At 10:41 PM 3/8/2000 , Gina wrote:

>Turn the key, crank crank crank...no start...huh? no fuel? no Way...I
>did notice that the fuel pump hums so quietly all of a sudden in the
>last few days that I have to really listen to hear it; up until then it
>was loud enough to notice

Interesting datum, no opinion just yet.  A normal pump is audible with the
engine stopped, but if you can hear it with the engine running I'd replace
the fuel filter and see if it doesn't quiet right down.

>.did i
>hit the accelerator before I tried to start it?

With fuel-injected engines it doesn't make the slightest difference what
you do with the pedal before cranking.  However if you crank for a long
time without starting it could flood.

>I'm sweating bullets here volks...very noticeable raw fuel odor and I'm
>afraid to go near her to even try to crank it again.  Please please
>advise.

Crawl under the middle of the van on the passenger side.  There's a big
sort of box girder running fore-and-aft, and on the inside of it you'll
find the fuel pump, with a hose running from the tank and then to the
engine compartment.  I bet a dollar that somewhere aft of the pump the hose
has popped off at a joint -- pump-to-filter (if the filter is a metal one
aft of the pump), rubber hose to plastic aft of the filter, plastic to
bulkhead fitting where it enters the engine room, bulkhead fitting to
rubber, and then a ring that goes to the fuel rail and injectors on each
side, then back to the fuel pressure regulator (horizontal round can near
distributor, with two fuel lines and vacuum line).  The fuel rails (like a
test-tube with four nipples on the sides, two for fuel lines and two for
injectors) have a cap which is held on with a metal crimp.  If the crimp
rusts away the cap shoots off.

Somewhere in there you ought to find it, I think.

If you want to talk, 401 274-5827.  I'll be up at least until 1:30.

david

>Gina
>85 Vanagon GL
>119,394 miles and holding

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"