She lives!

[bmwloco]

After my '73 Thing left me aside the road and altered my weekend plans last weekend, I towed her home. She was left nose slightly elevated, engine down.

Joy of joy, she cranked right up this morning after 5 days down. Nary a hiccup starting.

Later today, with a true VW guru (he rebuilt his first VW at nine - solo - no adult involved) he determined the carb should be rebuilt.

I'l remove it and get the $10 kit in the next few days.

[Captain Spalding]

Glad to hear it wasn't anything too serious.

[bmwloco]

Ayup. Nice that the carb rebuild kit is all of $10 too

[bmwloco]

Picked up the carb rebuild kit today at O'Rielly. $9.99. Can't beat that. While I was there, I picked up a good clear fuel filter.

Hopefully I'll have the time to rebuild it over the weekend.

The more time I spend with my Thing, the more I like it

[kubelmann]

A short rant on the issue of the standard VW plastic fuel filter set up. Countless numbers of vintage VWs has a "clear plastic" fuel filter between the fuel pump and carb.... That is the pressure side. If a fuel leak develops on that pressure side, then fuel will spray on a hot engine and an engine could result. Many veteran VW folk have felt for decades that this is a set up looking for a disaster. So, put the fule filter at the tank end and use a solid line from the pump to the carb and reduce your risk of a engine fire. The stock set up already has the screen filter in the tank...

[Ferretkona]

I agree, VW never used a filter between the pump and carb for good reason. Too much fuel pressure for a 39 cent filter. Since the PO cut my fuel line I use a fram G3606 all steel filter to contain the pressure. And they only cost a couple dollars more.

[kubelmann]

As a young man in mechanical engineering school I learned from hard work that pumps push far better than they pull. That is the reason that modern cars have the fuel pump in the tank and not on the engine. So we have a fuel pump on wrong end in terms of good fuel delivery. The plastic filter addition (not stock) was applied to put off cleaning the original fuel screen and lines. I am a fan of replacing the fuel lines and cleaning the fuel tank screen on a regular basis. Please avoid listening to me because I still believe that the original Thing design was very pretty darn good. If you needed a clean plastic filter between the fuel pump and carb it would have come that way. If I had a split fuel line in that area, I would buy a new section. But then remember I am in the process of converting all fuel delivery lines Aeroquip with AN fittings.

[bmwloco]

I'll submit to minds more atune to the sitiuation and forgo the clear fuel filter.

Though I have one (as per stock) on my '84 Benz 300CD, and two old BMW Motorcycles, I'll forgo.

So there

[Captain Spalding]

Most of what I have read about engine fires lays blame on two factors: the lack of use of hose clamps on the fuel lines, and the loosening of the brass tube on the carb where the fuel line attaches.

My feeling regarding the fuel lines is that if rubber tubing and hose clamps can do the job on a modern fuel injected car with a high pressure fuel system, they can do the job on my relic of a VW with its meager 3-5 p.s.i. fuel system pressure.

The loosening of the brass tubing on the carburetor is sometimes attributed to the weight of the fuel line/fuel filter hanging on the tubing, and, IIRC, the fact that the inlet tubing is just pressed into the carburetor body. Add a little vibration, and eventually the brass tube works itself loose. A little silver solder or even some JB Weld, judiciously applied, might go a long way there. Others have offered the remedy of anchoring the filter and fuel line, thereby reducing the effects of vibration and the weight of the line and filter on the brass tube.

I would agree with the idea that the fewer breaks in the fuel line the better. But we all weigh things a little differently. Rather than the semi-clear plastic disposable fuel filter, my fuel filter has a glass housing with replaceable element mounted in the typical position, between the fuel pump and carbs. It is very convenient to have that filter at the engine where I can inspect it whenever I check the oil. I can get an immedate confirmation that the fuel pump is working, and since it's perfectly clear I can see all the crud that made it past the screen filter.

[bucko]

"I agree, VW never used a filter between the pump and carb for good reason. Too much fuel pressure for a 39 cent filter."

The pressure is only around 3 to 4 pounds. If it were any more, the float needle would never seat properly, and fuel would spill out over the carb. If those cheap plastic filters cannot handle that, then indeed they are junk!

I still would never put one (filter) between the two as there is too much engine vibration and movement to allow the connections to get loose.

[bmwloco]

I have good hose clamps on all my fuel lines. It's just common sense.

Maybe I will use the clear filter; at least I can see if there is crap getting into the carb.

Clamp it all, keep an eye on it, and forge on...

[bljones]

i'll throw my opinion in.

Beside the whole your-car-will-catch-fire aspect of the post- fuel pump installation, from a damage control standpoint it makes little sense. the idea of filtering your fuel is to prevent damage- so does it make sense to filter the fuel AFTER your potentially dirty fuel has passed through the fuel pump? If your concern is quick diagnostics, ("i need to know if fuel is getting to the carb") then glue a mirror to the roof of the engine compartment. take off the air cleaner/and or breather hose and crouch down and look at the mirror while you pump the throttle linkage.

There is no good reason to install a fuel filter in the engine compartment, and all sorts of reasons not to.

BTW. bmwloco- with the history of fuel related problems you have had, methinks it is time for you to start thinking about doing some investigatory maintenance at the other end of the car- pull, assess, clean and, if necessary, replace the tank. it is an easy job to do, and will eliminate one component in the troubleshooting chain. after all, if crap is getting into your carb, this is the most likely place for it to start.
_________________
OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

2%

[Captain Spalding]