Importing a VW - Advice

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by GTE88, Aug 7, 2020.

  1. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Are you sure you put PETROL in it? :D
     
  2. I can join that club too, massive backfire, rolled to a stop on a dual carriageway. Some kind chap stopped and helped me shove it into a layby, where I found the king lead off the coil. If I'd looked first I could have saved myself the pain of 'straining me giblets' pushing.
     
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  3. Little Nellie

    Little Nellie Supporter

    Happened to me also. Bought it, drove it back, just before home stopped to refuel, would not start. Pushed it to safe part of garage. Started when cool in 30 mins time. Looking back was a hot start technique
     
    Meltman likes this.
  4. scrooge95

    scrooge95 Moderator and piggy bank keeper

    So what was the problem?
    It's a dull rainy weekend, this is about as exciting as it gets!
    I'm not sure I can stand the suspense........
     
    Lasty, Coda, Little Nellie and 2 others like this.
  5. @GTE88

    Sorry to hear this.

    All part of the experience, hopefully something simple.

    Where are you based, someone may be close by?
     
    S1mon likes this.
  6. @GTE88 come on the suspense is killing me
    Especially stuck at the mother in laws in Cheshire for a week!
     
  7. Are you hoping he is close by so you can nip over to lend a hand (get out the house)
     
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  8. @paulcalf yep! I can borrow overalls and tools from brother in laws yard ;-)
     
    paulcalf likes this.
  9. Haha thanks everyone. We got the van dropped at our storage place in Cheshire last night about midnight. It was a very stressful evening tbh and went through a lot of emotions. Don’t know how much to say on here at the moment but there was a fairly hefty fuel leak, it was everywhere, coupled with a small oil leak (which was an advisory on the MOT).

    I don’t think it’s really an exaggeration to say we were lucky it didn’t catch fire.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2020
    Lazy Andy, JamesLey, Coda and 4 others like this.
  10. Gingerbus

    Gingerbus Supporter

    Holy crap!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  11. Little Nellie

    Little Nellie Supporter

    They all have small oil leaks. Likely to be a fairly easy fix. Rocker cover etc.

    Fuel leak is not nice, but probably an easy fix if it’s hoses. Of course shouldn’t have had a significant fuel leak when you bought it
     
    paulcalf, Adrian1975 and S1mon like this.

  12. Replace allll fuel hoses relatively easy to do!!!
    And buy proper pipe clips
     
    Little Nellie likes this.
  13. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    When I bought my second van I drove it around for 50 miles then went to kwick fit because it was pulling to the left. While the mechanic was freeing up the adjuster with an acetylene torch I wandered around underneath checking it out. I swear I just touched a fuel pipe and it split, there was petrol squirting out down my arm as I tried to stem the flow and get matey with the torch's attention. He eventually span 180 degs with his foot long flame pointed right at me but we got there in the end with mole grips and no human torch. Next time I'd just back off but I thought if I kinked the pipe that would work. :rolleyes:

    Can you describe where the leak was?
     
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  14. I was replacing the file pipes on mine and spilt a load of petrol in my eye while under the van -
    A chippie who was working for me came out for a fag break and sparked up just as I stood up in front of him. Close call.
     
  15. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I was a friends house when his 5 yr old came in SOAKED in petrol. He'd been playing footy with his older brother in a communal gargage area...one was open...
    Apparently he'd held it over his own head but I suspect big bro fed him that line.
     
    S1mon likes this.
  16. Did it drive well?
    Forgetting the fuel leak & oil leak
     
  17. Haha it’s reassuring to see all your stories. Spoke to Duncan who’s gonna take a look anyway at some point, we feel a lot calmer about it today.

    It drove well actually yeah, we had great fun driving it in the day and didn’t feel any noticeable problems. It’s hard as I’m kind of getting used to how it all feels and what’s normal, a couple of times when we stopped at a red light it felt like the engine was working hard out of gear but then it slowed down after 5-10 seconds.

    The other major thing is the fuel smell that I spoke of a couple of pages back. It was present all day and so it’s clearly something that needs looking at hopefully a fairly simple fix.

    Ultimately we probably drove more in it yesterday than it’s maybe driven in 4-5 years so bound to be some things to iron out I guess. Glad it happened now and not when we are out somewhere in it!
     
  18. scrooge95

    scrooge95 Moderator and piggy bank keeper

    Yikes.

    Firstly, unless the oil leak is massive, most vans like to mark their territory.... occasionally you find one that doesn’t, but mostly it’s not too much to worry about (and just an annoying dink on the MOT sheet)

    Fuel everywhere doesn’t sound great at all, but the important thing is that you pulled over, and that it didn’t catch fire.
    And you know what the problem is.
    The thing with these vehicles, is that you see a lot of horror stories, and that there is the potential...... but that’s why we check our fuel lines regularly, use the type of hose that costs £18 a metre, but is the best we can get, use the proper clips, and know our enemy.
    You’ll get used to it, don’t be disheartened.
    If this happened after you filled up, it could be the filler neck down to the tank, or it could just be coincidence. Change it all, that way you’ll know what age it is.
     
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  19. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

  20. Here’s a video of the leak.

     
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