that rubber thing around the gas tank filler

[Kirk Knighton]

I think I read somewhere that you can use the business end of a plumber's helper to put around the filler neck...the original on mine is totally gone. Can anyone here tell me about this??????

[Longbeach412]

Yea, I am the one . Here is what I did: Look for a plunger whose diameter is a bit larger than the fender opening, preferrably black in color, to be discreet . Cut a hole in its base same as the size of the filler neck. Lube the neck and slide the plunger down till it goes past and through the fender hole. Reach from inside the fender and apply a bead of silicon sealant to the lip of plunger, then push it up snug with the fender to seal. its a good idea to put a hole in lower half of plunger to drain overfills & spills.

[Chris Hobbs]

FYI no need to use a plunger if you are willing to spend some cash. The VW Type 3 fuel filler neck gasket is a pretty good match for the Type 4 part, and it has been reproduced and is available through VW supplier ISP West. Don't know their catalog price but they also occassionally hawk them on eBay for between $35-50. I bought and used a couple myself when I was able to get them at the lower end of the price scale.

[Kirk Knighton]

Hey thanks for the tips from both of you! I just went to ebay and saw those type 3 ones for sale like you said. Is there any trick to installing them?

[albert]

hi! if you want new original , go to see wagenteile.com , the guy there send me photo last month for original filler boots only for 412 , for the 411 with fenders protection is N.L,A. the price is appx. 50.$ us or you can put the type3 model repro. on your local distributor ,,,albert

[Chris Hobbs]

No trick to installing the gasket although you might want to put a little nondestructive lubricant on the inner hole to slip over the fuel filler neck more easily. Once over the neck, the outer ring of the gasket should snap down into the round hole in the fender well with just a little push. (Otherwise you won't be able to close the fuel door.) If you're lucky you might still have (with your old detoriated gasket) a metal ring that goes around the inside of the lip of the gasket to help hold it to the fender well. If not, thats OK because the new piece stays in place alright without it.

[MGVWfan]

Anyone know if that potmetal latch thing (the one that seems to be broken on the 412's I've seen) is close to the T3 design (and may be available on the reproduction market)?

[raygreenwood]

Yes. It is similar to most of the VW's that have the same shape engagin latch. The wire will just be shorter or longer. You can also take them apart and scavenge and rebuild them if you wnat. The toughest part is getting the little square cover plate back in that was swaged in. I do believe the type 3 unit fits. Ray

[albert]

hi guy, if you need , spécial lubrifiant , for to instal some rubber parts (filler neck or window gasket ) go to your favorite drugstore and ask for électric vaseline (ha,hsa,ha, ) no, no, that is not jock , this kind of vaseline is use for physiotherapy, that look same thing vaseline but she is électric conductor , but washable with wather and she d,t, destroy the rubber and very slippery,and dry at the air afther 1or2 hrs ,, albert

[Longbeach412]

How bout good ole liquid soap?

[albert]

hi guy , for gaz tank boots , make look on the audi 5000 , you have ,, O ,, ring , rubber boots and the rest , audi is good solution for 412 spare parts ,,albert

[MGVWfan]

Thanks Ray, not having seen a T3 part in the real world before, I had no idea if they were similar...but knowing how VW re-used some T3 parts in the T4, I suspected they were.

[Kirk Knighton]

Hey guys, I found the type-3 one on ebay, ordered it, got it in the mail today, and just installed it. Fits perfectly! So now I'm ordering two more for my other two type-4s. Thanks for the help!

[Longbeach412]

Great!, was it ISPwest?

[Kirk Knighton]

yes it was, and they are $38 each - maybe a little pricey, but like I said it fits perfectly. And when I took out the remains of the original one it looked exactly the same. So it is the right part, even if it is listed for the type 3.