Fuel Hoses

Although I have already done the Fuel Hoses in my Vanagon, I thought that it would be good to devote a whole post on it. Fuel hoses are the first thing any Vanagon owner needs to address when they get a new (to them) Vanagon. The fuel hoses are made of a rubber which wears out within a few years. I have heard VW enthusiasts say to replace them every five years. I would just keep an eye on them, and check them every so often to see if they are cracking or breaking.

This is extremely important because of the fire hazard associated with cracked hoses. The fuel passes through those hoses at (i believe) 45PSI and therefore it will force itself out of even the smallest crack. That means that you van can catch on fire. Lets not do that.

Installing new hoses is not that difficult. It will require a length of 5/16th hose, I bought five feet. Some sites will tell you to buy a metric size hose. The hoses that came out of my van said 5/16 so thats what I asked for when I went to the store. The section from the fuel filter to the fuel pump is a larger size, i believe it was ****. You only need about 5 inches of this, I bought a foot just to be safe. I would also get some new hose clamps as you never know how many of yours will break when you mess with them.

Another tip: wear some nitrile or other work gloves. When you get fuel on your hands it takes for ever to clean off, and it itches. Just avoid this with some cheap gloves.

I went ahead and disconnected the ground, or negative terminal to the battery just to be safe, although I have no idea if it matters in this job. I also started by disconnecting the fuel line at the tank on the right side of the vehicle and draining the gas into a fuel tank. Luckily there was only like, two gallons of gas in there so it didn't take long. There is probably an alternative to this, but I don't know what it is. I then went piece by piece, measuring, cutting, and replacing each piece of fuel hose. It took a couple hours, and it was tough at times, but overall I would say that it was a pretty easy job.

If there are questions about more specifics I will be happy to answer them. I can also add some pictures if you would like to see them.