'66 Beetle - '70 Engine: Fuel Flow from Carb

[colonel biggs]

In the photo on the left are the pipes carrying fuel to the number 3 and 4 cylinders from the carb. I believe this is not to be confused with dual port intakes?

[richparker]

Looks like a dual port to me.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[KTPhil]

On a side note, the fuel line TO the carb is the steel line connected to the braided hose held by a clamp. Do NOT let either the metal line or the hose touch the heat riser, which can get VERY hot! Vapor lock or a burned up car can result.
_________________
Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[colonel biggs]

Very instructive for this neophyte! I watched an online video about cleaning out heat riser tubes, so I understand the need to keep the incoming fuel line clear of same. It also showed the difference between the single port and dual port attachments, so I am finally a little bit smarter.

Thanks for taking the time to get me up to speed.

[zerotofifty]

Furthermore, make sure the fuel pipe has a rubber gromet to protect it where it passes thru the front sheet metal from the transmission area to the engine area. If no gromet, then the steel pipe can be cut open by abrasion on the sheet metal it passes thru. the pipe should also be secured to the fan house with a clamp to prevent it from moving.

Yes you have a dual port, a much more powerful motor than stock motors than came on these early Bugs.

My 61 Bug was 1200cc stock, it now has a 1600 dual port, the dual ports are stock 1600 cc.

If you dont have issues with carb icing, Id not bother to clear the heat riser, it is likely ok to drive as is. Note that sometimes you end up punching a hole in the heat rise when attempting to clear, then you get an exhaust leak. If you paint it, use a high temp paint, else lesser paints will turn brown and fail. Note on the heat riser there are two different gaskets used on the exhaust path, one gasket has a big hole, the other a tiny hole. They need to be placed on the correct sides. The correct side depends on what muffler you have. The small holed gasket goes on the side that has the tube on the muffler that feeds the heat riser, the big holed gasket goes on the side that connects without the tube, directly to a casting that goes straight to the cylinder head. Depending on style of muffler, this may be left or right side. VW did change it thru production, so get it right depending on your muffler

Looks like you have Turkis (Turquoise) colored Bug Mine is also Turkis. Lets please see some more photos. I really like that color.

Muffler, showing detail of the tube, this may be on either left or right side Small gasket hole goes on the tube side

Your metal fuel line is routed wrong, bent out of shape. The rubber hose touching the heat riser is a fire hazard, fix it NOW!!!!!

metal fuel line terminates closer to the pump, no long rubber hose needed when done right.

[colonel biggs]

Leave it to zerotofifty to fill me in on all of the necessary details that I don't know! Should the fuel line cross rearward above the spark plug wires and then head down to the fuel pump? From my photo, I beleive that the line currently rises from the fuel filter up to the fuel pump. It is presently too close to the heat riser, as you deftly noted, so this would get rid of that danger. And, the changed routing would guarantee a downward sloping fuel line from the tank to the pump.

Bill Fowler recommends that if one is using braided fuel lines to the pump and to the carb, one should not attempt to pull/twist them off, because this can loosen the input pipes at the connections, also causing another potential fire hazard should they work themselves loose while in transit. He uses a razor blade to slice the ends laterally, and then peels off the hose. (Helps to have a fuel line with some extra length.)

Is the rubber grommet readily accessible on the fan shroud? Another great observation. But, what do you clamp the line to in order to keep it from moving?

I don't presently have photos of my daughter's car, but I will get her to send me some, which I will post. It had a luggage rack on the top (sedan) when she bought it, which seemed unnecessary.

When I remount the carb to test the fuel pump, is it desirable to place some gasoline in the now empty carb bowl first? I don't know how long a VW must crank in order to draw in a new fuel supply, send it to the carb and then fill the bowl.

[diablosandwich]

I bet you can change the grommet out with engine in car. This is the hard fuel line I use. https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113127521G

This is a Porsche clamp for fuel line, closest to the original I have found.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/162764420829?_skw=9995110...BMjt7OmPNk
The clamp uses the screw that holds fan shroud on the 3/4 cylinder tin. Use a piece of rubber fuel line on the hard line where it goes through the clamp.
_________________
1966 Java Greens

[tasb]

this is the original fuel line retainer clip
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2717490
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[wcfvw69]

[colonel biggs]

Was the steel fuel line to the pump originally used, or have some restorers added a copper line to the steel for "show"' purposes? Is there a drawing that shows how the steel line should be routed to the pump? Regardless, it appears that the soft line must still be used (1966 on?) to connect the steel line to the nipple on the pump.

I will have to check for the grommet and clamp the next time that I am in Mass.

[richparker]

Here ya go. Metal line with aftermarket clamp in my car.

_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[colonel biggs]

Rich -- thanks for your photo. When I look at my photo at the beginning of this thread, a previous owner had used a wider wrap around at some point, whereas you wrap the fuel line shortly after the clamp. In this second photo of my daughter's engine compartment, you will see that the fuel line is slanted upward to the fuel pump nipple, which indicates that there is not a total gravity direction down to the pump. Yours must curve in front of the distributor and then head down toward the pump, staying clear of the heat riser tube?

I trust that the steel fuel line will have some flexibility that will permit me to re-route the line without any cracking when I am next at the car. Or, is this wishful thinking?

[tasb]

The fuel line in your image is mis-routed. It should run above the intake manifold all the way to the fuel pump. The original Bus lines had a steel line all the way to the pump which had a female threaded end on the pump. there was also a steel line that ran between the pump and carburetor with soft lines at each end.

The lines are flexible enough to be bent to fit but yours is likely too far out of shape.

_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[colonel biggs]

TASB - thanks for your posts. While browsing WW, I see they have the fuel line clamp for $2.85. Not an original, but the price is right.

I see from your photo how my fuel line should be routed. I suppose if I bend same, and it cracks or splits, I can always cut it at that point and attach a braided fuel line from there to the pump. Better to route the line away from the heat, and risk a crack, than to leave it unattended.

Did you use a clamp on the side of your fan housing to secure the line? Mine is way out of line, and I'm not sure that I will be able to bend it now that sharply. Where is the next junction heading toward the front of the car - under the rear seat?

WW sells a grommet for the firewall entry for a 6 mm line and an 8 mm line. I supposes the 6 mm version would be the one that I would use. Can I presume that the hole is readily accessible?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[tasb]

The fuel line will not break or crack as long as you don't try something like a 90 degree bend. The WW fuel line clip looks original to me...

The clip you are referencing IS the one that mounts on the side of the fan shroud.

A new 6mm fuel line with the correct bends is less than $11 on their website.
The fuel line runs inside the tunnel of your Beetle and exits the rear of the floor pan in front of the transmission.

The necessary grommet is easily installed as long as the fuel line has been removed or at least free at one end.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[KTPhil]

I used a 3-wire clip instead of a 2-wire (the clip that holds the spark plug leads) at the left end of the fan shroud face. I see you have a hole where the normal clip would go.. I put the fuel line in the center position. I did this instead of the stock clip on the side of the shroud because I didn't know any better. It's working just fine, though.
_________________
Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[colonel biggs]

KTPhil - Is the hole to which you referred the hole shown in front of the spark plug wires in the last photo that I posted? I have a 2-wire clip in that position on the right side. When I was looking for a hole to the left side heater box in order to run a pre-heater hose up to the air cleaner, I wondered what that hole was for. (Never found a hole for a pre-heater hose.)

If the fan shroud is an original (I am not at the car), I suppose that there would be a screw hole where the fuel line clamp was originally mounted.

I have used spring clamps for securing the fuel line hoses to the filter, pump, and to the carburetor. I notice that some are using crimp-type clamps. I saw on Amazon that there are also T-bolt clamps that use an 8 mm nut for tightening/untightening, as one might use on a fuel injection line. Any thoughts on this subject?

[KTPhil]

Yes, that hole is for the same plastic SP lead holder as you have on the right. In this photo I hadn't finalized the bends in the line to let it naturally stay at the clip, but you get the idea.

No separate hole is needed for the stock clamp; it uses the same screw that holds the ends of the shroud to the upper cylinder/head tins. You can see the two welded-in nuts in this shroud pic:

... as shown in this pic posted above:

_________________
Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[Cusser]

[rcooled]