Rian,
I don't know what the problem is with your Vanagon.
However, I can tell you something very important:
If you smell gas at the rear of a Vanagon, CHECK YOUR FUEL LINES FOR LEAKS.
One of the worst thing that can happen to your Vanagon is an engine fire.
Check the fuel lines first. Worry about the other possibilities after
assuring that your fuel lines do not leak. Otherwise you may not have a
Vanagon with problems for very long.
Good Luck
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: Rian Mullins <rian.mullins@MAIL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Saturday, February 06, 1999 8:25 AM
Subject: Smells like gas, need diagnosis

>Can anyone help me diagnose this: My '87 Vanagon smells like gas in the
>rear and lately is behaving as if one of the cylinders is not firing or
>something - it idles at about 400 and the power output is very
>unpredictable, sometimes I get it and sometimes I don't.
>Also, I have had a chronic blinking red thermostat for the past few
>years, which starts blinking immediately upon starting the car; I've
>taken it to a shop about 4 times (for the red blinking light), and each
>time they replace something and charge me $200 and it works fine for 2
>weeks, and then starts blinking again.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Thanks
>Rian Mullins
>