekend, and I won't be under my cars (I hope)!
>>
>>
>>
>> Stuart
>>
>> Seattle
>>
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