Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 10:41:54 -0600
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Bo Kersey <kersey@outdoortech.com>
Subject: Re: Fuel Tank Overflow Hoses
I had the problem with my '89. The main problem is the cheap plastic parts
that connect the balance and vapor recovery hoses together. It's really no
big deal to fix, although you do have to drop the gas tank. I think that
the problem is that he gasoline fumes weaken the plastic fittings.
At 10:23 AM 1/10/97 -0600, you wrote:
>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
>--
>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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
>
>
>
Bo Kersey
Outdoor Technologies
P O Box 548
Austin, TX 78767
(512)374-0500
(512)374-0200 fax
| 
