Date:         25 Jun 1997 09:30:13 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Carl Hansen" <Carl_Hansen@ATK.COM>
Subject:      Saddle Tanks on a Syncro

 BatSubject:     Saddle Tanks on a Syncro               6/25/97    9:58 AM
Good Morning listee's.

I have seen the tanks.  Well, a bit of explanation first.  While at the Bug In
at West Side VW a couple of weeks ago, here in the Twin CIties, I ran into a
fellow listee with a Syncro.  He mentioned that he had seen a Syncro down at
B'ville VW that appeared to have an auxilary fuel tank set up.  It had both
the normal back fuel filler, and the stock non-Syncro filler on the right hand
side, just below the front passenger door.  Being the curious guy that I am, I
investigated.

If someone wants, I can be pursuaded to run past there again, to look at the
instalation a bit closer.  (I'll where my mechanics coveralls next time.) 
Except for the concern of being "Chevy Trucked" in the side, this looked like
a nice instalation.  I don't see why it couldn't also be done to a non-syncro,
although there is not as much depth to the tanks without the syncro subframe. 


As of this moment, the vehicle is still at B'ville VW.  I'm not sure how much
longer it will remain there for anyone who might want to look at the
instalation.  If you go down to look, talk to someone in Service.  It's a
white GL, about '86, and was in the NE corner of the service yard, back of the
fence.  Following is a description of the instalation.

o  The saddle tanks were fabricated from heavy gauge steel.  There had to be
at least another 15 to 20 gallons of fuel between the two of them.  I'll
calculate how much tonight.  There was a drain plug on the end panel, I forget
if it was front or back.

o  The tanks were rectangular.  They fill the complete saddle area under the
frame, on both the left and the right side.  Front to Back, side to side.  

o  They hung on a pair of 1/8 inch metal straps.  The straps are secured up
under the tank where I can't see easily.

o  A 1 inch clear crossover hose connected the lower front of each tank to the
other.  It passed thru the tubular sub-frame member.  The only bad part about
this was the part where it came out of each tank hung down a bit, and flopped
around.  I'd be a bit concerned about ripping it on something if you drove
much off road.

o  There was a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch vent hose connecting the top of each tank
to the other, and (according to the owner) this was tapped into the vent
system of the standard fuel tank in the rear.  I did not look where, or how.

o  A small electric fuel pump transfered fuel to the main tank.  Again, I did
not investigate where the guy taped into the system.

o  The owner used the stock non-syncro fuel filler pieces with a large rubber
hose to fill the right side tank, and let the left side tank fill thru the
cross over.

I guess that if I had done this, I'd have angled the bottom up to the outside.
 It would reduce the capacity a bit, but would also make pickup of all the
fuel a bit easier.  The service guy I spoke to said he was a little concerned
about denting the tanks when he put the thing up on the lift, and some thought
about the normal jack points could be incorporated.  

The owner lives in the 507 area code.  He loves syncro's and says he has a
couple.  He did the tanks about 10 years. ago.  Anyone want more info, let me
know.

Ch
'89 Syncro BEAST, soon with Bilsteins??
'86 Scirocco
'87 GTI 16V  (I wonder if it's a cracked intake boot)