New Fuel Pump. Ran for 30 min and died.

[Krmnnghia]

Been having intermittent loss of power lately. Run find down the road but when I got on it at the stop light it would surge and buck and run like crap. Last week I thought I had it licked. Drove a good mile or so with no issues and then it happened again until the car died. Let it sit for 5 min and cranked it back up and took off trying to race home. Died again and one more cool down let me limp it home barely.

Read that a bad condenser can cause this kind of issue sometimes. Replaced it with a standby Bosch unit I had.

Suspecting that I also had a leaky fuel pump dumping gas in to my oil, I replaced it with a Euromax unit from my local VW shop. He has had no issues with them. I do have an alternator so I got the alternator pump. Installed it and she fired up and idled well. Drove for a good 10 minutes with a shut down and restart with 0 issues. I thought great time for an extended run.

Took the wife and son and hit the freeway. Cruising at 70 for a 15 minute run and it was awesome. Got off at my exit and went about a mile before it sputtered and cut out. She would not fire up again. While waiting for a tow, I tested the lines and the pump. Only getting a little trickle out of the pump.

-Possibly new pump went bad after 20 miles?
-Clogged tank or lines maybe?
-If I somehow had the wrong pump rod, I wouldn't have been able to get the car started right?

Appreciate the help.

[A Avina]

I had a similar problem awhile back. Turned out to be a bad coil It would run fine till coil heated up and sputtered or would just die out. As soon as it would cool down it was fine again. So I threw out the flamethrower and replaced with a Bosch blue coil been running fine ever since.

[Krmnnghia]

When I pulled over I did start touching things to get a sense of how hot things were running. Oil temps never got above 180 on the freeway if my temp gauge and sensor are working correctly. Dipstick was hot and coil was as well but honestly everything was hot. with the header system tucked right up close to the tins, it just radiates.

I just went and pulled the fuel line from the pump and blew compressed air through it with the fuel gauge out to hear bubbles. I get nothing. I have an obstruction somewhere I believe. Going to disconnect every bit of line until I find the blockage.

[Krmnnghia]

OK so tonight i started at the tank. Made sure the breather line was clean and clear. I can easily blow through it. Disconnected the line from tank to tunnel and gas poured out with ease. Moved back to the fuel filter up next to the trans and disconnected it after the filter and it poured out. Blew through the line from filter to pump and its clear.

Reattached the fuel pump line and ran a hose from the output port to a bucket. Cranked the motor over 15-20 times and i got a good amount of fuel. Now I am really confused. Couldn't be vapor lock. Cranking it over this AM produced nothing with the engine stone cold but somehow removing all the lines and connecting everything back up worked? I didn't see anything big comes out of the hoses.

Going to start it up in the morning as it was too late tonight.

[Krmnnghia]

So I am sort of talking to myself here but I know some folks appreciate these threads when they run in to similar problems.


Yesterday I did the following troubleshooting:

-removed fuel pump and confirmed suction by hand
-removed pump rod and bakelite unit. Rod is 4", and guide slides easily in to case. PO did the shaving trick.
-Looked at all the fuel lines and they are only touching the firewall or the shroud as they wrap around the engine bay.
-Previously I had stated that I ensured the breather hose at the tank was clear. It was not clear when this issue occured. The nipple inside the tank filler neck was almost collapsed. I open it up and now it breaths much easier. With that being said I never heard the "wooosh" sound when removing the filler cap.

I drove the car for about 10 minutes zooming around the back roads getting up to 65 and she ran pretty good. When I parked it, engine temps showed probably around 140. Not hot enough to cause the issue but I feared hitting the freeway at 8pm and getting stranded with my wife asleep. For now...just liek before it seems to be good to go but a longer test drive at 65mph or so is needed IMO.

[Krmnnghia]

Well the issue is back! I had taken the car on several trips and to a couple shows. Probably put around 500 miles on her in the past month or so. Car was running perfect. After a 1.5hr cruise on the freeway 9 days ago, I parked it in my garage. Tried to start it up today and same exact issue as before. No fuel getting out of the fuel pump.

-Car is stone cold and sitting in the cool garage.
-Car has not been touched since last drove perfectly
-Fuel filter is full and clean.
-Taking off the main line inlet on the fuel pump and gas is coming out of the line so no blockage
-taking off the outlet hose from the fuel pump and I can blow through the line and hear it come out the carbs.
-testing the pump, I am getting no fuel squirt out of the outlet port when my wife cranks it.

Maybe I got an iffy fuel pump that failed within 10 miles and then worked fine for 500 before failing again?

Some sort of partial blockage between fuel filter and pump?

Appreciate the help guys.

[CPO_05]

When you replaced the full pump, did you use your old rod or the new one that came with the pump? They are different sizes for an alternator pump and regular pump.
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1967 Kombi
1959 Bug

[Krmnnghia]

Yes I only replaced my old alternator pump with a new alternator pump. Bakelite piece and rod were not touched other that to check and ensure they weren't binding.

Maybe a junk pump? I see a few guys are rebuilding old pumps and making them better than new. Might be the way to go?

[CPO_05]

I would through the new rod in there that came with the new pump. I had a similar issue and it was the rod not hitting the lever enough to pump the gas. It would work sometimes and then nothing...just like yours. I changed the fuel pump AND the rod, runs like a champ now.
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1967 Kombi
1959 Bug

[Krmnnghia]

It didn't come with a rod but I can roll out to the closest VW shop and pick one up. I guess I will try that.

[CPO_05]

Since you have to pull the fuel pump, check the lever that the rod pumps to make sure it is not stuck and it's actually coming all the way back down.
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1967 Kombi
1959 Bug

[Krmnnghia]

[Cusser]

Unscrew the gas cap and try.

And taking off fuel pump when hot and seeing if the pushrod is tight in that plastic flange is not tough to do, leave the fuel connections on while doing this, easier and safer.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[sgmalt46]

i had a euromax pump die on me . no more than 100 miles on it ! even if it is working i would replace that crap before if fails. get a bocar.
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55 deluxe 23 window bus
64 crew cab
55 rag top beetle
66 beetle
71 square back (sold) ! good luck with it Henry!
46 beetle 552nd royal army service corps CCG

[Krmnnghia]

[porkchop-rob]

Block it off and install an electric pump!

I believe in getting as much fuel related items as possible out of the engine compartment.

[Krmnnghia]

[Krmnnghia]

SO went back to the store I got the Euromax pump from and got a free replacement. Installed and she fired right up. 10 minute run went perfectly. I guess its possible I got a bad one. Might be a good idea to get a spare for the trunk. Back to cruizin...

[Krmnnghia]

So the issue is back

I parked the car back in October running fine and around 2 weeks later decided to take her for a spin. She wouldn't start. Same symptoms as before...no fuel. Was late in the season so did not drive her again and let her sit. SO after sitting for 5+ months in the garage, I went out to try and start her. Still would not start.

Had a spare pump on hand but didn't end up needing it. Pulled the lines off the pump and blew through the outlet line until I could hear straight air going into the carbs. Blew into the main fuel line but of course you can't push fuel back through. Here is what is interesting. As soon as I loosen the fuel pump which moves the rod up it starts to squirt out the pump. SO I loosened both nuts but never removed the pump. Re-tightened the nuts, re-attached the lines and she fired right up. Have gone on two 10/15 minutes runs without issue.

So the pump is not failing and I have no issue getting fuel to the filter next to the transmission. I don't believe the rod could be binding still after sitting cold for so long. Could something be introducing air into the lines after the pump causing everything to lock?

Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

[EVfun]

So if you loosen the fuel pump on the block and then tighten it again it works for a while? If that is the case I suspect the Bakelite base is compressing a little and that can bind the push rod in some situations. I suspect the pushrod is not perfectly round or not perfectly strait.

You should blow the line out between the tank and the pump. It is just a good check to make and basically free to do. A plugged line is hard on the fuel pump.

I was thinking it could be a pump without a spring on one of the check valves. They often work most of the time but every so often the check valves gets cocked a little and won't seal. You replacement pump should have ruled that out.

The electric fuel pump solution introduces more trouble. It needs a proper controlled relay so if the engine dies the pump shuts off without the key being shut off. This is important for accident safety.
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