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On 20 Sep 2005 at 20:31, Jim Showker wrote: > >This IS the overflow hose, isn't it; I can't imagine > > what else you could be clamping under there. > > Nah, not the overflow tube, the big tube/hose that hooks to the gas tank > from the filler . Probly 2" in diameter. It looks like the original high > quality VW clamp. The neoprene rubber, or whatever it is is just smaller, > either from being 36 years old, or from being clamped for 36 years. The > duct tape is only acting as a spacer, to enlarge the tube/hose so that the > clamp can clamp. should last as long as the hose. So this clamp is in the trunk, not under the fender? There is a somewhat common problem with that connection that is caused when the gas tank gets removed and not re-installed correctly. For some reason, VW designed these joints (2 per car) to require a thin rubber sleeve to go between the steel tube and the outer hose. This sleeve is only about 1mm thick, but if it gets left out, torn, or wrinkled, that joint won't seal. It is common for these sleeves to just be left out after someone removes the gas tank. By far, the best solution is to just put them back in, but it is somewhat difficult to get everything re-installed and wrinkle free. Last time I checked, these sleeves were still available from VW, because the same part is also used on Beetles. They are probably outrageously expensive, around $2 apiece, but worth the price. A piece of mountain bike inner tube looks like it should work, but it won't, because the butyl rubber used for inner tubes reacts badly with gasoline. I know this problem well, because my '73 came with that leak also, and those sleeves were missing. Replacing them fixed the problem permanently. I don't think the duct tape will last as long as we might hope for. -- Jim Adney jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711-3054 USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~