Consequences of a reversed fuel filter?

[summerof78]

I'm looking at a 1970 T1 and the guy admits it won't start/run.

He sends me a pic of the engine and the first thing I notice is the filter is on backwards!

Can permanent damage result from this on an ACVW engine, or is it just a silly, reversible mistake, so to speak?
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[KTPhil]

No damage, unless it was clogged with crap and THEN put on backwards, which would send the gunk into the carb.
Filter shouldn't be in the engine bay anyway, unless its metal and clamped to something so it doesn't shake. Put a metal one (and write the date on it) and mount it next to the tranny.
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[summerof78]

Thank you. From what I could make out from a web search is that performance would certainly suffer and it could screw up the fuel pump from continued backwards pressure.
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Lookin' for a wheel stamped 5/66

[busdaddy]

It depends on how clean the tank and system is, if it's making lots of crap a rreversed filter will clog up quickly (less surface area), if it's fairly clean then you may never notice an issue.

But look at it as an indicator of the skill level of the person maintaining the car, count on many other surprises.
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[summerof78]

[KTPhil]

[scottyrocks]

If that's all that's causing it to run poorly, and he's selling it in not running condition, you could be sitting on gold.
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[summerof78]

[Bobs67vwagen]

If you can post the picture that was sent to you, more "faux pas " may be revealed.

[summerof78]

[Bobs67vwagen]

Hard to see any detail on that photo. I can see the left side fan housing tube to the muffler is either missing or not connected which if run like that for a while is not a good sign. Kind of surprising to see the one year only reflectors on brackets from the bumper still there. Alot of those are long gone.

[EverettB]

It looks like maybe the vacuum line came off the carb.

I'm not sure that would affect idle but it could drive like crap with the distributor not advancing
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[summerof78]

That vacuum line has definitely seen better days.
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Lookin' for a wheel stamped 5/66

[zerotofifty]

Likely none
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[KTPhil]

Maybe this helps:

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Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback