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Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:38 am

I have a 74 westy and the gas guage does not work. After taking it to the shop, I have found out that the fuel sending unit that is in it is from a bug so that is why it doesn't work. After the mechanic told me how much he was going to charge to order and install the correct one I decided to do it myself. When the unit for the 74 era came it was unable to work with my gas tank. So I think the gas tank was replaced with either a different year bus or a giah. my reasoning for this is because the bolt pattern is the some for those models. Could what I am thinking be the case? and which one is it more likely to be? My guess would be an older bus without the swing arm float. Please help.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:46 am

I believe there are only two bay window bus gas tanks. The one for FI buses has both supply and return. The carb'd bus tanks have only a supply. A FI tank can work on a carb'd bus if you adequately block off the return.

Perhaps you have the wrong sender?

Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:55 am

I have a sender for a 74 and it doesn't match up with the tank. my question would i guess be what other tanks can fit into a 74 westy because it looks like I have a tank from an older bus in mine. could this be the case? thanks

Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:06 am

early buses have metal filler tubes and vent differently. take some pics of the tank.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:24 am

westies r besties wrote: I have a sender for a 74 and it doesn't match up with the tank. my question would i guess be what other tanks can fit into a 74 westy because it looks like I have a tank from an older bus in mine. could this be the case? thanks

yes,by the sound of it you have an early bay tank in there with the old tube type gauge sender. the tanks are a slightly different shape on the bottom to the later ones but do go in though they don't sit quite flat. at least that's what i remember from when i put a 69 tank in a 77 about 15 years ago.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:51 am

i dont know how to upload the pics , sorry.
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Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:58 am

There are two sending units on cip1.com that are the tube type and to me look exactly the same. could i use either one? i want to make sure i order the right part due to it needing to be fix asap. after the mechanic poked around at it it smells like gas and is leaking out of the top of the unit. i am assuming the gasket isn't sealing well and needs to be replaced. is there anything else i should know or be aware of before i try this again? thanks for your help.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:06 am

westies r besties wrote: i dont know how to upload the pics , sorry.
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This isn't rocket science. Open a free photobucket account, upload the pics, and it will automatically generate the codes to insert pics in the forums. We can't give you correct answers without some information, and pics tell the whole story. You gotta make an effort here too.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:36 am

VDubTech wrote: westies r besties wrote: i dont know how to upload the pics , sorry.
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This isn't rocket science. Open a free photobucket account, upload the pics, and it will automatically generate the codes to insert pics in the forums. We can't give you correct answers without some information, and pics tell the whole story. You gotta make an effort here too.
http://s395.photobucket.com/albums/pp36/westiesrbesties/

Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:37 am

Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:09 pm

Hmmm..., no vapor tubes, someones been messing around in there. 68-70 would be my guess.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:24 pm

Pardon my ignorance but what are vapor tubes, am I supposed to have them, and are they important.? It seems there has been alot of monkeying around in my bus. You should see the wireing. :shock:

Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:27 pm

Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:35 pm

Sorry I'm a chick and have never really worked on automobiles before. Thanks for the pic but it is a bit confusing to me. From what I can gather these vapor tubes are important? I'm sure they are there you just cannot see them in that pic. That is just a small opening that has been cut in the body under the bed to access the fuel sending unit. Now, the unit is leaking but do you think that the tube is contributing to the gas smell as well? Thanks

Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:50 pm

It may be, early buses had a vented gas cap, from 1971 on the cap wasn't vented and fuel vapor was condensed and recovered. A 74 cap does not breathe and if you have an early tank installed who knows where the vapors and accumulated pressure is going. There should be a couple of pipes running across the top of the tank beside the fuel sender and they would be visible in your pics.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:09 pm

is this tube/ hose thing what you are talking about?

Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:20 pm

That looks alot like the vent connection on an early tank, it originally connected to an upwards sloping loop of steel tube and vented inside the filler door, I wonder where that hose goes.
Later tanks have 2 connections, 1 at each end and eventually connect into the charcoal canister and the air cleaner.

Back to the reason for your post, this is the sender you need for that tank: http://www.cip1.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D919%2D051%2DGR At that price you'll want to do some testing and confirm yours is bad first, you can probably do better in the classifieds too.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:57 am

Thanks, the one in my bus is a swing arm float from a beetle and does not work with the tank, plus it leaks out of the top so it def. needs replacing. Why would this one not work?http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D919%2D051
they look the same to me.
Now I am concerned about this vent thing any suggestions on what I should do and where to start? Thanks for all of your help.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:29 am

I tried to stick the camera down in the hole to get some pics to see what is going on in there. These are what I could come up with for now. The first three are facing the engine bay on the passenger side the last one is facing the spare tire well on the drivers side. Any thoughts or input? Thanks

Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:12 am

The sender in your link is for a split bus or Ghia, too short for a bay tank.
Interesting plumbing you have there, at least whoever did it pinched the ends of the unused lines shut.
Does your bus by any chance make a big thump noise when you go over bumps?, those loose tank straps are interesting and a little alarming.
The chewed up loose brown wire laying on top isn't a good thing either.