Date:         Thu, 1 May 2008 18:06:54 -0700
Reply-To:     John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: sad engine fire victim, 88 Wolfy
In-Reply-To:  <333c10e0805011644v75fa5707m6083755048d73255@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I'll chime in with the rest as I recently had the opportunity to replace the CIS lines in my 35k mile '78 Scirocco.  They go bad from age, anywhere in the engine compartment, I cut a section of one apart and time/gas had really taken it's toll on the inside of the lines.  Now that is a 30 year old line but still, as I've had the new ones for 10 years I should have done it 10 years ago.  To me even 15 years is probably long enough on a CIS line.  On cloth braided or smooth bus FI lines, I never let them go more than 5 years, and replace them all including the ones on the injectors when a van is new to me; like someone else said, just routine maintainence.  On waterboxers another real concern that I don't know the absolute life guess on is the plastic distribution bits that make the ring main, like that bulkhead fitting on the firewall (scary how old they likely get, has anyone ever replaced theirs?) and the black bits of fuel rail that feed the injectors, the early Digijet
 ones with steel bands on the ends can have the band rust and end plug pop out but even the stainless banded ones can/will eventually crack.  Also the plastic fuel supply line from the pump up to the ring itself should likely be replaced.  I think all of those bits are suspect on any Vanagon now days.  Just like coolant hoses if I was hopping in a van and expecting to drive it any distance or with any regularity you need to replace them.  And a fire extinguisher you can grab quick should always be around, and closer than beside the sliding door in a camper.  In some respects I think the plastic engine lid which melts and burns was a real step backward for sealing up the engine compartment firewall even though I've often retrofitted an air cooled van with a steel one to plastic cause I didn't want to heft the weight.

  Just my ramblings.

  John

Bill MacLachlan <billmacla@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
  I've an 1800 I4in my van.....braided steel lines....how often should
*they*be replaced?

Bill M



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