Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2018 19:15:07 +0000
Reply-To: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Fuel tank problem solving
In-Reply-To: <3B26FD1D-B6E8-4042-9DE0-51C26DCB2486@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Wow, the outlet of your fuel tank must REALLY be clogged with rust/debris; when I was having the fuel starvation issue in my 85 Vanagon, it was more of a bogging issue that tended to occur on hot days or high altitudes (a gasoline vapor pressure phenomenon).
I was thinking of an "emergency" fix for this, at least to get home or to a shop. How about getting a 3 foot long piece of rubber hose to match the hose on the outlet of the fuel tank; quickly slip off the existing fuel hose and attach the new 3 foot piece, of course keeping the open end of it as high as possible (maybe with a piece of duct tape on side of van). Then BLOW hard and repeatedly into this hose in an attempt to dislodge the crud (which of course will move it back into the tank for a later repeat of the same problem....but at least might get you to a shop).
The best permanent fix is fuel tank replacement, and at the same time doing the crossovers and all gaskets, and maybe even the fuel level sender. When I got my replacement tank from Van Cafe, I chose the 12 mm outlet option instead of the 7 mm diameter as was original on my 85; I figured since VW engineers changed the outlet to a bigger size then so would I. All it took was to delete that little 7 mm to 12 mm inline fitting.
BTW....it is also my understanding that VW had the small square plastic pre-filter to catch metal particles from initial engine break-in, but later issued an advisory to delete that pre-filter.
Rich
San Diego
From: Cunegonde <cunegonde.van.westfalia@GMAIL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2018 11:53 AM
Subject: Fuel tank problem solving
So, this fall Cunegonde stopped running due to fuel starvation at the pump. NP I thought; I’ll replace the white cube pre-pump filter and all will be well.
Nope.
No fuel flow out of the tank spigot, even though I had filled the tank just before the no fuel issue. I checked for fuel using my siphon hose. There is at least 6” of gas in the tank - might be more. With the fuel filler cap off, I tried using a deliberately kinked stiff copper wire to ream out the spigot from the downstream end. No fuel flow.
So, is the tank outflow/spigot really long (more than 12”) inside the tank and something is clogging it? How to clean? Or do I have a hole in the tank and there’s a puddle of fuel behind a baffle, but not in the area around the outflow?
The idea of dropping my tank in the driveway without a helper seems grim. All those crossover and evap canoster hoses, the damn fuel filler neck and it’s gaskets... BTDT!
