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Shameless Plug: New Gas Tank repair webpage
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randiego
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kayak, I just completed this repair - it was a bit tougher than you made it out to be, but thanks!
No leaks, the gas gauge works again (and the engine is running better, a hoped-for result).

A few notes:
1) for the expansion tanks, reinstall them to the bolt first, then use a blunt pry bar to pop them into the oval depression. Learned that one using trial-and-error.

2) The GoWesty re-designed crossover tube turned out to be about 1.5" too short, which made it VERY difficult to reinstall. I ended up using their T-connectors and bought my own fuel line and made my own. Mine went in immediately.

3) The grommets for the expansion tank check-valves are totally unavailable. I found them at a place called "Airhead Parts" in California (http://www.airheadparts.com/home.asp).

4) Kayak's tip about making the hoses that hang off the tank extra long turned out to be important... it's hard to keep track of where they are when you're trying to place the tank and re-connect the hoses on top of the tank.

5) Kayak's tip about using vaseline on the seals worked well too. I almost popped a grommet into the tank before I tried it.
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PDXWesty
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark - I'm just curious why the current seals don't last longer than the original OEM seals. I've had three different vanagons in 10 years and none of the tanks have leaked and still don't. (knock on wood) I'm sure I'll have to do it some day, but I would expect it to last another 15 years. Every three years seems rediculous.
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wasserbox
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PDXWesty wrote:
Mark - I'm just curious why the current seals don't last longer than the original OEM seals.


I just went through this ordeal last night.

The first time I resealed the tank (9 years ago), I received OEM VW seals with my re-seal kit. I still had one left over, and I had 2 aftermarket grommets. There is a noticeable difference in the density of the rubber on the newer grommets. The upper lip on top of the tank is MUCH more flexible on the non-VW style, and I popped them into the tank twice while trying to get it installed.

Very frustrating.

Three years may be overkill (we'll have to see how long these last). I would wait until you see a puddle under the tank before doing this, and then drop the tank to see what EXACTLY is leaking before spending all that coin on the reseal kit. I could have gotten away with $10 worth of 1/4" fuel line to fix my issue. Bentley does say to replace the seals every time... but Bentley says a lot of things.
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kayakwesty
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I would wait until you see a puddle under the tank before doing this, and then drop the tank to see what EXACTLY is leaking before spending all that coin on the reseal kit


If you think I'm dropping that tank because its fun....well...no comment

In Birmingham our gas is a cocktail gas due to the emission standards from the EPA and its hard on seals.

I only drop the tank because it leaks...not for a hobby[/code]
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wasserbox
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kayakwesty wrote:
If you think I'm dropping that tank because its fun....well...no comment


Heh - Ya never know... Different strokes, and such Smile
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kaeferman
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PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kayak's write up is not clickable from this thread that I could get to work...
I found this one:
http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/technical/how-to/vanagon-gastank-removal.txt
i'm not quite done with it yet but I'll see if I can post some pics of my efforts to get my fuel tank repaired.
I bought my kit from Van Cafe which has aluminum fittings and the correct grommets and lines. They also make replacement billet fuel rails that I'm putting in too. No Fires!! Vanagons hate them.
Just trying to figure out if I need to replace the evaporation lines to the top of the expansion tanks and back to the charcoal can too? Might try to test these somehow. B
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jimf909 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for finding this thread. I've been looking for a different reference because nearly all the fuel tank threads pointed to kayak's (broken) link.

I recommend attending to the vent system too. My tank was resealed by a shop last year and the vent is not working now (it may have been venting through leaky seals cause you could smell gas before it was sealed).

In my searches I was looking for a common reasons for a fuel tank to not vent (big "woosh!" when opening the gas cap). Obviously it's not venting. Is there a check valve that clogs? I'm interested in a test procedure too.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.

Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro).
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yiucycle
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

found some pic of it, hope Kayakwesty will get the site back up or post the text here.

http://kayakwesty.smugmug.com/Cars/Van3/44876861_gR5NKz#!i=3600996776&k=XrSN9mG
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kaeferman
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 4:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I completed my fuel system upgrades with great success i am confident to report at this point. I ordered Van Cafe's aluminum vent kit and their fuel lines kit with their billet fuel rails. I did all the rubber from the filler neck to the fuel injectors, so that I would feel safer knowing I had fresh rubber holding my gas in. My only issue was that several weeks after completion I smelled gas and after checking my new fuel rails, I found one wet. I tighted a clamp and fixed it. I thought I'd post a few pics to aid others.
A couple tips for share.
I used ramps for the front wheels and jacked the read and put bus on stands and had plenty of room to drop tank.
3 Irwin Quick Grip squeeze clamps (carpenter tool for home improvement supply) were really clutch to help me keep gas out of the ground. Don't pollute!


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


my tank coming down showing what your old lines might look like , red plug on the left is what was keeping gas from spewing on the ground at fill ups.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

My tank on horses with new lines and vents. You can see I did a new sender unit and seal. Don't botch that up on install or your be repeating the tank drop...
Best of luck,
B
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please tell us you put the crossover tube ABOVE the shifter & hoses on your reinstall...???

Looks great! Cool

- Dave
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kaeferman
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 6:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Shameless Plug: New Gas Tank repair webpage Reply with quote

Uh. no. I m pretty sure it went up like it is in the pic. Why would it go above the shifter rod? I ll have to check some other rides to see if they ran them above from the factory, I guess!? I haven't had any trouble out of it...
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