Finally found time to check out the '90s leaking fuel tank.

  (I bought replacement hoses, fittings and seals a couple of weeks ago)

Found out what the noise was underneath when I accelerated and decelerated
- it was the fuel tank.

The leakage started at the same time that the big vacuum that developed
during operation stopped.  My guess is that the tank sucked one of the
seals into itself or crumpled so badly that a crease developed a crack.

The bottom of the tank is crumpled by vacuum.  The front-right rubber stop
that the tank should sit on has two centimeters of air between it and the
support bar.  The back-right rubber stop is one centimeter above the
support.  I could rock the tank with my hands.  The deformity is most
noticeable in the right lower corners, where there is a fold inward at an
angle into the corner.

After checking out where the vent lines are, on top of the tank, I'll
probably take it to someone for replacement.  I can't imagine getting my
not-particularly-thin arms into those spaces.

Questions:

1)  How much will a new fuel tank cost?
2)  Any idea what the dealer charges in labor for the repair?
3)  Should I try this myself or wimp out? (we can afford it - it just bugs
      me to toss money away when I might be able to do it myself)

bcnu - Grungy            Houston, TX
        jgladu@bcm.tmc.edu
'60 dddPanel Walkthru  (The BozoBus)
'68 & '69 Bugs (Frunobulax & Bertha)
'89 Vanagon GL
'90 Vanagon GL