Dellorto Frd Plumbing

[soundcatcher]

Hi all.

I've been running baby dell's on one of my bugs for a while now with them plumbed in the normal way with a single fuel hose dividing into two which feed each carb directly and then the overflow out of the carbs joining into a single hose and then returning to the tank.

I'm wondering if it's possible to run a single fuel hose to say the left carb and then take the overflow / out of that carb directly to the fuel in to feed the right hand carb and then the out of that one to return to the tank to reduce the amount of joins and hose and thus reduce the fire risk and of course neaten up the engine bay....

Thoughts, pros and cons please....

[Dan the workingstiff]

I have 45's on the shelf. They came with a motor I bought. One one carb has an inlet/ outlet fitting.
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'69 Beetle
'66 FG buggy
My other air-cooled's
'76 IH 1200
'75 IH 1200

[Rome]

In the late 1980's I also ran a set of the 34 FRDs on a 1600 in my Ghia. I just checked an old photo. The fuel hose from the fuel pump split at a Tee, and one hose went from the Tee to each carb. Sounds like this is your setup as well. I did not use any overflow hose. Is your Beetle originally a fuel injected one that had an overflow line going back to the fuel tank? Since the dual carbs run on a low-pressure fuel pump and the full fuel level in each carb is set by the needle valve and float, there should be no need at all for an overflow line. You could cap it off at the right carb and at the tank.

[74 Thing]

Yes, why are you running a return line to the gas tank?

What fuel pump are you using and what is your fuel pressure? Fuel pressure should be around 2 1/2-3lbs. You need to verify this.

With that verified you should not need a return line.

If you are using some sort of electric fuel pump that goes into a fuel pressure regulator that allows the excess pressure to go back to the tank then it is a different story.

[soundcatcher]

Thanks guys. I'm running a stock mechanical fuel pump and no it wasn't fuel injected, so I've just got a line running back.

So by the sound of things that is overkill and I can just cap it off?!

Now to find a better way of running the fuel lines... Nothing to do with aesthetics... More about the practicality of running lines to mitigate fuel leaks and fire. Recently had a small fire on one of my other cars and I'm relooking at my other vehicles to see how I can make things better!

[67rustavenger]

Are the carbs FRD, or FRDA's. IF they are FRDA's. You can source a new top for one of the carbs with an in/out fuel line setup. That would eliminate 2 fuel line connections.
Currently, you have 6 fuel line connections downstream of the fuel pump. Not including the return line to the gas tank. (Not needed)

With an FRDA top. the number of connections would be reduced to 4.

It is suggested here, that fuel line clamps should be the non-serrated type. Meaning a solid band all the way around the fuel line. When tightening a solid band type clamp. The fuel line will not be cut through the serrations like what you have currently on the engine in the pic below.

EDIT: Forgot to post the link to the FRDA in/out carb top.
https://www.dellorto.co.uk/shop/dellorto-car-carbu...32e-cover/
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[soundcatcher]

They are Frd B's and yes I agree that moving forward, using the correct fuel clamps would be sensible.

So what's everyone's recommendations to do with the return pipes? Doesn't look as though I can replace the tops? Guessing that I can't go in to out to in to reduce plumbing. And is there a theory that says that if I try and blank them off the pressure might cause an issue or potential leak? And if I do blank them off how would you guys suggest I do that so it's not a permanent block/ fix so that I could run a return in the future should I need to.... Don't really want to modify the carbs...