Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 20:22:45 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Spare Gas Container - My Solution
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Agree with you? Ha!
OK, yeah, I'll admit it. I carry white gas with me for my Coleman (single
burner Peak 1), too. I drive a Westy, but refuse to fry anything in it (it
may get dusty, but at least the dust doesn't stick to a yucky, greasy
interior).
I transfer the white gas to 1 liter aluminum bottles from REI (they store
more easily and are possibly safer) and keep them in the rear cabinet along
with the Coleman and the propane cylinders (got the van started with one of
those, once - long story).
Anyway, a liter of Coleman will get me about five miles down the road, which
has always been enough to get me out of trouble. My mechanic says that
white gas is just regular gas without any valve lubricant and won't hurt a
thing in small doses.
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: Spare Gas Container - My Solution
> I need to get a consensus from the list on my method of toting spare fuel.
> A lot of us carry a coleman gas stove when we go campping right?(well
maybe
> not all the Westy people). We have to store the coleman fuel somewhere,
> Right? Most of us store it inside the vehicle in it's shiny metal can,
> Right? Coleman fuel is an unleaded white gas with an octane rating of
about
> 104 RON, Right?
>
> Why can't that gas serve two purposes on the trip? Store it under the
rear
> seat as far away fdrom the rear heater as possible, mine sits inside a
> rubbermaid tool box bottom with the lid removed for spill/leak
containment.
> My thinking is that a full can is much less lethal to carry than one
that's
> a quarter full(fumes have less space to accumulate?). This won't work for
> the diesel sniffers, but us gas burners shoullld benefit, Right?
>
> Shoot some holes in this thinking orelse agree with me for a change.
After
> all, the fuel is cheap at Stuff-Mart.
>
> Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Date: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 2:24 PM
> Subject: Spare Gas Container - My Solution
>
>
> >Sometime back, there was a thread on the storage of spare gas cans and
the
> >inadvisability of storing such in the spare tire area. I too had lusted
> after
> >the spare gas can that fit inside the spare tire, but finally gave up
after
> >years of trying to locate one. Couldn't even find them in Germany when I
> last
> >visited.
> >
> >When we purchased the Westphalia ('82 Diesel) and picked it up in
> >Weidenbuch, I purchased a spare container (plastic) which was stored in
the
> >interior cupboard next to the rear seat. Over the years, with infrequent
> and
> >sporadic usage, the container eventually got relegated to the garage.
When
> I
> >converted to gasoline power ('90 1.8 L 8V Digifant), I was reluctant to
> store
> >spare fuel inside the passenger volume. The German plastic container
would
> >not fit easily in the spare tire well, so another solution was needed.
> >
> >Solution: Many years ago I put mud flaps all around (purchased from QB
> >Autocamp in England) and mounted the rears by drilling the lip of the
frame
> >near the mounting point of the Diesel engine covering pan. I purchased
two
> >mounting rings from a trailer supply store, and a screw-close threaded
> chain
> >link. The threaded link neatly went through the two holes in the rear
> fender
> >behind the rear wheel (forward of the bumper. The two mounting rings were
> >secured by drilling the outer frame lip just as I had done with the mud
> >flaps. I then purchased two Rubbermaid 1 gallon spare gas cans mounting
> them
> >up into the rear fender well, behind the rear wheel. I mounted one on
each
> >side. Originally, I was going to fabricate an Aluminum holder to support
> the
> >container, but finally used the thick solid rubber tie-downs (sold at
> >Hardware stores). The front hook is attached to the front mounting ring,
> the
> >rubber strap then goes diagonally across the gas container, through the
> link
> >on the lower fender lip and then on to the rear mounting ring (mounted
near
> >the back panel of the vanagon. The area available is about 5.5 inches
deep,
> >8.5 inches wide and 12 inches long. The Rubbermaid container only
occupies
> >about 1/2 of this volume, but it doesn't hang down below the edge of the
> >fender skirt. The stealth, or unseen nature of the solution appeals to
me.
> I
> >have had occasion to use this arrangement four times in the last three
> years.
> >The total stored volume of 2 gallons has served well. More than eight
> months
> >of southern California weather and inattention did not cause any loss in
> >stored fluids. The mounting rings are stainless steel and have shown no
> signs
> >of corrosion. The rubber straps seem to last much longer than the tires.
> So,
> >outside, easily accessible (particularly compared to a spare tire
> solution),
> >cheap ( less than $30 plus time) and time tested!
> >
> >Hope this helps someone!
> >
> >Frank Grunthaner
> >
> >Postscript: It really bothered me that this area was unused. Also no
> apparent
> >heating problems (muffler, etc.). Oh yeah, use at your own risk...I know
> >nothing...!
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