Car Left Me Sitting, diagnosing problem

[HippyTom]

So my 62 left me sitting Saturday. Acted like it ran out of gas, which technically it did, but there was gas in the tank (about half full). This is the second time it's done this.

We poured gas in the carb and it fired. So gas isn't getting into the bowl. I took the mechanical fuel pump inlet hose off with gas cap off and no gas came out. Then blew back through the hose and could hardly get any air back through it at all. So it seems as if the fuel line or pick up tube in the tank are clogged. I'm thinking gravity should push gas through when you unhook it from the pump.

So thinking through all the possibilities, it could potentially be:

-Clogged pick up tube/screen
-Clogged fuel line
-Clogged fuel filter
-Fuel Pump failure/heat (pump and block 6 months old)
-Insulator block swelling from heat stopping rod from actuating
-Vapor lock from heat
-Carb float sticking

The motor and pump were not hot when I broke down, so I don't think it's vapor lock. Any thoughts on the easiest order to eliminate items from the list? I'm thinking start at the tank and work my way back. Drain, clean, blow out fuel lines, replace soft lines and filter, and go from there.

The darndest thing is after I pulled it home with my tow bar and pushed it in the garage, I hit the switch out of curiosity and the thing fired right up. That confused me even more.

[TDCTDI]

Fuel sock in the tank could be blocked.
Fuel tank may not be venting properly creating a vacuum that would cause fuel to not flow.
Fuel hose may have swollen internally/gotten crimped restricting flow.
Fuel line might be partially blocked.
Fuel filter might be blocked....
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[Sharp64]

I think you have it. Start at the tank and work your way back. Replace the sock in the tank. Replace all the soft lines. Blow compressed air through the line in the tunnel. Clean the filter in the pump. I had an similar issue and it ended up being the “sealer” that had been used in the tank. It came up like a sheet and was clogging the tank outlet.
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[bugheadred]

you can push a weed wacker line through the hard gas line front to back

[bugheadred]

you can push a weed wacker line through the hard gas line front to back

[bluebus86]

Gas will flow by gravity, but maybe not if tank is really low, jack up front of car to confirm if free flowing or not if tank is not full. as other noted, vent line could be blocked, that might explain the intermittent nature of the problem, given time turned off, tank will vent back to atmosphere again, unless cap and vent are completely leak tight, if it happens again, runs out of fuel at pump, open filler cap and attempt restart, or simply test vent line by being able to blow into tank thru it with cap off. easy first thing to eliminate as problem. also with flashlight you can see maybe if junk is inside tank.

it you pull the fuel tap, replace hose with modern lined hose that resists degrading with todays government mandated oxygenated fuels that will rot old type hoses. one type of lined hose is SAE rated 30R9. it will be printed on the hose if rated

Good luck, Bug On!

ps you have the finest name image photo of all of Samba, the hippy painted Bug and two tone Bus make me smile everytime I see one of your posts. Any story behind your photo name icon you can share?
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[HippyTom]

Great idea on the weed whacker line!!! I'll be sure to do that also.

I'm pretty sure the vent line is clear. When I had the car jacked way up on the passenger side a while back with a full tank of gas, gas leaked out the vent tube. But I'll double check it. Might as well go through ALL items possible.

I tried gravity flow with about 7 gallons in the tank. The front is lowered, so that may impact it. I'll jack up the front and see. But I couldn't blow air back through from the pump end with the gas cap off, so if it should flow with gravity I should be able to blow back through. But if it was clogged, why did it start right up when I got home?

Another thought I had was when I put my fuel pump in a while back I filled the bottom side full of just regular grease from my grease gun. Should I have used wheel bearing grease? Would that cause the pump to get hot enough to cause a problem? The pump didn't feel hot at all.

Thanks for the kudos on my avatar. That's a pic of my '62 Sunroof Bug I've been hand painting hippy stuff on over the last 10 years. That particular pic is from several years ago, maybe 4-5, at a local VW show at a local event called HippyFest down on the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. Cool event, live music, beer trucks, food vendors, craft vendors, cool shops, restaurants, bars. That year I won 1st place for my Hippy Bug. And it didn't have near the amount of graphics on it then as it does now. The split beside me was a cool dude I met there. The VW scene here is huge and is a very close community of folks who hang out and help each other. We do stuff year 'round. It's been really cool living here the last 6 years. I do all the local VW gatherings and have developed a large group of friends. Good times!!!

[Cusser]

That grease should be fine, and what I use.

Maybe jack up the front end.

Do you have a fuel filter before the pump?
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[mukluk]

[HippyTom]

[Cusser]

[HippyTom]

^^^ True. I've been wanting to move it to the unpressurized side of the pump (and get it out of the engine compartment) for a while. This would just be a good time to do it while replacing the soft lines. I bought a 5' roll of fuel line at a VW show a few months ago with the intention of replacing all and moving filters on both my Bugs. And have spare for my VW tool bag.

Any thoughts on a filter under the tank as well? Is that overkill? My buddy removed his screen sock and installed a regular inline filter (and shut off valve between tank and filter) under his tank.

[bluebus86]

[fl59bug]

x2 on trying to push something semi-hard (wire or weed-whacker line) from the back of the car to the front. That is what John Muir recommends.

[HippyTom]

Going to safety wire stuff at this time too. I appreciate the reminder!!!

[HippyTom]

Well, gas flows out of the tank like a champ. Removed tank and it drains down to dang near dry. I cleaned some crap out of the tank and blew it out. I blew the screen and pick up tube out from the bottom of the tank.

I put a piece of fuel line on a air hose tip and attached to the hard line in the tunnel. Pulled the line from the pump and put a towel around it. Then blew it out. Man, what a load of nasty looking brown crap. I believe this was the problem!!! I went several rounds spraying carb cleaner in the tube and blowing it out until the spew looked pretty good. Then I sprayed the tube full and am letting it sit over night.

Next I'll try the weed eater line then blow it out again. Then I'll replace the soft lines, add a filter under the tank, move the other filter under the car, clamp, safety wire, and give it a whirl.

So, I'll report back soon.

[Sharp64]

[HippyTom]

I've got the original tank and it has crud. Working on that though. Thinking a filter under the tank will keep crib out of the tunnel tube. Yes, pains in the ass, but not as much as getting left sitting on the side of the road in the rain. If it keeps the line cleaner and is safer, it's worth a little more occasional pita.

[Sharp64]

[HippyTom]

At some point someone tried to pour some type of crappy tank sealer in it and got it way too thick just sitting in the bottom and it was coming up. I got all that peeled out in one big piece and blew the tank out and it really doesn't look that bad. A little bit of muriatic acid and it'll actually look great. Heck, it looks better than my 63 tank when I restored it 20 years ago.