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Date:         Mon, 17 May 1999 08:45:29 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <synergx@IBM.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <synergx@IBM.NET>
Subject:      Fuel hoses and mystery
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I've recently had the fuel system apart on two engines, both '84. One was in Scotland (cool and damp) until '91 and New England (moderate) since, and the other reputedly lived in Arizona (hot, dry) mostly. On mine, the Scotland one, everything metal was rusty (sometimes mostly rust), but the rubber parts seemed externally good and the plastic hose-sleeves were flexible. On the Arizona one all the metal was nice but the hoses were stiff and had little cracks in the ends, and the plastic sleeves were stiff, and cracked when I bent them. Both systems still had factory crimp fittings.

I cut open (lengthwise) one injector hose and the pressurised supply hose from each. The Scotland hoses were excellent internally, though somewhat stiffer than new hose. The Arizona supply hose was excellent, but the injector hose showed slight surface cracking inside, visible only when I folded the hose against the normal curve. Even folded back that way it was more of a surface crazing than real cracks. The visible cracks on the ends were only about two mm long, not even reaching the outside edge of the band clamps. I reckon that either one could have continued in service for years, not that I would have wanted to risk it.

Incidentally on both engines the injector seals, oil breather O-ring, dipstick O-ring, thermostat and water-pump O-ring and the O-ring on the coolant pipe that plugs into the thermostat housing were hard and stiff. The ones exposed to oil had no flexibility at all and came out in pieces.

Now the mystery: I have sitting on my bench the cracked remains of a *tiny* O-ring, no more than 1mm thickness by 4mm OD. Half the size of the dipstick O-ring. What the heck is it? I can't think of anyplace on the engine that takes such a small thing, but OTOH this "bench" was set up for the purpose and doesn't have five years worth of junk lying on it. Any thoughts?

david David Beierl - dbeierl@ibm.net


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