Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2016 21:59:04 -0800
Reply-To: Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Fuel Pump Noise
In-Reply-To: <CAG12aiuLqTiGxvrJ+xFHqjbg_sM+N+Yhw4vaV+iH1fpMrVpdRg@mail.gmail.com>
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Tyler, I should add a detail I missed so you don't get a mouthful of gas if
you decide to try this. You sure don't want gasoline in your mouth -- it's
toxic.
Before removing the line from the tank at the fuel pump or pre-fuel-pump
filter, clamp it first with vice-grips that have been padded with a dowel
cut in half lengthwise and each half taped to one jaw of the vice-grip.
With this, there should be no gas dripping from the line. Then take a
breath and blow into the hose remaining on the tank before temporarily
releasing the vice-grip -- don't remove the vice-grip and re-clamp it as
soon as you've unblocked the blockage in the tank. This left me with only
a drop of gasoline on my lips which I wiped off pronto.
After the above, I then put a bucket under the fuel line and again released
the vice-grip temporarily to see that the gas was flowing freely. Then I
re-clamped and added the new fuel filter.
Rick
On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 4:02 PM, Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@gmail.com> wrote:
> Don't want to steal your thread but I'm dealing with the identical
> problem. Started a month or so ago (fuel pump buzzing) so I put in a
> front, pre-fuel-pump filter. That solved the problem for a while.
> Yesterday, I took a 100 mile journey. By the time I was three blocks from
> my destination, the fuel pump was buzzing loudly (and could have been for a
> while since I was listening to music the last half of the trip). At that
> point, the van started losing power intermittently and I hobbled the last
> three blocks.
>
> Today, I bought another fuel filter and got ready to install it. Let the
> hose from the tank drain into a bucket for a few seconds -- piddly stream.
> Since, I'm sure this is caused by rust in the tank, I took a good breath of
> air and blew backwards on the hose into the fuel tank. Sure enough, I felt
> pressure and then a light pop and I was blowing air easily. Let the hose
> drain back into the bucket and got a good strong stream. Attached the
> filter and fuel pump is happy. But how long it will be happy is another
> question. I'll find out tomorrow when I do the return 100 miles home!
>
> Rick
>
> On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 1:44 PM, Tyler Hardison <tyler@seraph-net.net>
> wrote:
>
>> Aside from the normal startup sound, every once in awhile I hear a noise
>> that sounds like cavitation noises? Like what I'd expect if there is air
>> being introduced.. But I'm not smelling fuel, and there does not seem to
>> be
>> any visible fuel leaks.
>>
>> Almost sounds like a broken piezo buzzer?
>>
>> First question is, how long has it got..
>>
>> Second question is, my van never had a "front" fuel filter.. (Not since
>> I've owned it).. Maybe I should get one?
>>
>> --t
>>
>
>
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