Tank Rust in Fuel Pump

[Lanval]

Well, as I posted in the parts section, I wanted to try an aftermarket fuel pump to replace my noisy Bosch. I figured, "Hey, it's old, let's give the ol' Bosch a decent burial and move on.

So I got underneath, and removed the gas lines and pulled the pump out. It drained a bit and I had some paper towels to catch it. Here's what I saw:

Tap the pump a few times and let it drain from the tank side:



Tapped it a few more times against the curb, a little harder and I got this:



I'm guessing there's about a tablespoon of rust there...

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I haven't opened the new pump, and now I'm inclined to try and clean the old pump. Any suggestions?

As for the tank, I can't remove it anytime soon, so I'm going with the square filter up front, and I'll replace the canister filter after the pump. While I'm there, I'll replace the fuel lines too.

The square pump should also replace that small into large plastic piece that is now destroyed. I can't tell if I did that by clamping the lines, but either way it's done. However, the newer square filters are small (7mm I think) on the intake side, and large (12mm) on the output side, so that should fix that issue.

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Two things surprise me here:

1. I was having NO power troubles whatsoever, even under load. I was happily going uphill at 65 mph just yesterday.

2. As Colin has pointed out before, the quality of the parts that are OEM is really very good. I'm ashamed that I was casting aspersions at my good ol' Bosch pump, even if it was made in France.

Happily, I haven't removed the new pump from the box, so if I can revive the old pump, I can send it back. Unhappily, the pump was bought from GoWesty on a previous return. With restocking fee each time I send something back, eventually they'll just have the whole $140 that I started with.

Mike (aka Lanval ~ I am now using my real name, ala Neal who inspires me with his patience and honesty)

[Randy in Maine]

They claim....

that you can hook up a peice of fuel line to each end of the pump and stick the ends in a gallon of diesel fuel. Using a 12 volt source, run the pump forwards and backwards (by reversing polarity) for 30 seconds at a time and see if it barfs up some serious rust chunks. Do it a few times.

Of corse the real problm is the source of the rust in the fuel tank. You need to deal with that correctly or you are just putting lipstick on a pig.

[Lanval]

Randy,

Is the diesel fuel to reduce the chance of explosions?

Mike

[Westy78]

Randy,

Is the diesel fuel to reduce the chance of explosions?

Mike

I believe diesel has cleaning properties that normal fuel doesn't have.

[Randy in Maine]

That is my understanding also. Kero would likely also work.

[Oregon72]

My bus has carbs so I'm not sure if this doesn't apply to FI, but don't you want to have a filter between the tank and the pump so the filter catches all those goodies before it gets in your fuel pump.

I agree with Randy, you gotta pull that tank and address the rust.

[Lanval]

Thanks guys.

I probably should have started like this:

"Until I have the time/money to R&R the tank..."

Ultimately, the tank has to be fixed. But $4 filters that are replaceable in about 4 minutes, are a good solution until such time as the source of the problem can be arrived at. Or so goes my thinking...

I'm sure Colin won't let me forget this....

Mike

[Randy in Maine]

$50.

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/large-cycle ... s-kit.html

[Lanval]

Randy,

Thanks ~ I've wondered if you can do that on your own. Really the issue is time and location. I live in an apartment building, though I do have a garage. It's pretty small, so working there isn't easy. We're also required to park in it every night. Putting the van in is possible, but some work as I have to remove the roof.

Then there's the level of expertise ~ it's gonna take me time to get that all out, cleaned and back in and working.

Easier by far for me to work a few months and pay someone else to do it. Which is what's actually gonna happen, unless I let it go until Colin arrives. Personally, I think he oughta park his butt over in the Salton Sea area so I can have him on-call. He won't do it though ~ no matter what we try to feed him, constant supply of hot, black coffee, or even the occasional book (I made him take a book last time. Gadzooks! You'd've thought I was asking him to take a refrigerator the way he complained about space...)

I understand the problem, but a convenient solution eludes me for now, so the temp fix is in.

Best,

Mike

[Lanval]

OK, the jury-rig is in, and it seems to work OK. I reused the Bosch pump w/o cleaning it out beyond what I'd already done. Instead I put the filters in and figured I'll let them do the dirty work. I'll be getting more of those quickly so I can check and/or replace them as needed.

On start up I couldn't hear the pump pressurize the system ~ man, it was quiet! I drove around for a few minutes and the system seems to work OK. The pump did buzz on and off a few times; I'm wondering if that's from the residual rust in the pump, or something else. I've heard that VW switched to the post-pump filter only to prevent pump cavitation, but I find that hard to believe. The pre-pump filter worked fine on the '82, so I don't see why it wouldn't work fine anywhere.

Trying to find some 11mm fuel line (the FLAPS only carry imperial sizes for the American cars around here) I went to a local VW dealer; they couldn't help me out since 1. They had to order the fuel line, and 2. They had to order 5 meters at $53 p/meter!

The guy who helped me though is big-time into air-cooled, though! He basically told me to go to Vee Dub and get what I need since it's such a tiny little piece. Double-bonus was his confirmation (via schematic) that the 85 had both pre and post-pump filters!

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Now that I'm mobile, I should turn my attention to Randy's not-stern-enough warning... Randy! You have to YELL at me! Also, if Colin is any model, you should hold a part in my face while firing questions at me lickety-split...

I think I need to stop the excuses and figure out how to take care of that tank, so let's talk about this.

I have the good fortune of being close to Interstate Used Parts (that's where I got the van, actually) so I'm wondering if this would solve my dilemma (dilemma = 1. Need time to fix van; 2. Need to drive van to work; 3. Need work to pay for fixing van).

What if I go to Interstate and get a used tank, and have it cleaned out/prepped in a local shop (Rimco is close by, though I don't know if they do that kind of stuff. I can find out who would); then I can have the tank and parts ready to go for a weekend in N out. My brother's house would provide a place where we can work and get messy if need be.

That limits my time w/o a van, and enables me to prep the replacement tank so it won't rust again in the near future.

OR

What about a new tank: http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1 ... _tank.html

Would that need to be rust-proofed inside? Or do they come that way from the factory? Guess I should call VanCafe; that's cheaper than I thought they'd be...

What does the collective wisdom think?

Best,

Mike

[ruckman101]

I like the idea of prepping a used one. I did that for Gretchen, but am ashamed to say have gotten no further than purchasing the used tank.


And you thought you were bad,
neal

[Lanval]

I did some searching over on The Samba and ran across a thread in which one of the more capable members swapped his fuel tank out, and then cut the old one open to see what it looked like inside. Originally the post appears to have had pictures; they're not there now.

However, based on what was shown originally, TenCentLife concurred that trying to rehab the vanagon tanks was a waste of time, due to the placement of baffles, and the location of the pick up at the bottom of the tank and so on.

I'm willing to take The Dime's word on anything for vanagons, so I'll assume that I should be acquiring a tank and new parts for an install. Maybe that can wait with my fix until Colin arrives. I'm unwilling to attempt it on my own.

Best,

Mike

[Amskeptic]

I would drop the tank, dump in some marbles, roll them around in a a gallon of sacrificial gas with great verve, drain the mess, and MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE TANK FULL AT ALL TIMES particularly when you are belted with huge Pacific storm systems. Later, you can treat the tank correctly.

[Lanval]

I would drop the tank, dump in some marbles, roll them around in a a gallon of sacrificial gas with great verve, drain the mess, and MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE TANK FULL AT ALL TIMES particularly when you are belted with huge Pacific storm systems. Later, you can treat the tank correctly.

Dropping the tank without your presence (or one of the other more astute IAC members) is too scary for me. If I could park the Volvo here and drive that while working on the van, I'd consider it. W/O that back up (the scooter is not totally satisfactory in this regard), I'm waiting 'til I have backup.

Mike