

| Subject: | Re: fuel lines: if it ain't broke |
| From: | John Rodgers |
| Date: | Mon, 5 Oct 2009 02:21:34 -0500 |
Don, I had a similar experience on my GL one time. before I learned about them so thoroughly. Stopped and fueled up with a full tank. Saw nor smelled anything unusual. Paid for the fuel, started up, pulled out on the highway. Nothing out of the ordinary - and then as I cruised along for whatever reason I happened to look in the rear view mirror and there was this strange splashy ragged looking stripe that I could see back down the highway.behind me. - came right up to where it disappeared behind the van. I glanced at my fuel guage - 1/4 tank!!!!!!! I wasted no time turning the engine off. I was right at a little bistro and pulled in there. Shut down, jumped out and saw fuel dripping. Didn't have a fire extinguisher, but I let it sit a while until the ffuel evaporated, then popped the hatch and took a look. Nothing obvious. I had my bud with me and asked that he turn the Key for a second to energize the fuel pump. Instant fuel spray. Split hose found!! Ignition off. Fortunately I had sufficient materials in the van to make a fix until I could get home. Then changed out all fuel hoses for new. I could have burned the thing up. Don't want to go through that a gain. John Rodgers 88 GL Driver Don Hanson wrote: > Do the lines. > > I read about van fires and saw Ben's pics. I saw about 5 burned out > vanagons on my way down Baja, where they are used as delivery trucks and > they aren't too particular about removing trash from the roadside...So I > knew the danger existed...but I never did anything about mine, > thinking..."Well, these look ok. The PO probably replaced them at some > point or when he installed the inline four gas motor" > One day I was headed to town, following an older Camaro or Firebird and I > thought..."Geeze, that guy's car is really out of tune, it smells like it's > running really rich" Smelled like unburned gas...Then I noticed my gas > gauge was falling rather quickly as I drove along...Like a quarter tank in > about 5 miles! Still the smell of gas, even after the Camaro went straight > on and I turned off to town....Uh Oh!...I thought it over and decided I was > maybe squirting gas out of MY van and planned a stop on a slope so I could > check it out. Yes, I shut off the van and coasted to the side of the road > and saw a few drips of fuel under the left side on the pavement..near the > ehaust maniford on the inline four. I had my fire extinguisher in hand > already, as I got out. No fire, but I then turned the key to on and the > fuel just gushed out! I pushed the van ahead to get it off the lake of > spilled gasoline and found that my supply hose had a crack (it was the braid > covered type of OEM fuel line) where it attached to the fuel rail... > I was able to shorten the line and make it about one mile further to my > FLAPS > where I bought new hose and clamps and went on to an adjacent parking lot > and did the job right there....Took a few hours and I got all dirty but so > what?. I count myself as having used up one of my few remaining "lives" > there...Dodged a very close call... > Do it, you could be on borrowed time already with your present lines. > Don Hanson > On Sun, Oct 4, 2009 at 5:07 PM, Mark <mbrush@gmail.com> wrote: > > >> Hello all - >> >> I'm replacing my gas tank and while I have it out I'm thinking of replacing >> all the fuel lines too. Got the GoWesty fuel line kit - HOWEVER - I'm >> re-thinking an entire fuel line replacement job. I got the little plastic >> bugger out (the one prone to breaking and causing fires) - and I think I'm >> going to stop there. Just based on how difficult, and messy it was getting >> that one line out - I'm thinking I won't mess with the injectors, injector >> rails, and seals. The lines appear o.k. and I fear messing something up in >> finishing this job (never pulled an injector before). Any thoughts out >> there? Should I stop - or go for it! The engine has 152,000 on it. >> >> Mark >> >> -- >> Mark >> 1990 Westy (2.1 - manual) >> >> > > >
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