Easy enough to see if the problem is caused by a restriction in the fuel tank vent system - next time it happens, loosen the cap and listen for a sucking sound...or just leave the cap loose and drive it that way for a few days, if the problem goes away it's safe to assume something's amiss in the vent system. It's a classic symptom of crud in the tank - suction from the pump pulls it up onto the strainer until it reaches the point that not enough fuel can get through to satisfy a high demand. Slowing down reduces the demand and enough fuel gets by; shutting the engine off completely and waiting for a few minutes allows the crud to fall back to the bottom of the tank, only to repeat the process when you start up again. Cleaning the tank out thoroughly and installing a new strainer is the conventional repair. Personally, I prefer removing the strainer and installing an inline filter in the tank outlet hose to allow the junk to exit the tank - this also allows any water to get out rather than lurk in the low points of the tank and rust it out. The downside to this approach is that unlike the stock setup there's no "self-healing" - when the inline filter finally collects enough crud to plug up, you aren't going anywhere until it's replaced (so be sure to have a spare in the glovebox). Your call, go with whichever approach you are most comfortable.
--- "Gerald V. Livingston II" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > And, if your tank is sealed TOO well you may need a > venting cap. Not real > sure how the later models that had the charcoal > cannister vent but the tank > does need to be vented somewhere. I had a decent > dent in the side of the > tank on my '69 when it sat parked for a few weeks > and a spider built a > coccoon like web in the vent line. I took it out to > "excersize" it so I was > romping on it pretty hard. I heard a metallic > "whoomp" and slowed down and > it died. As I was walking around looking to see what > I'd hit it made the > "whoomp" sound again as air slowly made its way past > the clog in the vent > line and the dent I'd sucked in the tank worked its > way partially back out. > > This was on a thin, cheap, aftermarket tank. Yours > might not dent in, just > cause the fuel to stop pumping until some air gets > back in. > > G2 > > On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:10:13 -0600 "Potter, Tom E" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I should also have mentioned to replace the > strainer in the tank unless > > it is perfectly clean. They are cheap. > > > > Tom Potter > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Potter, Tom E > > Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 3:49 PM > > To: Air-Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List > > Subject: Re: [vintagvw] Fuel Starvation? > > > > > > > > ... Should I clean out my fuel tank? > > > > Yes, and also clean the metal fuel line that runs > from the tank through > > the tunnel. I ran a 10-foot, 3/32-inch cable > (hardware store) through > > mine by chucking it up in a drill motor. I would > also replace the > > flexible fuel hoses (they can deteriorate inside). > > > > Tom Potter > > > _______________________________________________ > vintagvw site list > [email protected] > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
