Date:         Fri, 7 Jan 2011 18:48:45 -0800
Reply-To:     neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      70mm Fuel Filler Neck Slightly Better Before/After PICS +
              Insights poss tips and "Thanks!"
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Hi all.

A slight improvement.

Before: *http://tinyurl.com/2amgdjt*

After:   *http://tinyurl.com/22ux98c*
*
*
*I swear the tank shifted forward a hair after filling it today. (added
weight) There was a little more of a gap between forward side of pipe and
frame.*
*
*
*It's improved. A big thanks for peoples help and patience with my multiple
emails.*
*
*
*What was wrong: coolant pipes installed L/R reversed. P-side pipe too close
to tank shoulder. Loosened pipes, redid tank, reseated, repositioned pipes.
*EVAP hose pinched between pad and tank.  pic *http://tinyurl.com/2whtdj7*

It may be that I'm still not positioning the fill pipe right, but I trial
fitted twisting it more CW (looking end on) to no avail. Not much room to do
so anyway as it hits the lip on sheet metal and it seemed to me that doing
so put the face of rubber elbow at angle to the body. Choking up the rubber
elbow further onto fill pipe may have helped.

*It's still not 100% right. Viewed another Vanagon 70mm pipe. It was
centered much better. Like at least a 1/4" gap at forward side. Given what
I've found, I suspect my aftermarket tank and/or frame alignment at fault.
The coolant pipes do not touch the tank anymore.*
*
*
*This much I know for sure:*
*
*
*The thick-ish layer of bed liner I applied did NOT keep tank from seating
higher up.*
**Leaking fuel caused the bed liner to lift. I repainted those sections with
Tremclad.
Positioning rubber elbow/body clamp screw NOT at 12:00 helps expansion tank
fit easier.
Keeping crap like Vanagon vinyl hose around is handy (replaced pinched
section)  <grin>
Put a rag in filler pipe when putting the 3 Phillips head screws in.
Going by feel lining up top screw then remaining works best for me.
The 50mm fill pipe is basically a one piece item. AFAIK, the rubber elbow is
NLA if'n it ever was available. The one off my 70 mm wouldn't fit. The 2 big
O rings may be had at a FLAPS though. As Mark D and Scott suggested, this is
a great upgrade.

Bottom line: on 70mm fill hole tank, check fill pipe alignment before tank
reseal. If it's like mine, get the 50 mm fill pipe complete end to end and
adaptor bushing for fill hole on tank.

Neil.


--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines