Sheilah,

Where are you?

 Maybe a list member is close enough by to help assess the fire hazard
situation and help resolve the issue. Vanagons are notorious for
catching fire - and if you are in a basement and there have been any
leaks at all - you absolutely don't wnat o start that engine - or even
turn it on!!!!

Changing fuel hoses is a fairly easy do - just a few hand tools are needed.

Maybe others can pitch in on this.

But don't start a leaky Vanagon down in a hole. As well as the Van, you
could burn the house down.

John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com

Sheilah Rogers wrote:
> wow you all, thanks for the warm welcomes.
>
> i went down a rabbit hole yesterday for a solid few hours, checking out websites from your various sig lines. my oh my, i've been pretty hands off with my own Vanna (ack! six other Vanna White's!), though i have tricked out her interior and am told, she's quite comfy.
>
> but you all made me wish i had one of those fancy garages where i can get all greasy and such. but alas i'm a city dweller with a rented carport and don't know jack about any of it.
>
> short of fixing my GAS problem myself for fun, i might ask my mechanic if he'd allow me the opportunity to get under the van with him and see where all these gas lines are. (he might consider this a customer nightmare, nice as i am. we'll see. i'm open.)
>
> so that's my main problem right now. gas lines.
>
> i couldn't find anything on leaky gas lines though my review of these websites though. all i know is that there's apparently a bunch of gas hoses (two off each reservoir x2, from the main tank to the engine). all in all, i hear there's about 12 or so.
>
> this might explain why i keep driving off in Vanna only to find her leaking gas from different hoses. eek! i want this remedied already!
>
> i (perhaps erroneously) figure that if all these hoses are about due to leak, then why not replace them ALL at once. isn't that somehow cheaper (certainly less of a headache) than one by one they begin a'leaking? cuz i've already had 4 leaks and it blows.
>
> fwiw, i've already had done the fuel tank reseal (april 2009)
>
> so the other concern i have is that i need to get Vanna out of a basement garage, where no tow (or fire engine for that matter) can fit in. so i'm about to get in there myself, and per a friend's instruction:
>
>
> 1/ bring flash light, eye protection, hand protection.
>
> 2/ start engine, find leak. tshirts or rags to wrap gas leak, duct tape the rag, or direct duct tape if possible.
>
> 3/ roll it to the hill inside garage with the engine off.
>
> 4/ drive it up the hill with friend standing by with a fire extinguisher while i drive up the hill. (gas hopefully held in by rags and duct tape. gawd, i love duct tape)
>
> 5/ cut engine at top of hill. then roll it out of garage to a tow-able place. (tow trucks don't fit in this garage)
>
> 6/ disconnect battery so engine won't start. remove gas rags.
>
> 7/ call tow. tell them engine won't start. tow to mechanic.
>
>
> ALTERNATIVELY
>
> 1/ i've heard it's actually not hard at all to replace a gas line myself and have at it.
>
> SOOOOOOOO
>
> the reason why i'm posting all this is that i'm afraid that the engine will catch on fire. i suppose i might be too paranoid about this, but a little personal detail about me is that i'm one of those kids that managed to start a big ol' kitchen fire (boiling oil) so now i'm ahem, weary of fire. ha!
>
> so anyways, does my plan sound safe?
>
> (sorry for the long post)
>
> s.
>
>