Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 15:18:52 -0400
Reply-To: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Subject: Re: 80 Vanagon Camper Gas Tank
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Won't gaurantee but a more likely event is you need a new gasket on the fill
hole, or something along the filler is leaking. Not to say that upon
removal the tank won't be entirely rusted on the top as well (it will be to
some extent for sure) but it is very likely something else is the problem.
If indeed at 3/4 full (verified in gallons not by gage) it is probably not a
gasket on any of the cross tube or vent system ports, nor a leaky line on
the vent hoses up to the overflows, but is often the big 2" or so gasket on
the fill tube, a leak in the tank proper (often on the seam) would be at
more like 1/2-2/3 full. The gaskets leak because they are old and shrink,
or because rust gets underneath them, in which case you are back to needing
a tank. But generally, fill it up full then look really carefully with a
flashlight at all the area on the right side, you can see the gasket for the
filler behind the frame rail if you follow the filler, or maybe a part of
the filler itself is cracked or rusted depending on which variety is on the
van.
I believe gas tank maintainence should be considered a routine check upon
buying a new Vanagon, just like replacement of all the fuel lines, might as
well do a good job and pull the tank replacing all the lines on it at the
same time, cleaning and painting the exterior, examining the interior
through the gage hole, you get the picture. Replacing all the rubber
gaskets on the crossover pipe, vent pipe, filler pipe, always a good idea,
or at least lubing them with some silicone and examining if they are still
pliable. Tanks take about an hour to pull and an hour to reinstall, maybe
more the first time. Essentially you disconnect and plug the hoses,
disconnect the fill from the body and pull and turn it to get it out of the
tank, ideally reach up over the top and free the crossover pipe on one end
and from the bracket it is clipped to centrally on the body, but it will do
it by itself regardless as it drops, support tank, pull the two bolts on the
straps, remove the straps at the other end (they wiggle out, but you may not
have to, I don't recall) drop the tank a bit, cut the small vent lines up to
the plastic overflows as you will replace them anyway (1/4" American carb
style line with spring clamps quite sufficient here as they are not high
pressure), remove the wire to the gage, drop the tank fully and pull it out.
Oh and nearly run the thing empty and siphon the remaining fuel before you
start. A lot of wire brushing and good alkyd primer and paint (Rustoleum in
the brush on form) will probably be needed for any salt belt bus, and maybe
any air cooled van except a desert van period as dust really collects
between the heater tube and the tank then gets damp and holds moisture
against the tank. Replacing the rubber isolation pads is a nice idea on
reinstallation as well. I don't think a Vanagon tank with internal damge
can really be coated, you could acid boil it out but would be hard pressed
to coat it and keep the float/screen pickup assembly free of the coating
gunk.
John
janderson@iolinc.net
John
janderson@iolinc.net
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