Smell of petrol - eberspacher removal

[Emma&Al]

Hey all,

A while back I posted that Id had a petrol leak fixed by the garage. A few days later I could smell petrol really strong, from the exterior of the front passenger wheel arch.
So I took the van to VW Resto in Hastings who couldn't find a leak, but who suggested that the eberspacher (non working) be removed. They said that there were around 9 possible places the petrol could be coming from, with the eberspacher attached. They said that they could get that down to around 2 possible places if they removed the eberspacher and tidied up the fuel lines. So I gave them the go ahead. There's always been some odd modifications on my van and one of them was a fuel line that poke up through the body work near the engine bay. Someone had forced something metal looking, in the top of the pipe. Id never know exactly what that was, but VW Resto said they cut the pipe and petrol came out - so they basically took the whole thing out including the Eber.

Anyway, it cost me 90 pounds and I took my van for a run this morning and it felt great. Previously the van had been chugging a bit, it would cut out randomly when I slowed down or sometimes just as i was mid drive! Pretty scary for me. So a round trip of 40 minutes and no cutting out. I could still smell a tiny bit of petrol, but nothing major.

Do you think I did the right thing? Id never had the Eber working, I don't really want to use it as it takes up lots of petrol anyway and I don't need to heat the rear of the van. Just interested in your thoughts.

Thanks

[danmetallic]

I would be very surprised if it was the Eber. Much more likely to be breather pipe on top of the petrol tank. Mine had become detached and was letting off a whiff whenever the tank was full or I was going around a sharp corner.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Also they don't use lots of petrol!!!!!
I suppose that they 'took it off your hands' also? They are still worth money!

[Emma&Al]

...they DID take it off my hands..which i am now disappointed at. They never offered to give it to me and I never thought to ask until I drove off and looked at my receipt.
They said they'd looked at the petrol tank and couldn't find anything wrong. Im wondering if it could be the expansion tank under the wheel arch...at least thats where the smells coming from..
Anyway, the drive this morning was perfect and the van sounded really good after a few months of sounding very lumpy and cutting out virtually every drive, so Im guessing somethings improved!

[Oldiebut goodie]

Ask them for £100 for it - if it was working it is easily worth that. Either that or they return it to you - it is theft!!
Replacing the fuel line to it if it was leaking would have cost all of £5. They don't sound very trustworthy.

[Emma&Al]

Well, the actual 90 pounds it cost in total was basically for 2 hours of labour and the rest which ultimately was around 5-10 pounds were for clips and hose

[danmetallic]

I would definitely get it back that's for sure.

[California Dreamin]

They are legally obliged to keep parts for some time (14 days I think, could be longer) after a repair. Or should I say...they have to make the parts available in case the customer asks for them, like I say, for a certain length of time.

I am very concerned over this diagnosis, as all they needed to do was remove the fuel T piece coming out the back of the fuel tank followed by the removal of the ebber fuse, 10 - 15 minutes work!

Did they also remove the control panel/relay etc? very suspect if they did!

Also....the most common leaks are from the under arch breather tanks and the 8? short pieces of hose.
Other possibilities are tank breather, tank grommets and dreaded top tank corrosion.
You need to fill the tank to the brim and then check for leaks.

Martin

[Emma&Al]

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.
They didnt take any control panel as its inside the panel of the van and I've put a plywood door card over it, so thats still there.
I did wonder why it took 2 hours to take some parts off? They said they'd not found a problem with the fuel tank, so I assumed they'd taken that off and given it a good look over. Oh, Im just so over garages...it seems wherever I take my van, I have some sort of problem. It makes me feel so sad and worried that Im constantly being ripped off, especially as I'm a girl going in on my own. I don't mean that as in I'm vulnerable at all - I mean, i do bits and pieces on the van myself - in fact, I know more about vehicles than my dad does! But I hate to think that Im in the hands of the garage.
I just don't know where else to take my van you know? It's been to 3 different garages in the last year and each time it feels like they've been a bit suspect..or am I aiming for the impossible?

[RogerT]

I don't think you are aiming for the impossible, I have stuck with the same garage for 15 yrs with various ordinary cars, and more recently the van and Mini. They have got things wrong from time to time, and we used to think that the car would always come back with something else having gone wrong, or wondered if they were even sabotaging things!

And that was even after having been introduced to the garage by my partners dad who had previously managed the tyre depot the other side of the road!

But over the years we have built up a relationship with them, taken things back within their standard 1yr guarantee on parts, had tyres paid for after they f****d up the tracking, we share the trials of parents with Alzheimer's, they spent hours and hours on the mini after it was stored one winter with mice under the bonnet and charged a pittance. The owner worked on T25s when they were new, tunes up my Mini for free cos he enjoys it and before he retires I'll ask him to show me how to do it myself.

There are other garages in town, even a main dealer and a main service centre, and I've friends who swear by other garages in town, and tell horror stories of mine.

It comes down to the relationship really. They are just human, the mechanics don't get paid a lot wherever you go, nor does the receptionist who you'll deal with most of the time. So I wouldn't advise going on personal recommendations as that could could take you anywhere in your local area, and they would all be for the right reason. Go with someone you think is honest, who you can get along with, who you might already have a personal connection with, who will listen when you go with ideas gained from here, and stick with them through their failures, but don't be shy of saying, with a smile, that you think they haven't got it right, and don't be shy of thanking them when they do get it right.

I often say you should treat children and dogs the same way - firm boundaries, let them know who's boss, and loads of rewards and love. You could probably add garages to that too.

[nordberg]

I think garages are probably one of the biggest hit and misses in life. If you go to a shop to purchase something you have quite a lot of protection, but when such a lot of the cost of a garage is labor costs it's really hard to know weather or not their charges are realistic or just a plain scam. I think as the previous chap said, it takes time to build up a re pore with a garage, and the more you show your face there, the more the reason they have to keep your custom and get it right. I think there is always going to be a garage reasonably local that knows there stuff as far as classic vehicles are concerned, but they do tend to be elusive and not very well advertised. However, it does sound like you took it to a VW garage so they should have dealt with a T25 at some point in there career .

Don't beat yourself up about it. Contact them and tell them that you want to have the eber refurbished and fitted when you can afford it (just to get it back). This will sound plausible and like you aren't just accusing them if stealing it. They are still worth something as has been mentioned.

Good luck

[Emma&Al]

Thanks all, I feel a little better about it.
My friends, that had the van previous to me spent a lot of money at VW Resto Classics...so they are very familiar with the van, I have all the receipts for this. I don't feel very assertive at garages, because I feel out of my depth. I find it hard to go in on my own, which is what I normally do.
I will stick with them - the van is running super well suddenly, so they must have done something right?
It is really good to get your views on this though, because I only have myself to trust and when you feel out of your depth with something, its so hard to trust your own reactions.

[R0B]

But have you got your heater back?

[Emma&Al]

No I'm too scared to ask them!!

[danmetallic]

You really need to ask, you're completely within your rights. So don't feel bad. Eber's are not small change.