Fuel System Issues

[akessel56]

So I've read all the fuel smell threads and have the fricking trunk taken apart.

Can someone offer advice on removing the hoses to replace the connecting hose? (see attached picture)

They don't just want to come off.  the hoses themselves seem in good shape, where they connect to the tank and where they connect to the the vapor tank.

Also the seal around the filler and the trunk is dust for the most part.  What does one do about that?

I had issues with the fuel pump, but its been replaced.  So weeding out other options..

Thanks all, Andy
1971 280 SL

[Bonnyboy]

All I did to remove the hoses was to twist them lightly with a pair of pliers until the bond broke  There was a varnish deposit holding the braided hose in place. 

Good luck,

[akessel56]

thanks, what did you replace the braided hose with?

[kampala]

I also had fuel smell issues ... read everything and started with the simplest solution and it solved the problem entirely.  For me it was clearly the small braided lines from tank to the vapor.  I sliced them off with a blade and replaced them with what appear to be exactly same braided hoses or very very similar.  I read somewhere on this forum that VW hoses fit perfectly so I went to a VW parts shop and they matched my original hoses. 

I cleaned all the varnish from around these fitting and removed the foam seal around the cover as it felt like it had varnish on it as well.  After cleaning, I pushed on the new hoses without the use of any clamps (like original, I believe).   

This fix stopped the fuel smell 100%.  Prior to this fix, the fuel smell was strong if the tank was more than 1/2 full.  After the fix, I can fill the tank and zero fuel smell. 

I believe I read about the VW hoses in the tech manual under old yahoo content.   It worked for me. 

Good luck.

[kampala]

I would like to add that my hoses looked darker and not as dry as yours look ... ( I did not take a photo).  I could not feel the wetness but they were clearly soaked and varnished.  They are so easy to replace that I would replace them just to knock it off the potential "cause of smell" list.  

[akessel56]

1) Any thoughts on the deteriorated donut seal between the floor and the tank?

Could just scrape this all out and replace, though I don't really have a place to remove the tank to do this.

Is there some kind of "silicone type" sealer that I could use to seal from inside the trunk?

2) What do you use to remove, or cleanup the varnish?

thanks,

[w113dude]

The best way would be to wait till you can get the tank down then you'll be able to give it a good clean up, once it's down it's much easier to clean the who;e tank, If I remember correctly there are only three nuts holding the tank in place.

[kampala]

Andy,

I can't help with the foam donut as I left mine intact ... it did have a little varnish on it but I deduced this was from the hoses so did not attempt to replace it.  To clean off varnish from the metal pipes I just scraped it off and then gave it a wipe with a rag and some goof-off.  Since the foam on the cover was also varnished, I had scraped that off and used goof-off.

I was careful not to get any goof-off on the foam donut as I did not want to damage it ... sorry can't help with this part.

[akessel56]

All is a help.  I appreciate it.

[akessel56]

Update, so I've replace the two hoses connecting the gas tank to the expansion tank.  when shoving a wire up the tube to the tank to make sure they are clean, I discovered fuel in the expansion tank - sort of surprised, though I know it overflows to it, but doesn't seem to flow back.

Also I'm pretty convinced the smell is by the expansion tank anyway, but I don't see any leaks around the tubing - all looks solid.

I presume there is no way to unhook the expansion tank from  its hoses to test for leaks?

I've read a few posts which seem to think its an unlikely source of trouble, and that newer replacements aren't good.

thanks again

[Jonny B]

As far as the varnish is concerned, Joe Alexander showed us at the last PUB that rubbing alcohol does just a fine job of taking it off. This was on the fuel pump where he could soak and scrub, but a toothbrush will do a decent job too and a bit of good ole elbow grease.

[akessel56]

More on this:  So I stuck my head under the car and the braided fuel hose from the fuel pump to the gas tank seems damp to me.  I haven't driven the car in 10 days, and there is no dripping. 

Guess I should replace that sucker.

Do the hoses that connect to the fuel vapor value just pull off?  I'd like to make sure they are clear, but doesn't come off easy.

I don't want to break it.

Andy

[ja17]

The hard plastic hoses are heat shrunk on. Good luck getting those off.  The braided rubber lines usually use small clamps and can be un-clamped and pulled off.