Fuel System Overhaul - Part 2

OK, well I found out why no more fuel was finding it's way to the fuel pump, through the filter, and into the carburetor. The brand new fuel pump failed. The metal pin that the fulcrum pivots on "fell out"? I've never seen that one before LOL! Noticed the pin laying on top of the crankcase as I was pulling the pump off the engine. My first reaction was to laugh but at least now I know there's no clog in the fuel lines. I was getting rust and debris in the fuel filter so I'm glad that I'm going through the fuel system and restoring it to like new shape. I dropped the fuel tank off at Sim's yesterday to be dipped in that vat, and sealed. Should have it back in a few days good as new. In the meantime I'm getting my shopping list together of all the new parts I'll need to order. Should have my fuel pump replacement by Monday.

Fuel System Overhaul

How do you know when it's time to to start thinking about pulling your fuel tank, cleaning it, replacing fuel lines, and pumps? Well if you bought a car that's sat not moving for years that could be one clue. How about if you start noticing rust and trash showing up in your fuel filter? That could be another sign. How about, after noticing the trash in the filter except now there's just the trash and no fuel in the filter and the car doesn't wanna run anymore? Time to overhaul the fuel system. I had a fuel pump installed about a week before the car stopped drinking fuel so I know the pump is good, just need to check the screen and make sure it's not clogged or dirty.
Pulling your tank is a pretty straight forward deal..especially on a 1967 Bug like mine. First I disconnected the battery, think the wife would be hostile if I caught the house on fire. Then remove the sending unit cover and remove the 5 screws. Pull out the sending unit and gasket. Next I disconnected the braided hose at the filler neck. At this point if you have a lot of fuel in the tank you should siphon it out. Once I had that all out of the way I removed the 4 bolts and brackets holding the fuel tank down. Luckily I had enough slack in the fuel line to lift the tank up to clamp the lower fuel line before removing the fuel tank. While I have the tank out, now would also be a good time to inspect your front suspension, steering components, and anything else you might have a hard time getting at with the tank in place. I noticed that my steering damper was leaking and in need of replacement. Good time to put it in - heck the part only costs $29.

These cars are so simple, I love it!

Here's the fuel tank out of the car and empty. Overall the tank looks pretty good on the outside. No dents, no pinholes, no leaks and just a couple tiny surface rust spots from scratches. Definately worth getting cleaned and resealed.

Here's the bottom of the tank, again - nice shape.

Here's where things get interesting. Doesn't look so clean inside! Looks like a bit of rust on the inside of the tank. Don't really see any sludge or buildup though.

Here's a shot through the filler neck...more rust. I don't think the tank is real rough and can be restored no problem. Hey, the car is 42 years old!

I'm taking the fuel tank to a radiator shop friday and dropping it off. Should have it back no later than monday since they may not be open on the weekends. I'll post pics of the restored tank when i get it back. In the meantime, I'll need to replace those old braided fuel lines, and clean out the metal fuel lines.

Airmighty.com

Here's another great site with the usual features such as a forum, gallery, movies, links, etc. The gallery has TONS of great photos from vintage stockers to customs. The news section covers projects, builds, and also shows, and events. Lot of eye candy on this site which is great for getting ideas on your own ride. Sign up and check it out!

http://www.airmighty.com/

Roadside Bonding with the Beetle

Well it looks like I won't be driving the Beetle to the Bugs at the Branch show this weekend. After picking up my daughter from after school care, the Bug didn't want to run anymore. I've only had the car about 3 weeks or so now and really haven't had time to thoroughly go through it but I know enough about it to know that I developed a clog in the fuel system somewhere. The fuel filter now has maybe a drop of fuel in the very bottom...not flowin' - at all now! I knew i had a fuel flow issue but hoped I could drive it for a few more days until i was ready to pull the fuel tank. Well I guess now is the time to pull the fuel tank. I'd been noticing some rust particles or trash in the fuel filter and really it was just a matter of time. Fortunately the car broke down on a side street only about a mile from my house. Once we got the Bug flat beddedback to the house we let it off and into the garage. Looks like I'll be posting pics of my fuel tank restoration and fuel line replacement! The fuel pump was just replaced so we'll inspect it and make sure it's clean of any debris before puttin' her all back together. I'm pretty sure that this fuel issue was also causing my bug to run out a little lean causing the engine to run a little hotter than normal causing the oil to thin out. When I would come to a stop from a long drive or off the highway, at idle the oil pressure light might flicker on a little. If I gave the gas pedal even the slightest nudge it would immediately go out. So I'm confident I'll be eliminating 2 minor drive ability issues once the fuel tank has been restored and replace the fuel lines.

All Around Restos - Part 2

Thought I'd post a few more pics from the meet. Lot of cool cars, food, and even a few parts vendors. I'm looking forward to the Bugs at the Branch show next weekend. Have to make sure we got the Bug ready to go! lots more cars, people, and just cool stuff to look at!

All Around Restos Show and Shine - Gainsville,GA

Went to my first aircooled VW show yesterday. My wife Erin and I hopped into the Bug at about 7:30 a.m. sunday and took off for Gainsville. We met up with Chris, his wife Jennifer, and there 3 kids just down the road from the meet to cruise in together. We got there a little early and there were just a few bugs already lined up. It didn't take long though before they all started showing up. All Around Restos is a shop in Gainsville, GA that performs services from engine work to body work and what looks like full restorations. Check out some of the shots inside the shop!

We hung out with a lot of great people and had a ball! VW people are helpful and freindly and reoccurring theme with the VW shows and meets is being family-oriented.

Volks-Reading!

Aside from the aircooled VW manuals, and repair books I also ordered something for "fun reading". Being an artist/designer as well as a vintage aircooled VW guy, I had to buy Volkswagen - The air-cooled era in colour. What a killer book. The main reason for buying it was because it's chock full of artwork by Bernd Reuters. His artwork used in all the VW brochures and advertsing made the models look racier, roomier and more exclusive than they were in real world. It also conveyed an undelible impression of quality. Reuters use of color (or colour), highlights, and composition gave his artwork a very dynamic look. The cars were ever so slightly elongated and exaggerated which added excitement and speed. To see some samples of Bernd Reuters, check out this link http://www.kdf-wagen.de/lcode/index.php?p=71

This book is a must have for those who appreciate the cool artwork and vintage advertising created by VW back in the day. At about $25 bucks you can't lose, check it out!

Forgot how much I don't like polishing aluminum wheels!

Powerball - check! Drill - check! Wheel polish - check! Beer - CHECK! When it takes an hour or more to get your wheel (not wheels plural) shiny, either you hardly drive it or you get used to a LOT of polishing. The polished aluminum Empi 5-spokes look great if you keep up with them. If the previous owner hasn't polished them in awhile, well - you got some work ahead of you. They aren't in bad shape at all, just that if they were kept up with more often I wouldn't have to work so hard on 'em. I highly recommend the Powerball, it saves HOURS! It'll take a lot of work but hey - it's bonding time with you ride right??? I think I'm looking into a set of painted spokes with maybe just a polished lip!

The Samba

Whether you're trying to restore your vintage VW, build a Cal Custom Bug, or just want to learn more about your air cooled ride, TheSamba.com is a site you need to join. This is a great online community with a wealth of info. I've even placed a link to it on my blog. There's the usual places to check out such as a classifieds, gallery, forums, and more. There's an absolutely crazy amount of info in the technical section. TheSamba.com is a well layed out site, easy to use, and a wealth of info for any aircooled addict. Ya know what? I'm not even gonna type anything else about it - go check it out!

www.thesamba.com

Nothing new when buying a used car...

I spoke with my mechanic today and hopefully I will be driving the Beetle home friday after work. It's going to be a nice weekend and I'd like to spend some time on the bug cleaning and detailing. The wheels will need polishing, like to start my "needs" list of things to do on the car while driving it. After talking with my mechanic today it appears I'll need to have the fuel pump replaced, and possibly a left rear wheel bearing. Nothing major. I've never bought a used car that needed NOTHING. Evene real nice clean ones will always need something. And if this is all I need to deal with then I cannot complain. Heck a fuel pump for this thing is about $20-$25! That's the great thing about these cars, they're pretty affordable to maintain as long as you keep up on the regular maintenance. I look forward to driving it this weekend and hope to have some cool new pics to post up. For now, here's a couple shots I took of the car a week ago. Enjoy!