to the original poster...
re
So when filling my tank the gauge never reads "Full" anymore, and
> I'm getting about 15% worse mileage.  Does that sound consistent
> with others who've had their tank squished when up on the lift?

if the tank was squished in from the bottom,
the fuel level sender float would still be able to max out at the top of the
tank..
giving a reading of 'full.' ..unless it's stuck somehow.

fuel capacity isn't related to fuel mileage,
unless you mean you used to go X miles on a tank and now you go 15 % fewer
miles on a tank. ..
that would be consistent with squished tank, but otherwise being squished on
the bottom shouldn't affect fuel mileage, like miles per gallon.

I would test the fuel gauge by finding that wire where it enters the
instrument cluster at plug T14 and ground that wire, ( like you removed it
from the level sender and grounded it that way ) then turn on the key
.....that should make the needle swing to very full, in a few seconds.
Normally you'd do that test at the sender, but that's hard to do ....2WD I'm
guessing.

I would also think about the little voltage stabilizer gizmo on the back of
the instrument cluster...
any time there is gauge weirdness, you consider that part - they go bad.
And ground connections always, of course.
Scott
www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "BenT Syncro" <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 8:47 PM
Subject: Re: squished gas tank?

> Depends on the size of the squish. The squish on my 2wd Doka took away
> 25% of the total capacity.
>
>
> BenT
>
>
>
> On Jun 22, 2010, at 8:12 PM, Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MTS.NET> wrote:
>
>> So when filling my tank the gauge never reads "Full" anymore, and
>> I'm getting about 15% worse mileage.  Does that sound consistent
>> with others who've had their tank squished when up on the lift?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Jeff
>> 85 Westfalia GL