Inherited My Granddad's '57 Beetle

Abscate · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 6:45 am Post subject:

Purist need not read further...

Getting you car back on the road, you can get a brass fuel valve from a marine store like west marine or defender for about 12 USd.

Did you up just strip the aluminum nut?? It's not ruined. For a horrible moment I thought the fuel valve boss had twisted out of the fuel tank....still not ruined but uglier.

Get the fuel tank supported over a jar or shallow container filled with Penetrating solvent if your choice. Let it soak for a week or more. Take an extra differential equations class to pass the time. A big nut like that will respond to a vice grip (tm). That is a vice grip made by ViceGrip, not Ulan Bator.
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.ssS!

0nebadbug · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:00 am Post subject:

aa390392 · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 9:28 am Post subject:

Just a reminder take it so n ez,save bolts n nutz.Be methodology ..haste makes waste..and as my father use to tell me when attempting a project "son you got to be smarter than what your working with". BTW nice car..
Thomas
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getting grumpy & less tolerant!

55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

Abscate · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:08 pm Post subject:

txoval · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 3:05 pm Post subject:

From experience your fuel tap will need to be rebuilt at a minimum due to the interior seal being shot, which is a frustrating process. If you thought removing the nut was frustrating wait until you try disassembling the device

You'd be better off saving up and buying a new one from Wolfsburg West...yes it's $75, but definitely worth it

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111209021E

KingOfAces · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:01 pm Post subject:

Alright, KROIL is 100% worth the money.

I finally stopped moping for two seconds, emptied the fuel tank, and applied a liberal amount of it onto the nut and waited about five minutes. Then I grabbed my new 22mm wrench (Thanks for the Lifetime Warranty, Home Depot!) and gave it a turn. It gave way immediately and I was able to take it out. The nut is still in poor shape, I'm surprised I was able to do that at all.
I really did not want to break out the vice grips, Dad has told me stories of what those things can do, few are positive.

Anyway, the fuel filter is stuck in the tank, and the inside of the tap is covered in sludge, not that I expected anything less. So I put some KROIL on that too and am now waiting. I am sure I have lost restoring the inside of the tank before the end of break, and I hope all this POR-15 will stuff stay good until Spring Break in mid March.

Sorry for no pictures, the upload speed in this house is abysmal, but I will upload pictures sometime tonight.

aa390392 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:38 pm Post subject:

King, store POR15 in fridge,tightly sealed...I had some stored now 3 or 4 yrs....still the same as new..
_________________
.
getting grumpy & less tolerant!

55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

KingOfAces · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:03 pm Post subject:

Nevermind, it's too cold and I don't want to ruin the pipes in the house.

Anyway, here are some pictures from today. Like I said in the previous reply, all I did was empty the tank and remove the tap.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

This crap came out by itself. I haven't even used that chain to knock out the rest of the loose rust. That will come tomorrow when I can use the hose without freezing the pipes.

Finally free

Unfortunately, the fuel filter still in the tank. Not sure how to get that out.

Tap in soapy water and cleaned with elbow grease. I will need something more powerful to do it properly, but this is what I currently have on hand.

As always, all the pics from today: http://imgur.com/a/94Vtd
Not many this time.
EDIT: These photos have been uploaded to TheSamba gallery.

57BLITZ · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:55 pm Post subject:

You are half-way with the fuel tap nut . . . It unscrews from the tap as well.

Glad to hear that you are going for it with the rebuild on the tap. After you get it clean inside and out, the only tricky part is holding it all together (it has a stiff spring inside) when installing the snap-ring.

Try to keep your paint and stuff like that from freezing.
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Jesucristo es mi Señor y Salvador!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 4:42 pm Post subject:

txoval · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 6:20 pm Post subject:

I'd rather rebuild an engine 10 times then jack with that contraption. It's not that the fuel valve is complicated, it's that its so oddly shaped and hard to hold, even in a vise to reassemble. Unless you have small hands you'll see what I'm talking about shortly.

Be careful not to break the brass tubes off while rebuilding

You need to grab the fuel sock with needle nose pliers and pull it out...it simply slides in. If it's torn up or gummed up, buy a new one

While it's not environmentally friendly, a five gallon bucket filled halfway with diesel is a good parts cleaner...and a stiff tooth brush works wonders

Buy a five gallon bucket with a lid and it will last a long time

KingOfAces · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:41 pm Post subject:

txoval · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:40 am Post subject:

KingofAces:

Just as a FYI, I fully support you in the rebuild...just want to offer you what I have learned over the years.

I actually enjoy building engines and rebuilt my first 1600cc when I was 15.

I have only rebuilt one fuel valve/tap (same type as yours) and just want you to know that it is a major pain. Pain versus Dollars is different for each person. I understand your current position and know how it feels. Time is currently more valuable than money for me, which is why I say buy the new one.

I would actually recommend that you disassemble/inventory everything you have and get it all organized, so that once you graduate, earn money, and have the space/time you can go full speed on the restoration.

Another lesson from experience

KingOfAces · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 9:54 am Post subject:

It is now spring break,

It is a week earlier than I thought it was going to be, so I don't have stuff for the engine, aside from the rebuild kits. Either way, I will be starting on the fuel tank/tap once I send this quick update.

KingOfAces · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:56 am Post subject:

Welp.

How bad is this?

Link

splitjunkie · Samba Member Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 4091

Don't mess around with that tank. Buy another one that is in good shape.

It looks like there is a lot of rust around the seam and the holes that are leaking are rusting from the inside out so they are far worse on the inside.
_________________
Chris

You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld

iowegian · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 4:49 pm Post subject:

KingOfAces · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 5:13 pm Post subject:

Pinetops · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2007 Posts: 2987

I agree, a tank is not the place to take chances. There is still plenty for you to do over spring break, keep going!
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

KingOfAces · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:03 pm Post subject:

I ran out of time, I'll have to continue during spring break.


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Inherited My Granddad's '57 Beetle
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