| Author |
Message |
djdh68dlux
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2005
Posts: 770
Location: I.E., SoCal
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:58 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| Marya wrote: |
| "The cap was not screwed on tight. When you hit a curve, it flows up the pipe and past the cap. I usually double-check the gas attendant. There is a metal drain pipe near the gas filler, dumps it down near the wheel." He also said my gas lines are fine and that they were the first thing he checked. So that's all good to know. |
It may not be that the cap was loose, but that the seal on the cap has deteriorated to the point that it no longer seals. Make a left turn, gas sloshes to the right, slips past the crappy seal on the gas cap, drains through the overfill drain pipe and dumps it near the rear wheel like your friend said. Happened to me on my 68. You can order the new seal if you have the original gas cap, or buy gasket material at your local auto parts store and make your own. Even still, I'd change out all the fuel lines like everybody else said. Good luck!
_________________
1968 Deluxe "Clipper L" Type 2
Looking for a VW club in Southern California? Check out Inland Valley Volkswagens: www.ivvw.org |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| djdh68dlux wrote: |
| Marya wrote: |
| "The cap was not screwed on tight. When you hit a curve, it flows up the pipe and past the cap. I usually double-check the gas attendant. There is a metal drain pipe near the gas filler, dumps it down near the wheel." He also said my gas lines are fine and that they were the first thing he checked. So that's all good to know. |
It may not be that the cap was loose, but that the seal on the cap has deteriorated to the point that it no longer seals. Make a left turn, gas sloshes to the right, slips past the crappy seal on the gas cap, drains through the overfill drain pipe and dumps it near the rear wheel like your friend said. Happened to me on my 68. You can order the new seal if you have the original gas cap, or buy gasket material at your local auto parts store and make your own. Even still, I'd change out all the fuel lines like everybody else said. Good luck! |
Actually, this is exactly what the issue was according to him today when I saw him. WOW. I saw him and the bus and yet forgot to look myself in there?! What the heck's wrong with me! Anyway there were two of them today working on the bus today. The gas had evaporated and there was no more leaking, and they were working so hard that I stayed out of their way. They're both VW people - not general mechanics. My main guy that I've been referring to is a VW mobil mechanic of sorts. He's had them and been working on them for years. His friend as well. Today they did great stuff for the bus - it drove like a champ - night and day performance. So psyched! 
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| chachi wrote: |
i'll bet it's no. 7 on that diagram. if your friend changed the filler neck, great, but the cap thing sounds weird to me. i have definitely had problems with gas attendants here in portland. i've had them insert the nozzle wrong several times leading to gas streaming down the side. then other times i've had over-zealous dudes ram that thing in there and knock the old no. 7 loose from the metal filler pipe above it. i am careful about the gas stations i frequent and always ask to pump it myself if i'm not at the station i usually go to.
i have a 74, so the diagram numbers may be different, but i'm talking about the same hose pictured above, whatever it looks like for your 70. |
Thanks so much. Well apparently it's the seal near the cap that's become too old and has gotten damaged over time. Obviously I'm going to pay a lot of attention to how it responds to the new seal that we hopefully get soon, and the next time we put 6 or more gallons in there. I'm beginning to get the picture that no experienced Oregonian allows gas attendants to fill their buses without at least helicoptering the attendant. Sounds wise!
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| BUSBOSS wrote: |
| Number 7 on the diagram is usually metal and not rubber. Unlikely the filler neck since the leaking happened away from the station and it wasn't overfilled. I don't think this is a loose cap situation either. Based on what was described it sounds more like the tank neck. |
Thank you Bussboss. Not sure if you saw what I'd written to the others, but apparently it's the seal on the cap was worn down and needs to be replaced. I'm still going to keep my eye out and pay very close attention to the entire situation though.
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Wildthings wrote: |
There are several things that may be happening here. For one your gas gauge likely isn't reading correctly so you may have had 10 gallons in there to start with and when you added 6 that overfilled the tank.
There were several iterations of the tank, fill, and vent system over the years. All contained rubber parts that have a 100% chance of dying with time and creating bad leaks. You must pull the firewall like cover between the engine and tank and replace all the rubber parts that you can see irregardless of the year, if not you will have leaks, if not today then tomorrow. All of us who have owned our ancient rigs for a while have been through this.
For you fuel lines and vent lines use either 30r9 or 30r14 fuel hose. If your mechanic doesn't know what you are talking about, educate him that not all fuel line is suitable for today's fuels. He will probably try and use 30r7 hose even if you tell him otherwise as that is what he has had sitting on a roll in the back for the last 20 years and wants to unload it on you. You have to check that he used the correct hose, the numbers are written on the hose, you must check them yourself when he is done. Don't let him put the firewall back on until you have inspected them yourself. 30r9 hose should last you 20 years, while 30r7 hose may not last even one. |
My friend had drained all the old gas before putting in anything else. We then put just a little in then drained that then put 2 gallons in, drove a little ways but not far, then 2 weeks later put the 6 gallons in. So there wasn't much in there is my long-winded point.  Thank you very much for all the good advice! I'll have to ask him what kind of fuel lines he put in. He's an experienced VW guy who's all about stock this and German that. I don't know how that relates to the fuel lines necessarily but at any rate I'll be sure to ask him, thank you! As you may have read by now, it was determined that the gas leak problem was due to the seal on the gas cap being too old, loose and beat up.
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
| jtauxe wrote: |
No need to panic, Marya. This is something that all new bus owners go through, because previous owners did not maintain their systems.
1. Don't drive the bus until this is fixed.
2. Open up the gas tank area by removing the firewall, and replace every tube, hose, and seal (don't forget the gas gauge seal, and while you are at it, you might remove the gas gauge and check it for proper operation) that you can see, regardless of its condition.
Then you will have a good starting point for freshness, and you can sleep at night. And drive the bus with confidence in the day! |
Thanks John! My VW mechanic friend who's quite experienced had just replaced all the fuel lines and has now explained to me that the gas cap's seal was loose and old and deteriorated, combined with the gas attendant not having put the cap on well either. There were no signs of problems today beyond that, and two VW guys worked on the bus for a few hours, testing stuff relating to loss of power when going up a hill. It turned out to be the need for a new or rebuilt carburetor and after they put a new one in the bus started driving beautifully and purring like a kitten and zooming uphill! Anyway I hadn't read your comment beforehand about not driving it but now that we drove it further than ever (which is to say, just two or three miles), it *seems* all is well. I'm still nervous though, not because I don't trust him but because you know... things are feeling great right now so when's the other shoe gonna drop?  Thank you so much!
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Xevin 
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 7624
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 1:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yes, helicopter around the attendant. Tell them to stop at the first click
( stopping point). Also Kwik Gas on MLK sells non ethanol gas, 92 octane. It's near the race track. I use it during the winter when I don't drive as much. Non Ethanol is better for the fuel lines if you use German lines. If your new lines are Gates brand probably no big deal. I run a single progressive Weber Carb and seems to warm up quicker on the non ethanol gas. Also my VW mechanic friends prefer Chevron fuel over Shell. All subjective. Experiment and see what you think. Have fun. I appreciate you being so geeked up about your bus 
Good times!
_________________
Keep on Busin'
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
| GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
| Clatter wrote: |
| Damn that Xevin... |
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
I respect Xevin and he's a turd  |
| SGKent wrote: |
My God! Xevin and I 100% agree  |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marya
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Portland, OR
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 1:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Xevin wrote: |
Yes, helicopter around the attendant. Tell them to stop at the first click
( stopping point). Also Kwik Gas on MLK sells non ethanol gas, 92 octane. It's near the race track. I use it during the winter when I don't drive as much. Non Ethanol is better for the fuel lines if you use German lines. If your new lines are Gates brand probably no big deal. I run a single progressive Weber Carb and seems to warm up quicker on the non ethanol gas. Also my VW mechanic friends prefer Chevron fuel over Shell. All subjective. Experiment and see what you think. Have fun. I appreciate you being so geeked up about your bus
Good times! |
Thank you Xevin! Good thing for you guys there are no bouncing up and down emoticons cause if so, you'd be getting dizzy by now! That all sounds like great advice, thanks very much! I don't live far from MLK either.
_________________
1970, Riviera, 1600 cc type I [single port] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jtauxe
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 5780
Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 9:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Marya wrote: |
| ... things are feeling great right now so when's the other shoe gonna drop? |
Boy do I know that feeling!
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
BUSBOSS
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2009
Posts: 2161
Location: Northern California
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Glad they diagnosed it. I'm still skeptical so I'd keep an eye out. That's a long way for gas to travel on a left or right turn unless you are driving on two wheels each time. 
_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sawspa
Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2012
Posts: 173
Location: South-East Ohio
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Does anyone know if the 57mm filler hose is available for a 78 westy FI? I have pulled my tank and done a por-15 tank seal on it. Highly impressed, I was. Anyway , I'm having trouble finding the correct filler hose with the 22 degree bend. If nothing's available, I'm want to know if I should use a straight hose or a flex hose instead. Thanks |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
BUSBOSS
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2009
Posts: 2161
Location: Northern California
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Which hose number are you looking for from the previous diagram?
_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thrasher22
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2010
Posts: 858
Location: Calgary, Canada
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sawspa wrote: |
| Does anyone know if the 57mm filler hose is available for a 78 westy FI? I have pulled my tank and done a por-15 tank seal on it. Highly impressed, I was. Anyway , I'm having trouble finding the correct filler hose with the 22 degree bend. If nothing's available, I'm want to know if I should use a straight hose or a flex hose instead. Thanks |
I don't believe so, people usually make their own from the napa hose an exhaust pipes. There are pics kicking around if you search.
| Thrasher22 wrote: |
| jakokombi wrote: |
| Yarkle wrote: |
Once boys bus is on the road, he'll be in a similar situation if we dont fix this!
Ive been looking for a replacement filler neck for a 69, but i havent had much luck..the parts fiche says its 211205125, but ive only found the 211205125D (late bay)..longer and with a bend
has anyone found a source for these, or just a "close enough" hose from NAPA?
same with the vent line? |
NAPA # 1055 |
A combination of that hose and a 90 degree exhaust pipe (cut it down with a hacksaw to get the right angle) from napa makes an easy/ great fitting solution. Hose is $30/ft but you only need 1 foot. Doesn't need to be exact, just needs to connect A to B.
Pop the firewall take a look, even if that isn't the specific problem, decades old rubber is a HUGE safety hazard. I'm always shocked how often people change fuel lines but leave the filler hose. |
_________________
1975 Westfalia - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516701 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sawspa
Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2012
Posts: 173
Location: South-East Ohio
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sawspa
Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2012
Posts: 173
Location: South-East Ohio
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I consider this a FIX! Its worked on mine for several tanks now.
_________________
1978 Westfalia Campmobile 2.0L oversized ham heads and a stepped up cam, running points and a 76 exhaust "Lefty Loosy" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
