Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I will experiment
with taking the line off from the tank and checking
for blockage, adding a filter etc, but I think the
bottom line is that my tank needs to come out for a
good cleaning and resealing.  I'm sure that it has
never been done. I get leakage from the filler tube
when I fill up, plus the gas gauge is pretty
inaccurate, so I might as well fix everything at once.

I don't know if I will have time to attempt this
myself but want to at least fully understand it.  The
gas gauge shows almost full when I fill up, then drops
to about half after using about 4 gallons.  When I
fill back up from the red zone it only takes about 10
gallons.  I assume that is more than the sending unit
- is there some kind of a float or something iside
that I also need to replace?

As this van came from California less than a year ago
there are no subtantial external rust issues to speak
of so I assume I do not need a new tank - also
assuming that there is a reliable to way to clean this
one out.  How do you do that, and what is the best
product for recoating it inside?

Finally, how many hours of labor would a shop likely
charge for a job like this?  If anyone has any
recommendations in the Seattle area for a shop or
backyard guy who doesn't mind me supplying the parts I
am all ears.  The guy I used for much of my other work
just moved back to the Bay area.

Thanks again
Curt
'85 Westfalia GL, 2.1, AT

--- Neal Barrentine <vwneal@BLUEMARBLE.NET> wrote:

> Curt:
> It sounds like a fuel restriction to the pump. Rust
> and scale can clog
> the outlet from the fuel tank and restrict the flow
> of fuel to the
> pump. My solution was to drop the tank and clean it
> out completely,
> replacing all the seals while it was out. There are
> also special
> coatings that can be applied to the inside of the
> tank that will seal
> it and help prevent rust. To see if this is the
> problem you are having
> you can remove the fuel line coming from the tank
> and blow a little air
> into it to clear the restriction. This has worked
> for me as a roadside
> repair when the fuel system wasn't getting enough
> fuel to run higher
> than an idle. Neal
> Neal Barrentine
> Bloomington, Indiana
> 1986 GL
> 1960 Baja Bug
>
> > Subject: fuel pump noise
> >
> > The fuel pump seemed kind of noisy when I bought
> my
> > '85 westfalia.  I had the filters replaced first,
> but
> > the noise (kind of a loud buzzing from the pump
> > vicinity) persisted.  As the pump looked like it
> could
> > be 21 years old I ordered a new Bosch from Bus
> Depot
> > and had it installed.  The noise has remained
> exactly
> > the same, as near as I can tell.  It will
> sometimes
> > subside at idle and is least likely to happen
> right
> > upon startup, but is otherwise pretty constant.
> >
> > I don't really mind apparently having replaced the
> > pump prematurely as it was old, but what else
> should I
> > be looking for?  The mechanic who did the work
> seemed
> > pretty unconcerned about it and said "lots of
> vanagons
> > sound like that".  Do they? Do I need to worry
> about
> > gunk in the line making the pump work harder, or
> is
> > there something else that could be making the
> noise?
> > I've never actaully heard one go bad (and don't
> have
> > much experience with other vanagons) so I don't
> really
> > know what's "normal".
> >
> > The van runs great and gets reasonable mpg for an
> AT.
> > The new pump's been in for about 300 miles or so.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for ay info!
> > Curt
> >
>

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