Date:         Wed, 23 Sep 1998 13:25:07 -0700
Reply-To:     coyote <coyote@LIKEMINDS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         coyote <coyote@LIKEMINDS.COM>
Subject:      FW: gas leak
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Folks, if you would please reply to my email address, I'd appreciate it:
dan_cook@idx.com

In the past 2 months, I've gone through 4 of the "donut" seals that seal
the metal filler tube to the gas tank on my '87 Syncro Westphalia. I'll
come out to the van and find a puddle of gas underneath it!

 I haven't done any modifications to the van in this timeframe. I believe
this may be caused by running on dirt and gravel roads, however I'm not
sure.  I'm also wondering if this could be caused by suction or a
pressurized tank.

Each time I've replace the seal, I notice the seal is split in the same
place - the lower "hemisphere". The way I would try and envision this is if
you took a bagel and started slicing it in half from the bottom to the top,
but you only get half way.

I think the seal might be rubbing against the tank, because the split is on
the bottom.  However, each time I've replaced it, I check the tank and no
rough edges seem to be present.  The filler tube is held against the
wheelwell with the correct screw, so it doesn't look as if its moving.
Could the gas tank be moving/vibrating?  If so, how could I test this?  I
know I inadvertintly yanked out one of the vent hoses from the top of the
tank through the engine compartment - could this cause a vacuum or enough
pressure to split the seal?

Have others had this problem?  Any hints would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Dan Cook
please reply to: dan_cook@idx.com