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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31359 Location: Hot Arizona
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Joey Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2005 Posts: 5366 Location: Nova Scotia - Canada
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: testing a manual fuel pump |
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For comparison, here's a video of the fuel flowing out of the fuel line on my '56 beetle. It took 20 seconds to completely fill a 3oz Dixie cup.
Link
_________________ Joey
‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle |
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sb001 Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011 Posts: 10406 Location: NW Arkansas
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: testing a manual fuel pump |
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J-Gaz. wrote: |
Hey @sb001, thanks for this. No. No, I have not done this.
Walk me through this?
Wouldn't that just push any crud in the line back up into the tank?
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Disconnect the rubber lines on both ends- the one from the fuel tank to the front end of the metal line, and the one from the back end of the metal line to the metal line that enters the engine bay. _________________ I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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J-Gaz. Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2007 Posts: 613 Location: 253 Then, Now 206.
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Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:28 am Post subject: Re: testing a manual fuel pump |
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Catching up on this. Newest info is I was able to remove the sending unit from the gas tank and look down inside the gas tank with a flashlight. Looks really clean inside. a few rust pits, but no real cancer, and no debris at the bottom of the tank. I didn't see a screen though, just a bung where the fuel line attaches to the tank.
Upfront of the gas tank to the hard-line the rubber hose upfront is long, with no kinks.
Joey wrote: |
There definitely should be more fuel coming out than that. I would first check the rubber hose coming off the tank. Sometimes the hose develops a kink over time. Removing one of the front wheels will give you good access. If all looks good then unfortunately the tank will need to be removed and inspected. There a screen in the bottom of the tank that can be removed that sometimes gets full of crud. |
Cusser wrote: |
Sometimes a loop in a longer piece of fuel line is less prone to kinking. |
Haven't done this yet. My garage is a tiny one-car garage, and I don't have an air compressor. But have gone over the thread linked below thinking this is the next step. Just not sure when I'll be able to get to it, or if I'll have to have the shop do it https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19701
sb001 wrote: |
J-Gaz. wrote: |
Hey @sb001, thanks for this. No. No, I have not done this.
Walk me through this?
Wouldn't that just push any crud in the line back up into the tank?
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Disconnect the rubber lines on both ends- the one from the fuel tank to the front end of the metal line, and the one from the back end of the metal line to the metal line that enters the engine bay. |
Thanks again, everyone. Really appreciate it.
I got 2 cars and coffee in this summer, HA! Hopefully, I can get this handled this winter, and get a bunch more in next year!
I'll keep this tread updated when I get anything else done. _________________ 1970 Beetle | Basically Stock 1600 SP |
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J-Gaz. Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2007 Posts: 613 Location: 253 Then, Now 206.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: testing a manual fuel pump |
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I snaked the steel fuel line with a 3/16ths Steel stranded cable.
Nothing came out.
Sprayed it with brake cleaner, and used some compressed air (computer can style) to blow out the line.
The brake cleaner came out a little tinged, but not dirty or really gross.
So the fuel flow issue doesn't seem to be a clog in the Steel Fuel line.
I'm wondering if there is something stuck in the fuel tank... But when I took out the sending unit and looked inside, it was very clean in the tank. I was surprised at how "new" the inside of the take looked.
It's paid to use Stabil and keep the tank full for all these years.
Should have taken a pic of the Water bottle full of Brakeclean after I flushed it, But it started to rain, and I had to get cleaned up.
_________________ 1970 Beetle | Basically Stock 1600 SP |
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J-Gaz. Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2007 Posts: 613 Location: 253 Then, Now 206.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: testing a manual fuel pump |
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Basically, I did this:
Accept I didn't use a drill.
I just would put about 2 inches in and run the cable back and forth.
Then put a little more in, and then again with the back and forth.
Maybe I would have done as stated below if I ran into any resistance, but I didn't.
Also, I didn't remove the gas tank. I just jacked up the car, and used some jack stands with the tires removed to access the hardline.
Karmann Gheezer wrote: |
Some very good ideas here. I thought I'd share my experience.
Materials and tools:
25' roll of 1/8" stranded wire I purchased from hardware store. (see image #1)
Lacquer thinner or carb cleaner
Cordless drill
Wire cutters or heavy duty electrical pliers (to cut the wire)
Vice grips
Rags
Here's how I did it:
Remove the screws holding the fuel tank. When lifting the fuel tank to remove the fuel line be careful to avoid fuel spillage. It may be helpful to use vise grip pliers and clamp the fuel line before removal. Next, I carefully poured lacquer thinner into the clogged fuel line. If you do this a day before you begin it allows time to help dissolve the clog. I pushed the stranded wire as far as possible into the fuel line (from the tank end) to get an idea where the clog was. With the wire in as far as it could go I cut the stranded wire approximately 6" from the fuel line opening. I pulled the wire out and attached the other end into the cordless drill. I fed the wire back into the fuel line and slowly began drilling into the clogged area. (NOTE - IMPORTANT: Because of the spiral direction of the stranded wire I had make sure the drill was going in the 'reverse' direction. If not, the stranded wire would become unwound in the fuel line and be ineffective). I would try to penetrate the clog as the drill was spinning the wire. Once the wire would go in as far as I could drill I would slowly pull the wire out catching the oily goo with a rag. I then cut another length of wire 6-10" longer and proceed again. Each time when you pull the wire out catch the goo into a rag. I kept using a longer wire each time until the wire was protruding out the other end. Be sure to put more cleaning fluid into the line each time you pull the wire out. This helps dissolve the goo as you go.
Next, (this is the cool part ) with the wire completely protruding out the other end I took pliers and bent a few of the strands of wire out (see image #2) to act as a wire brush. Be sure to bend only a few strands of the wire so the wire won't get into a bind. With the drill spinning the wire very slowly pull the wire out. This allows the bent strands of wire to act as a wire brush inside of the fuel line. Do this several times to completely clean the fuel line. Each time I would put fresh cleaning fluid into the line, drape several rags over the other end of the fuel line and blow the line out with a high pressure air hose.
All this took almost two hours. For some, it may take longer. However, this worked out very well for me. Lastly, I found some flexible electrical wire and fed it all the way through the fuel line. I attached a pipe cleaner on the other end. Then carefully pulled it through the line, making sure there would be no bind as I pulled. Luckily, the fuel line was very clean. The bent strands of wire slowly being pulled out with the drill spinning is what really did the trick cleaning the fuel line.
Hope this is of help.
#1. Wire to unclog fuel line. #2. Wire flared to create a "wire brush" for cleaning inside fuel line.
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_________________ 1970 Beetle | Basically Stock 1600 SP |
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