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Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:45 am

I read this post a couple of weeks ago and decided I'd better check my fuel line where it goes through the sheetmetal panel under the firewall in my 69 Beetle. Sure enough, the rubber grommet was long gone and the fuel line had been rubbing on the sheetmetal edge for some time. It was leaking about a drop every minute which was dripping straight down onto the exhaust tube exiting cylinder #3. I suppose the drops were just vaporizing on contact with the exhaust so luckily no fire developed. Here's a pic of the piece of metal tube with the worn-through "notch". Check yours!

Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:20 am

Kelwa2 >>>> I meant if you used a heat sensitive link to the fuel shut off solenoid that would stop the engine and hence the mechanical fuel pump. A cut off switch at the battery would not help in event of a short. I put a 30 amp fuse in at the battery when I wired in an ammeter.

Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:46 am

Heneroid wrote: I read this post a couple of weeks ago and decided I'd better check my fuel line where it goes through the sheetmetal panel under the firewall in my 69 Beetle. Sure enough, the rubber grommet was long gone and the fuel line had been rubbing on the sheetmetal edge for some time. It was leaking about a drop every minute which was dripping straight down onto the exhaust tube exiting cylinder #3. I suppose the drops were just vaporizing on contact with the exhaust so luckily no fire developed. Here's a pic of the piece of metal tube with the worn-through "notch". Check yours!
bob Hoover suggested using lamp hardware through the tin to better support the fuel line.

The one on the right is for the fuel. The left one is for the oil pressure line.

Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:58 pm

Inspired by Hoover, I've got "electrical entrance fittings" on my cars:

About half an hour's work is well worth the peace of mind. In fact, if anyone is in my area (Cedar Rapids, IA), I'll install one on your car for free. 8)

Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:59 am

Been reading about the rear seat shorting out the battery. I wonder, does Delco make a battery that would fit in the VW? I have a 2004 Impala with the Delco side-post battery. It seems the side post would prevent the seat from shorting the battery.

Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:46 am

I used a combination of brass fittings to make a firewall pass through.
Something similar to this. I had to use 3 pieces on mine and washers
but it's leak free. The hard line from the tunnel connects on one side
with rubber fuel line and then on the other side to the carb with rubber fuel line.

Companies make firewall pass throughs for fuel and other things.
Check race car places or custom hotrod sites.

I'll try to get a picture of mine.
But here's some pieces kinda like what I used.
Kinda not exactly but you get the idea.

Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:07 am

Working on neighbors recent purchase (71 super). Car had been on the road until 2 years ago. I am doing them a favor and going over it. Did the engine compartment hoses and the line by the rear axle. Looked at the tank line- hmm - nice cloth covered line - doesnt look too bad.

Dumped gas in the tank and it was pouring out of the line under the tank.

As it has been covered over and over on this thread - don't assume any of them are any good unless you know who replaced them and when they were done.

Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:28 pm

andk5591 wrote: Looked at the tank line- hmm - nice cloth covered line - doesnt look too bad.
Dumped gas in the tank and it was pouring out of the line under the tank.
As it has been covered over and over on this thread - don't assume any of them are any good unless you know who replaced them and when they were done.

You aren't kidding. I took a cloth braided line off mine and twisted it one way then the next and it split scary easy. I replaced all my lines with new cloth braid but I'm considering stainless steel braid.

Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:16 pm

I've got a 67 that had caught fire, the way I found out, was the burnt to a crisp headliner, and the big flame marks across the roof.

Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:48 pm

That's the problem with those cloth braided fuel lines, they may look fine but actually could be on the verg of cracking.
With time those fuel hoses harden and get brittle. When disturbed they may crack open. That's what happened to me when I went to replace the fuel line under my tank. I ended up with a garage floor full of gasoline.
I replaced all of mine, used the proper clamps and safety wired the hoses to the carb and fuel pump. And I moved the fuel filter to under the tank.
Even though I feel pretty safe, I still carry a Halonite fire extingusher in the bug with me.

Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:01 am

The problem is not the braided cloth covering. It is the rubber hose itself. I lost a Dodge because of a plain rubber fuel line. With any hose, inspect it frequently. If it's brittle, you messed up, and hadn't inspected/replaced it. I replace mine every 1 or 2 years. As far as the standard VW braided hose make sure it say's German. There are junky copies out there.

The other things you did Dualref are right on :D

Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:16 pm

another thing that'll eat your gas lines up, is the new E10 Ethanol gas, rots em from the inside out. :wink:

Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:34 pm

wow, i was just check on the fuel pressure because of either clog fuel line or clog idle jets. so i disconnect the center spark plug wire from the cap so it won't start. then i told my helper to start cranking the engine while i'm at the back hold on the fuel line and a container so i can check if the fuel is clog. next thing you know the container and the rubber fuel line caught on fire, lucky my helper stop cranking the engine when she heard me yelling. i mange to put out the fire within a couple second and no damage was done to the engine department. i guess when i disconnect from the cap side of the center wire, the center wire is still connect to the coil. It was hanging just close enough from the fuel line to cause a spark and light the fuel on fire. Lesson learn from this incident is to disconnect from the coil side and get the fuel line and fuel away from any live wire. i'm feel dumb now :oops:

Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:17 pm

Bad day.

Thank god not mine:

Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:44 am

It's really a shame to see bugs & buses are still going up in smoke due to fuel line fires. VW issued a Service Bulletin on the importance of checking the fuel pipe grommet as early as 1958.

It was the comment of some idiotic 'technical editor' in one of the VW magazines saying such fires were inevitable that prompted me to send them an article explaining the cause and the cure. After it was rejected I posted it to the internet, which is how the 'sermon' business got started.

-Bob Hoover

Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:34 am

Wow- Are you the famous Bob Hoover? What a privilage it is to have you here. I don't know what we would call those gadgets on our oil coolers if they wern't refered to as Hoover Bits. Your writings are enjoyable. I don't agree with something you wrote but since I forgot what it is, is must not be that important. Regardless, thanks for your works.

Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:52 pm

>Are you the famous Bob Hoover?
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Not according to my wife :-)

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> I don't know what we would call those gadgets on our oil coolers if they wern't refered to as Hoover Bits.

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I believe Volkswagen called it the 'Sealing Frame.' (I've always called it the gasket bracket.)

-Bob Hoover

Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:16 pm

Welcome to the Samba, Bob.

Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:20 am

Bob Hoover wrote: I believe Volkswagen called it the 'Sealing Frame.' (I've always called it the gasket bracket.)

-Bob Hoover
The now call it No Longer Available ;)

Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:52 pm

that's it..........i'm getting a fire extinguisher i'm not gonna lose my ride!
thanks guys :D