A fuel leak defies all efforts to find the source

[Satou]

Two days ago, my Bug decided to start dripping fuel. I pushed it into the garage the next day, and it was still dripping fuel. Today, I go out, and it’s no longer dripping fuel. I trace the accessible parts of the fuel line and don’t detect any anomalies, so I decide to get the leak dripping again to trace it. The car was parked on a slight incline when it first started leaking, so I jacked up the front of the car, and sure enough, it started leaking. However, it only lasted for 5-10 minutes, and then quit. I traced the accessible parts of the fuel line again, and didn’t find any gas on any of the lines. The confusing part is that the leak is dripping off one of the left pushrod covers, and that area doesn’t really have any points for gas to easily leak from.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I have spent an entire afternoon trying to trace the leak, and have come up with nothing

[busdaddy]

What kind of fuel line do you use and how old is it?, stock carb or duals?, ever looked at the dipstick and sniffed it?, genuine fuel pump or mystery brand?
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[kpf]

You didn’t say if it’s a dual-port engine, but if it is, if you have cracked intake boots, then if fuel gets into the manifold it can drip onto the tin.
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1971 Super Beetle

[Q-Dog]

Sounds like an overflowing carburetor especially if it only happens when you lift the front of the car.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Michael Ambrozik]

What about the fuel tank vent line. Where is it dripping?

[sjbartnik]

Check where the fuel line passes through the front tin. There should be a rubber hose that connects to a piece of hard line that passes through the tin, then rubber hose from that hard line to the fuel pump.

The hard line when passing through the tin is supposed to be protected by a rubber grommet. If the grommet is missing or in bad shape, it can allow the tin to hacksaw through the hard line over time, creating a leak.

Given that you are seeing the leak dripping off the left side tin, that’s what I would check.

If you are using the stock-type cloth-covered fuel hose, feel for wetness near any junctions. The cloth cover will sometimes soak up small fuel leaks so as to prevent drips. If you feel any wetness at a junction, that’s your leak point.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[Satou]

[Q-Dog]

[Pruneman99]

Gentleman, smell your oil.

[Satou]

I've checked a few things.

The rubber grommet for the fuel line has popped out of its housing, but I don't think the line is worn through.

If the fuel is coming out of the carbeurator, is there a place where I can feel the fuel dripping out?

It's probably the float needle, to be honest. Should I just buy some gaskets and adjust the spacing and see if that works?

[Dan the workingstiff]

[Satou]

Remember that fuel leak that was dripping from a mystery place to the pushrod cover? Turns out the fuel was leaking from the pushrod cover.
Backstory: About a week ago, we were investigating the fuel leak, and we pulled off the valve cover to see what we could see. Turns out the seal was too big, so we cut it and made it fit. Today, we pulled it out of the garage to clean out the engine (SeaFoamed it). The engine had to be running at a decently high RPM, and when I got out, fuel was dripping from the valve cover where we trimmed the gasket.

The car still runs, but has problems idling. I have to give it some gas to get it to start, and if I completely let off the gas, it’ll die fairly quickly. Which, as far as I know, that would line up with the issue.

Sooooo...

Is there supposed to be liquid fuel in the head?
What do you suggest that I do now?

[Satou]

Plus, I’ve got gas leaking into the oil.
How should I determine if it’s the carburetor or the fuel pump?
Suggestions?

[joey1320]

[Q-Dog]

Have you checked the carburetor? If it is overflowing, where exactly do you think the fuel will go?
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Satou]

I’m trying to determine whether it’s the carbeurator or the fuel pump, but I’m not sure which it is. The previous owner appears to have replaced the fuel pump, probably because of this issue. In which case, it’s probably the carbeurator. I think the carbeurator (if it had an issue) would be the culprit of the fuel in the head, as it would drain down from the carbeurator into the head, but I’m not sure.
Meaning...
Rebuild kit?
New carbeurator?

Plus, the pushrod cover that is dripping is one of the spring loaded ones, and appears to have failed. Should I trust the spring loaded ones from now on and replace it with another, or go back to the original?

Random question: Can you run a Bug with the valve cover off?

[busdaddy]

[Satou]

[busdaddy]

[Satou]