Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:21:13 -0500 (EST)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: KENYON FAIREY <kfairey@oit.umass.edu>
Subject: Fuel Tank Overflow Hoses
The recent discussion on "gas mileage" prompted me to pose the folowing:
Shortly after purchasing my '80 Westy in '88, I filled the gas tank and then
parked in a sloped parking lot in Northern Vt. When I came out there was gas
all over the pavement. Quite conserned as I was in the middle of nowhere
on a camping trip - I proceeded with caution and took the Westy directly to
my service shop upon returning homr (I am not set up to do my own repairs!).
I was advised that the fuel tank overflow hoses and system had cracked and
needed to be replaced - I had two options:
- never fill the tank completely
- drop the tank and replace the hoses and fittings
As this was to be a long term relationship - I did the latter at approx $150
Then, In May of '95 I purchased a "new" '91 Westy with 10,500 orig one-owner
miles on her. Garaged most of her life I took her to my service shop and had
a full check up done - including a check of all hoses, belts, etc. She checked
out with flying colors. In fact I had to polish the drool off of her after I
left the shop!
By late August, the same gas leaking from the overflow hoses appeared! Dismayed
I took her in to the quality dealership I had begun to use (my old shop had
developed an attitude against Westy owners saying "most of them don't want to
pay what it costs to hae us do the job right - ie they're all cheap! I don't
like to deal with bad attitude - it lowers my level of trust!) My new service
manager delivered the same news as with my '80. I really couldn't believe it!
Was this a problem with Westies in general? He said that they had only seen a
few cases - and of course the fact that the Van had been driven so little
probably did have an effect. I waited till spring - just didn't fill the tank
completely - and had the same work done. Surprisingly the dealership charged
less in '96 than I had been charged from the smaller local shop back in '89!
So - is this a problem that any of you have experienced or heard much about?
If so - how can it be avoided? As I am trying to buy yet another '91 Westy
I would prefer to avoid having to do this particular service again.
Thankx
Kenyon
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Kenyon Fairey, Re.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor
Head, Help Desk Services & Human Dimensions of Resource Management
Software Support Department of Forestry &
Office of Information Technologies Wildlife Management
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
A 117, Lederle Graduate Research Center Internet -- KFairey@OIT.UMass.EDU
University of Massachusetts Phone -- (413)-545-4366
Amherst, MA 01003 FAX -- (413)-545-3203
