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amishman
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2004
Posts: 3219
Location: California
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 Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:01 pm Post subject: Carb leaking, rebuild advice. |
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Noticed I get fuel drips on each side of the carb. 34Pict3. I guess I need to stare at it longer to tell exactly where it is coming from but a quick look looks like around the throttle area on each side of the carb. Now this Thing has sat for 3 years. Gas is about same age. I don't know if and when carb was rebuilt last. Reading some threads on TS, I see bushings can fail and you get leaks from the throttle area. Before I go through sending it off and have rebushed, etc... is it possible I can get leaks as the carb needs a rebuild. Buy a $30 rebuild kit and do all that first? I was going to drain the gas tank and chuck the 1/2 tank worth and then clean the tank and put new gas in. It seems to run fine though so the gas may still be OK and I don't see crud in the filter (yet). Just installed new filter and hose in engine bay. Filter now outside.
If the carb needs rebuild, is it possible something is sticking and that is why I am getting leaks or is this a 99% chance the bushings need replaced and also a carb rebuild? Or, just buy a new carb.
tj
*I even just remembered I had a carb rebuild kit so that is nice. Just need to decide if I use it or not, and at the same time, remove the fuel tank and chuck that precious gold and clean the tank. I don't even have a gas lawn mower to use it in. Mine is battery cordless. 
EDIT: I just ran the engine for 10 minutes, revving it up, and no longer seeing any leak. I had not had the top carb over to air cleaner tube screwed down when I started it earlier today and head the drips. Would I be correct if that screw and clamp is not tight that fuel could come over it and drip down the carb? Maybe that was my issue or ?? I had drips on both sides so.
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tj (the Amishman)
Come visit my web site!
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alg
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2006
Posts: 134
Location: Webberville, TX
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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A 34Pict3 On a U.S. Thing will eventually need new bushings. The carb actually has very few places that can leak fuel - the bushings, the accel diaphram, and the float plug. Of course you can leak out the bottom of the carb, but that would only happen if you ran it, and it would not run very good.
The bushings will usually leak the most when you have the throttle open a lot.
There is a new washer for the float plug in the rebuild kit, as well as a new accel diaphram and spring. So, if you use the rebuild kit, some of the places you would get a leak should be remedied, but the throttle bushings would still be a problem.
My issue with the throttle leak was that it makes the car run so sporadically. Sometimes I could rip down the freeway with a 15mph headwind and be fine. Other days I could barely maintain 45 in the same conditions.
If you rebuild the carb you may find that when you put it back on with leaky throttle bushings that its difficult to get it to run properly.
The idle on the 34PICT3 is both simple and extremely complex. If you have any vaccuum leak, or if the carb is not setup right, your Thing may never idle again. If its all set right with no leaks, it will purr like a kitten.
The shortest path through these 'normally aspirated' issues would be to send the unit off to someone that knows how to put in new bushings AND knows how to setup the carb properly.
Not sure about bushings as I got screwed by an ex-Samba vendor, but if you want to send off the carb to someone that can have it rebuilt and return it to you ready to be bolted-on, you need to contact keifernet.
You will find him here in thesamba and can read about his skills in the vendor feedback area.
Keifernet provided the most valuable service I have had for my perfectly stock Thing, and all I had to do was to bolt on the carb and start the car. A few 34PICT3 vendors couldn't get me a NEW carb that could do that!
One other note - your gas tank.
When I took off my gas tank I found a small beach in the bottom of it. The metal line to the rear of the car was a little clogged, and the tank screen was rusted to powder.
Remove and clean your tank as well as clean out the metal fuel line. It will ensure your newly rebuilt carb is not internally sandblasted and will be one less thing to worry about. You will need a standard Beetle tank kit (washers and screen) as well as a new sending unit gasket which is Thing-specific.
Get 'er all done and she'll run real good. |
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amishman
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2004
Posts: 3219
Location: California
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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| alg wrote: |
A 34Pict3 On a U.S. Thing will eventually need new bushings. The carb actually has very few places that can leak fuel - the bushings, the accel diaphram, and the float plug. Of course you can leak out the bottom of the carb, but that would only happen if you ran it, and it would not run very good.
The bushings will usually leak the most when you have the throttle open a lot.
There is a new washer for the float plug in the rebuild kit, as well as a new accel diaphram and spring. So, if you use the rebuild kit, some of the places you would get a leak should be remedied, but the throttle bushings would still be a problem.
My issue with the throttle leak was that it makes the car run so sporadically. Sometimes I could rip down the freeway with a 15mph headwind and be fine. Other days I could barely maintain 45 in the same conditions.
If you rebuild the carb you may find that when you put it back on with leaky throttle bushings that its difficult to get it to run properly.
The idle on the 34PICT3 is both simple and extremely complex. If you have any vaccuum leak, or if the carb is not setup right, your Thing may never idle again. If its all set right with no leaks, it will purr like a kitten.
The shortest path through these 'normally aspirated' issues would be to send the unit off to someone that knows how to put in new bushings AND knows how to setup the carb properly.
Not sure about bushings as I got screwed by an ex-Samba vendor, but if you want to send off the carb to someone that can have it rebuilt and return it to you ready to be bolted-on, you need to contact keifernet.
You will find him here in thesamba and can read about his skills in the vendor feedback area.
Keifernet provided the most valuable service I have had for my perfectly stock Thing, and all I had to do was to bolt on the carb and start the car. A few 34PICT3 vendors couldn't get me a NEW carb that could do that!
One other note - your gas tank.
When I took off my gas tank I found a small beach in the bottom of it. The metal line to the rear of the car was a little clogged, and the tank screen was rusted to powder.
Remove and clean your tank as well as clean out the metal fuel line. It will ensure your newly rebuilt carb is not internally sandblasted and will be one less thing to worry about. You will need a standard Beetle tank kit (washers and screen) as well as a new sending unit gasket which is Thing-specific.
Get 'er all done and she'll run real good. |
Thanks.
Yup, I saw note of Keifernet services in old threads and emailed him for a quote.
Thanks for the help.
I guess I need to explore the metal lines that take the fuel from front to rear then. I replaced the rubber line from above rear driver side tire and also in engine bay. I take it there is a metal tube and more rubber lines that take it all the way to tank up front. I guess the metal tube, if clogged as you mentioned, drain it and then used, what, compressed air to blow it out good? Or is there a better way?
tj
tj
_________________
tj (the Amishman)
Come visit my web site!
http://www.vwhippie.com |
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alg
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2006
Posts: 134
Location: Webberville, TX
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:03 am Post subject: |
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To clean out the metal line, I used an old cable from a speedometer.
I found the tip here in the samba.
In any event if you just flush out the metal line you may not get very much stuff out. If you ream it out with a wire or the square speedo cable, you will get a lot more junk out.
Also, use a flashlight on the metal line and look for areas where it comes in/out of the tunnel where there is rust. The rust can corrode the fuel line and sometimes its about to leak. |
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stevehenderson
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2008
Posts: 356
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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Pop the top off the carb and soak the float valve in carb cleaner over night then blow it off with compressed air. Adjust the float level. It's worth a shot before you do more. Maybe it is overfilling.
Her is a new one:
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=FSK0056&cartid=
You can test these by turning the carb top upside down and blowing into the fuel inlet. You should NOT be able to do this, if air flows through the unit needs to be replaced.
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