That's the plan.  I'm heading out right now.

Stephen

--- On Sat, 8/9/08, Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET> wrote:

> From: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
> Subject: Re: Stupid pays off, plasticwise.
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008, 2:16 PM
> While you wait for that fuel line kit,  RUN, 
> don't walk to your local hardware store and buy a 
> 4-6" long brass or copper piece of tubing that 
> will fit the inside diameter of the hose(5/16"? ) 
> and do the temporary fix NOW!!  Plan B would be 
> to piece together a brass union with two NPT 
> female threads(one on each end of the union) and 
> then thread the 5/16" barbed hose ends in there 
> and seal them with either teflon tape or Loctite 
> threadlocker. Find a rubber grommet while you're 
> there that fits the old plastic part hole and 
> maybe pamper your van with two new hose 
> clamps.  We're talking maybe $10 for the whole 
> works.  The auto parts chains seem to stock the 
> rolled edge fuel hose clamps now these days(that 
> don't have the edges cut into the hose), but they 
> aren't usually stainless steel like you'll get in 
> the kit you're ordering.  You don't have to do 
> this if you won't be driving it for a while, but 
> you never know when you might have to put the van into
> service in an emergency.
> 
> Off the soapbox
> 
> DM&FS
> 
> At 12:09 PM 8/9/2008, Stephen Grisanti wrote:
> >The new fuel pump arrived this week along with a 
> >couple of filters, and even though I was able to 
> >repair (I think) the old plastic pump part that 
> >I broke, I decided to wait and put the new one 
> >on and keep the old for the spare.  Shaking my 
> >head ruefully at breaking the thing in the first 
> >place, I got that done this morning and fired it 
> >up to check my work.  Nice.  Pump purring away 
> >and engine running smoothly, I got out to check 
> >for leaks and spotted something dripping at the 
> >rear of the van.  Damn, is that the dreaded coolant
> leak I’ve been fearing?
> >
> >It was then that my remaining hair stood up as I 
> >realized it was gas, and it was dripping onto 
> >the exhaust header.  Yeow!  Switched everything 
> >off and got out the fire extinguisher, just in 
> >case.  Crisis averted, I got back under and 
> >could not see anything, so pulled the engine 
> >cover and assorted airbox components until I 
> >could pinpoint the source; it’s the spot where 
> >that infamous plastic firewall fitting is 
> >located.  Back under the van I could see that 
> >the drip was on the forward side of the firewall 
> >and coming off the bottom of the fitting and hose.
> >
> >I’ve been pretty cocky in the two years
> I’ve 
> >owned this Westy, confident that I got a good 
> >one and that its charm would hold 
> >forever.  Folks, I’ll be ordering the fuel 
> >line replacement kit this week, and if you are 
> >not CERTAIN that your van’s fuel lines have 
> >been replaced from tank to engine I would advise 
> >you to do the same.  I like my van, my life, my 
> >wife and our dog too much to do otherwise.