Fuel tank breather tanks -t0 have or not to have?

Post by **brookie** » 05 Feb 2007, 20:40

Hi anyone!
I understand that the 2 plastic tanks under the wheel-arches are to allow complete filling up of the main tank without getting air-locks/pressurisation. My question is, are they really effective as when I got my diesel T25 ALL the flexi hoses to these small tanks were either split or detached and I still managed to fill completely up without probs or leaks.
I've got both these breather tanks removed at the moment as I'm having some welding repairs done. Would it be feasible NOT to refit them and simply join the 2 lower hoses together and leave the top one open to atmosphere (shielded from any crap of course)?
Comments welcomed!
Brookie

Post by **andysimpson** » 05 Feb 2007, 21:25

think how much it cost vw to fit them to millions of vans, if they were not needed they would not of fitted them.

Post by **PEET** » 06 Feb 2007, 12:44

I took mine off after replacing the panels where they had become traps for muck, jus to see what it was like. I joined up all the tubes as the above plus venting pipe to the rear of the van. And the difference? erm no tanx and a vent pipe still going to the rear 2 years on other things jus keep cropping up...!
I spoke to a qualified mechanic about them and he seemed to thnk they are put there for the petrol fumes to expand into instead of allowing the fumes to go into the atmosphere as in most other cars, a peugeout i have seen even runs the vent pipe up thru the pillars out near the sunroof - erm not surprisingly they had a recall on them!