Date: Tue, 4 Apr 95 10:23:23 PDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Dave Kautz <dkautz@hpsidms1.sid.hp.com>
Subject: Re: Help, my wallet's always empty...
> I'd suspect you may be leaking gas rather than burning it. Do you smell
gas? Especially when cornering with a fullish tank? If so, you may be
leaking from the rubber elbow where the fill pipe connects with the
tank. Another possibility is a leaky fuel pump diaphragm. There is a
little hose on the pump that directs leakage in to the cooling air
stream below cylinders 1 & 2 <it's the one that goes thru the sheet
metal>. Pull it off at the pump. There should be NOTHING coming out
of it.
My '72 had 137.5 main jets and never got great mileage <17-20>, but it
never got as bad as 14. During the time I had that bus I had several
fuel leaks from various places: Cracked hoses, leaky fuel pump, one
of the little brass tubes where the hose connects to a carburetor came
loose, etc., etc. It's not expensive and probably a good idea to simply
replace every piece of rubber fuel line between the tank and the carbs
if you've got the time.
Dave
> My gas mileage has hit an all-time low of 14 mpg. I have a 72' 1700
> and I'm at my wits end as to how to get more miles for the buck. I've
> changed the ignition system completely (i.e. brand new), I've checked
> the compression and its A-OK and I've changed the cut-off jets in the
> carburator. All of these things were done on the advice of
> mechanics... What I have not yet attempted is a carb equalization. I
> didn't think it needed one because the engine runs like a Swiss
> timepiece. Any suggestions? Is the "volume control" screw really just
> an idle mixture screw? If not, then is there a volume control screw on
> the passenger's side carb? AAArgh, I hate not being able to drive my VW...
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mark Sabourin
>
> "They all err; Muslim, Christian, and Jew
> Two make up humanity's universal sect,
> One man, intelligent without religion
> The other, religious without intellect."
> - Ma'arri (1057)
>
> "The plague of man is the opinion of knowledge. That is why ignorance
> is so recommended by our religion as a quality suitable to belief
> and obedience."
> "Man is certainly crazy. He could not make a mite, and he makes gods
> by the dozen."
> - Michel de Montaigne
>
> Carleton University
>
> Email address: msabouri@chat.carleton.ca
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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