Persistent Fuel Tank Leak - Seattle Area Mechanic Recommendation

[djacksonsf]

Greetings,

After a long, hot drive from SF to Portland, I now have a long face to match because my gas tank leaks immediately after filling. This is not a new problem; it is one my mechanic isn’t able to solve.

The Gowesty tank seal kit has been installed twice, and most recently a small hose somewhere within the vicinity of the tank was replaced. The latter seemed to solve the issue until today, when the tank started leaking from the top right after I filled it.

First, does anyone have any suggestions on what could be causing the problem? And, second, does anyone have a recommendation for a skilled mechanic in the Seattle area I could visit during my next stop?

The leak stops within a few miles of filling up, but it’s something that makes me nervous on a long trip (headed to Glacier after Seattle).

Many thanks!
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'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002

[VeeDubn]

Small Car in Fife (south of Seattle, just off of I-5) might be able to help https://smallcar.com/
Porbug in Edmonds (north of Seattle, just west of I-5) https://porbug.com/
These are the two that come to mind; I am sure others have more recommendations. Otherwise, the VanAlert app might list more shops as well.

I have also seen recommended shops in the Portland area; perhaps someone will post in that regard as well.

[do.dah]

X2 for Porbug. George and Jason are great people.
Top right? Get an extending inspection mirror and a flashlight, maybe take off the right front tire for better visability.
Slide mirror into fender well, past the frame and search for the lines that go into the tank. I believe there are 2 right there, very close to each other. One is for the filler vent, the other for the cross over to driver side expansion tank.
Look at them very closely. Those 2 grommets may look good, but be bad, or, either line may have popped out of their grommets.
Also look VERY closely at the expansion tank. There are multiple hose to hard line connections attached to them. The hard lines are plastic and prone to cracking, or, if you're lucky, one or more may have become disconnected.
I don't recall if those connections came from the factory with clamps, but mine all have fuel injector style clamps on them, which seal better than cheese grater.
Last but not least, expansion tank may be cracked.
If that is the case, I have a good spare you can have.

[djacksonsf]

Many thanks to both of you for the quick help! Porbug is 30 minutes from where I’ll be, so I’ll give them a call this morning and see if I can stop by today. It sounds as though there could be multiple causes, so I’ll push for a more holistic approach than has been taken so far. I think the crossover line was replaced this last time.
_________________
+++++++++++++
'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002

[space]

Sounds like your grommets, as stated earlier
There should be a wet spot at the failed seal, or pipe
After fill up you can add more fuel at home, with tire removed, to replicate the scenario
In lieu pf inspection mirror, Use your phone camera
Replace them all
You dont want to have to drop that tank multiple times as the other seals start failing
T
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82 westy
w:
2.5 JDM Subie
Rear discs

[jimf909]

If you need shops in Seattle Eion's Automotive and PeaceVans are both Vanagon specialists that do good work. They're usually weeks (months?) out on the schedule but may make exceptions for travelers. Kirk at Northwesty is also good but I've heard his shop situation has changed recently.
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- Jim

[atomatom]

it is very easy to screw up when reinstalling and have a grommet pop out of the crossover tubes. i know, because i had to re-do my tank reseal several times because of this. you might be able to stick your hand up there and feel if it is in place.

otherwise, from mostly empty, fill at most 40L, or 30L if you're 1/4 full. i lived with a leaky tank for 6-7 years. it leaks no more, and i am very happy to now be able to put 50L in it, but in earlier days, the 30/40L rule meant no gas on the ground.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[DanHoug]

[djacksonsf]

Everything was resealed, and both the sender and the fuel tank were replaced. Initially, the fuel gauge only registered half full even though the tank was completely full. The sender had also been resistance tested before going in. Within about 10 miles of driving, the fuel gauge correctly registered full. Does the delay in getting to a correct gauge reading mean anything?
_________________
+++++++++++++
'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002

[DuncanS]

Don't fill it all the way up. That's what everyone has to do until they can get the ink out and fix the problem completely.

Duncan

[djacksonsf]

Hi DuncanS, the tank was removed and replaced. Nothing leaks now.

I am asking if there’s a problem still to fix because it took driving the camper 10 miles before the fuel gauge accurately showed a full tank. Until then, it was stuck showing only a half a tank when the tank was known to be physically full.

Put another way, if the new sending unit doesn’t provide an accurate reading within a few minutes when the engine is idling the first time the van is started after the installation, is that a sign of a defective sending unit? Or, is it ok to get a false reading for several miles before the gauge is again accurate?
_________________
+++++++++++++
'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002

[DuncanS]

My guess is the sending unit plug was compromised during the tank R and R. Corrosion or a fragile wire. Since the gauge depends on ohms to know where the needle should be, it doesn't take much to get a false reeding. Sender is probably OK.

Duncan

[djkeev]

Some new tanks have been delivered with leaking side seams.......
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[djacksonsf]

Thank you for the perspective!

It was a tough job that involved dropping the tank multiple times to get all leaks addressed and everything sealed. I know this was the third sender they put in during that process - and that came after reconnecting the old sender multiple times.

I will keep an eye on it while in Seattle. Just trying to bring this to a conclusion while I am still in the vicinity of the repair shop. On the plus side, issues that were the product of multiple repairs over many years appears to have finally been addressed. Fingers crossed that’s the case.
_________________
+++++++++++++
'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002

[Sodo]

[sanchius]

After I replaced my fuel tank & all the old breather & balance hoses (2wd), I experienced fuel spillage when topping off the fuel tank. I turned the wheels all the way to one side and stuck my arm in the gap between the top of the tank and the body and took a bunch of blind pictures with my phone. I did this on both sides. This is way easier to do if you jack up the front and take the front wheels off. In one of the pictures I saw that one of the balance tube ends had been pulled out of its rubber grommet on top of the tank. Once I knew what was going on, I could reach in and feel the balance tube end pulled out of the grommet. Which was good because it was hard to see in, so everything was done by feel. I rerouted the various tubes so they weren't pulling up on the balance tube, resealed the breather tube end & the grommet with fuel resistant goo, and reattached them to the top of the tank. Problem solved. Cost: 30 minutes and $2
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[djacksonsf]

Finally taking a deep breath after getting home safely with a perfectly sealed fuel tank and functioning sender.

In the end, there were multiple issues with both, but Austin at Small Car Performance in Fife, WA, was steadfast in his commitment to get them all resolved. I was up in the area on a family emergency, so the fact that he and his team were so dedicated to getting me back onto the road for safe travels north and then ultimately home was greatly appreciated.

There are times in your life when the kindness of people and their eagerness to help mean so much, and this was one of them - so thank you all for your great input, too!

I wound up heading north to Vancouver Island afterward, ultimately logging about 3,500 miles before pulling back into my driveway in California. Another standout along the way was Sean and Glenn's Import and Domestic Auto Service in Courtenay, BC who kindly fit me in for an oil change before the scorching trip down the 5.

And, for anyone traveling to Gold River or Strathcona on the island, I highly recommend the cedar rodent deterrent spray available at Canadian Tire. Some brown mice - part of a bad mouse year in that area - decided to pay a visit at 2:00 am one morning, darting in and out of the heating vents below the dash. Thankfully, they departed before doing damage...
_________________
+++++++++++++
'87 Westfalia
'88 BMW 535i
'83 BMW R100RS
'74 BMW 2002