Flooded engine after trailering?

[CoastalBug]

Drove 5 hours to pick up my beetle today. Started right up when I got there. Put her on a U-Haul auto transport trailer and drove 5 hours home. Couldn’t get her started to back her off the trailer, and it smelled of gas really bad. I’m letting her sit overnight, but could the bouncing around on the trailer flood it like that?

[DesertSasquatchXploration]

Yes it can happen. I flat tow my Baja it happened a few times over rough washboard roads. I use a harborfreight clamp during transport. If you have a full tank its worse.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-fluid-line-clamp-set-65116.html
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Key is to have downward travel Preload keep both wheels on the ground at all times once you lift a tire your DONE. Guys worry about clearance instead think of the opposite you want the suspension to drop that tire in the hole and keep you going. A spider for example they keep their body low but their legs can reach pretty far so they don't (bottom out)

[mikedjames]

Prohably worth checking the oil for fuel contamination as well.
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[CoastalBug]

Couldn’t get it going again this morning. And smelled gas again. I’m wondering if the carb float got knocked around and is stuck.

[Rob Combs]

Easy enough to check.

Also check and see if you’ve fuel fouled the plugs, if they’re wet you should be able to clean them up.

After you get the fuel level in the bowl sorted, you may have to hold the throttle WFO to get it to start.

[Dale M.]

IF you find out engine flooded and you plan to trailer often, maybe fuel shut off valve is in order...
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[CoastalBug]

GOT IT! Took the carb cover off and bounced the float (bowl was FULL of fuel), took the oil pain air cleaner thing off, and opened up the choke. Away she went!! Had a little smoke originally (valve cover leak on drivers side) but I drove her around the complex for a few mins and she started right back up again after shutting her off!

[CoastalBug]

[Dale M.]

[oprn]

Flooding while on a trailer makes no sense to me. The fuel pump is not running and there is only so much fuel in the float bowl that can possibly splash out no matter how rough the road. The only other way it could happen is if the fuel tank vent is plugged and you have a big weather change, for instance if you were travelling from 45* weather to 90* weather in a very short time.

I have trailered all kinds of vehicles over the years and never had an issue. Cars and trucks get towed and trailered all the time, ask a tow truck driver if he has had it happen. I would put money on him looking at you as if you were from Mars!

I think there has to be some other problem.
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[Stinky123]

I had a dif set-up....but, I had a sandrail and the tank was higher than the carb. I put a ball-valve on my tank and it solved the problem.

Actually, the fuel level was only higher when full.

[liquidrush]

You can also shut off the fuel and run it till there's no fuel left in the bowl.

[CoastalBug]