David is right.  Just be glad it didn't break off when you were in the
middle of nowhere, or worse, in the middle of traffic.  Karma, just replace
the whole sumbitch and get over it.

Stuart
BTDT

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Stephen Grisanti
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 7:08 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Broke it better

The Westy needs inspection this month and in preparation I planned to
replace the fuel filter with the one I bought last year so the guy at the
shop won't say (again), "You might want to change the filter."  The van is
running beautifully, but this list inspires me to do a little bit more to
help make it just a little bit better and I thought that, while I can pay
him to do the filter and rotate the tires, these are jobs I can do myself,
even if it is another typical Richmond summer Saturday.  Car grunge loves to
stick to sweaty skin.

Under the van I scope out the situation and assemble the tools.  I had even
bought new fuel hose and clamps since the old stuff is looking cracked and
crusty.  Those original-looking clamps are devilish to remove but I got the
old filter off and thought that I might as well replace the short run of
hose from the pump to the filter inlet.  The Bosch pump itself works fine,
mind you, but I just wanted to remove that last clamp on that last little
piece of hose when the PLASTIC nipple on the pump outlet snapped off.
Insert your choice of invective here.  The last time I tasted gasoline it
was 55 cents a gallon and the flavor has not improved since.

If there's anything I HATE it's having trouble in the form of an ancillary
item not even the target of the job breaking and compounding the hassle and
the expense tenfold.  Drop a ring down the drain and end up replumbing that
end of the house; you know the drill.

I will buy a new pump to be the spare that everyone on the list recommends
carrying, but I am going to fix this sumbitch and put it back on, by God,
and the van WILL run with it.

Rant over.  I hope your day went better.

Stephen