Aircooled VW South Africa

Hi All

My beach buggy appears to have sprung a fuel leak. It's somewhere in the centre hump which leads from the front, just after the tank, to the rear where it comes out next to the gearbox.

Before I tackle the problem I'd just like to know if anyone has done this before and is replacing it a major issue or can it easily be pulled out and replace?

Any comment welcome.

Thanks
Christian

I replaced the clutch tube on a Beetle many years ago and it was a total fcuk up. The fuel pipe and the clutch tube are joined in several places and are also suspended from the tunnel so they don't rattle or chafe against anything. If you pull one out you'll pull both out and you won't be able to properly suspend the replacements. I'd suggest running a new tube through the tunnel and leave the old one in place.

As Fig said......

Should you use steel pipe, make sure you put it into a soft plastic or silicon sheath (pipe) as it will not be fixed and will rub through from the Vibrations. Try to clamp it on both sides to the old pipe to stop movement, else you will have a leak again.

Good luck
I looked into this once and ended up running a new pipe under the car - lazy option.
Apparently the best and easiest way to do this is to drain all the fluids from the car, turn it on its side and remove the bottom panel from the tunnel from under the car by drilling out the spot welds. Then do the repair and re-weld the panel back in.

my fuel line

I have taken out the choke tube before and posted the experience on the forum. I found that the manual said one thing thing of where it was attached and I found another, from what I can remember. I also have to redo the fuel line since it is very old and don't want getting in the carbs. I would cut the fuel line tube at the head and push it into the tunnel. Remove the inspection plate at the front end (may have to take off the suspension) push a steel pipe over the fuel line and tap it and see if you could break the welds as you go along (sharpen lip of the tube like a chisel) till the other end. When free, pull the old line out of the tube, insert the new and then take out the case tube (if you want). Before pulling the old out attach it to the new one going in so as you pull the one out the other replaces it. There is also space for the line to go under the bracing inside the tunnel on the floor then you may not need to take the old one out. How to stop it rattling is another thing. You could maybe place rubber grommets on the tube as you push it through.
This is what I will attempt when I get there on my project. Please let us know, you could save a lot of us a world of pain, and any other suggestions for me will help.
Good Luck.
Give it Hell

If I ever had to do this I'd just get one of those wireless fuel lines.

Hi it is not that difficult to replace the fuel line as it is not welded anywhere in the tunnel but is crimped in place with straps
i pulled the old one out from the back with a lot of twisting and swearing. I then pushed the new tube from the front through the inspection hole guiding by using the pedal assembly holes, the gearlever hole ,handbrake hole and finally the gearbox coupler inspection hole. here I bent a small 90 degree bend in the pipe and pushed it until it got to the exit hole i fished it out (lots of swearing here and pulled it out until the front lined up with the hole in the tunnel I bent it upwards and pulled out only then I finished off the back part. It was worth it but would be much easier if the pan was off the body.
regards
Armand

Thanks every one for all the info and advice.

Based on all this I decided to do it the real lazy man's way.

I purchased 4 meters of rubber fuel line with a steel braiding sheath around it. (@ R280.00 expensive but ideal)
I pushed/forced back the old metal fuel line ends into the tunnel and removed the rubbers grommets.
I opened the inspection hole in the front of the tunnel.
I pushed a long piece of blou draad in from the back until it stuck out the inspection hole in the front.
I then fed the new fuel line in starting at the fuel tank end, fished it out the front and tied it to the end of the blou draad.
Pulled the blou draad back until the hose came out the back.
Cut the hose to size and reconnected. Voila!
It took me longer to go and buy the hose than to fit it.

Once again thanks for the info which saved me a lot of fruitless huffing and puffing.

Bit of a set back. I need to replace my main fuel line.
Was hoping to get the fuel tank in and ticked off the list today.

Tested the fuel pump and tank connection and everything went well. Until I disconnected the pump. I could hear the petrol dripping, so I removed the cover to find a filled tunnel.

sorry to hear this,

But unfortunately that's what happened with an old rebuild.

Unforeseen things get you to take a step back, but it makes the final drive that much sweeter.

Otherwise its a magic build. nice one

Herman

retrovan wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 8:45 pm sorry to hear this,

But unfortunately that's what happened with an old rebuild.

Unforeseen things get you to take a step back, but it makes the final drive that much sweeter.

Otherwise its a magic build. nice one

Herman

Just kicking myself that I did not check this when I did the work on the pan and had more access to the fuel line.

I also did the easy option, just ran quality EFI rubber pipe thru the tunnel, took less than 30min.

I ran a steel tube next to the tunnel next to the brake line and pop riveted some holding brackets to prevent it moving and rattling