Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2018 06:34:55 -0500
Reply-To: Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Advice on Leak in Fuel Return Line
In-Reply-To: <81bea30d-0b5f-b820-e843-1c0aaa5d25bb@sbw.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Mine leaked in the same place and I used a second clamp to help prevent leaking. Has worked for several years now.
Stephen
Mobile
> On Nov 18, 2018, at 11:16 PM, Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG> wrote:
>
> I'd welcome some advice on a new leak.
>
> My '84 Westy was parked for two months. I started it today to prepare
> for a Thanksgiving trip. I opened the engine compartment to check for
> mice and to watch for leaks and so on.
>
> https://sbw.org/sbwsty/
>
> Within a few minutes of starting the engine, I noted fuel leaking from
> the return line just forward of where it passes through the grommet at
> the front of the engine compartment. On closer inspection, I could see
> the fuel was leaking where the flexible line from the pressure regulator
> joins the hard plastic line that runs forward to the tank. The flexible
> line slides over the plastic line and is secured with a hose clamp.
>
> Is that the usual setup, with the hard line running forward to the tank
> from there? The hard plastic line looks kinda old, which is frustrating
> because I had the fuel tank replaced just before my last trip in
> September. I wish I had thought to tell the shop to replace the ENTIRE
> return line. (The fuel supply line, filter, pump, and pressure
> regulator were replaced.)
>
> I loosened the hose clamp and pulled the lines apart. The plastic line
> looks a bit squished near the end. I slid the lines back together and
> tried to position the hose clamp over a non-squished part of the plastic
> line and tightened it down good.
>
> I ran the engine a bit more, and it looks like the leak has stopped.
> I'll check it again before I leave on my trip.
>
> I know older rubber lines sometimes will leak when they've dried out,
> then stop leaking when they get saturated with fuel. This line doesn't
> look very old. The surface isn't checked or cracked. Easy enough to
> replace it. I doubt the shop replaced the lines when they put the new
> regulator in.
>
> What's your advice? OK to travel, if it's not leaking when I check it
> again? Should I replace the line when it's convenient? Any other
> action I should take?
>
> Thanks!
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