General Questions, First time owner needs some help. Options

[golfcart]

I'm popping my cherry on this post! After lurking on this forum and watching many used car sites, I finally found and purchased my first 914. I must say that that the information and help found on this, and related sites, gave me the confidence at least to think I'll be able to keep a 36 year old car running. Like many of you, I hope to perform most of the maintenance and repairs myself ... short of engine/transaxle re-builds and significant body work.

As I've come to realize, most of you are interested in the car itself. It's a 1971 1.7L, Canary Yellow. I've registered it on this site. Purchased for $4,000 and I already have an additional $500.00 in it for spares, tools, trim, etc. The car spent most of its life in Florida (til 1989) moved to Michigan, PA, MD, and is now in PA. Yeah, I know ... no pics today.

The good: fairly complete w/fuel injection, only surface rust from what I can tell except for two holes in the hell hole, 50 cent piece size. Pulled the original steel rockers and I was amazed ... hardly any surface rust, let alone any through holes. Runs strong and drives well compared to others I drove (I'm sure I have not driven the best).

The bad: not the best cosmetics, paint, interior, wheels (original chrome steel with some surface rust). Needs rear springs (rear sag) and probably rear rotors and caliper rebuilds. Oil leaks! I leave my mark where I stop! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif)

My goal is to have a reliable weekend car. Budget is limitted. Does not have to be the prettiest, but must run and drive well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

So here's the help I need today.

I had a rubber fuel line split on me, luckily it was when I started the car to check something. Scary! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) I replaced the one that split and now I want to tackle the others. What's the deal with the the clear fuel lines? Can I just replace them with rubber lines? I have clear lines going into rubber lines with clamps. Are these clamped line to line, or is there some sort of metal sleeve in there?

I have a brown wire and a green wire with spade connectors in the engine compartment that go no where. They come off of the wiring harness for the distributer. I don't have a heater fan. I think the green fed the heater fan ... correct? How about the brown one?

Finally, the rubber sheath on a section of the steering wheel has delaminated from the steel rim. Anyone ever restore this? I'm thinking of using a syringe to inject an adhesive in there. Anyone ever do this? Suggested adhesive? Any other suggestions for repairing this.

[VaccaRabite]

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The clear plastic fuel lines. You want to replace them. Don't use rubber, use Stainless Steel. You can make your own from break line (FLAPS will have what you need) or buy them from Racer Chris here on the boards. The clear plastic lines are 30+ years old. REPLACE THEM!

The brown wire is probably the ground for the fan.

For the steering wheel, that should work fine.

Where about in York are you? I'm in Dallastown, JUST south of York. We should meet up. I can show you what the stainless fuel lines look like (I got the Racer Chris version).

Zach

[Dr Evil]

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Watch out for Zach, he gets kinda handsy when you start talking 914s (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

No means NO, Zach (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif)

[Gint]

You don't *have* to replace the plastic fuel lines that go from the engine compartment, through the tunnel and on to the fuel tank. If they aren't hard and brittle, they do not need to be replaced. And even if they are brittle at the ends, you can cut back to soft pliable line and just use longer (preferrably new) rubber fuel line. Now if you want to replace them, of course that's fine, but they dont *need* to be replaced. There is probably other areas of your new 914 that will require time and money.

I don't know what all of the wires on the dizzy harness are for cause I don't memorize junk like that. But if those wires are coming out a smaller harness with other wires that do go to the dizzy, then none of them are for the heater. The heater wires are a heavier gauge wire that come from some other place. Brown on a Porsche is ground. Green sounds moe like temp sender or some such. It would be infinitely easier if you provided pics...

Rubber sheath on the steering wheel... I can't quite picture that. A used replacement part might be an easier way to fix the issue. Again... pics

And before I forget...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

...and...

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One last thing. There is a huge wealth of information on this board. Learn to use the search function. It will pay off huge. You can find an answer to many questions in less than 2 minutes if you sepdnd the time to learn to get the most out of the search function.

[SirAndy]

So here's the help I need today.

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- check the plastic fuel lines and see if the ends are hard and brittle. the plastic should still be somewhat plyable. if not, cut them back or replace the lines with a set of stainless steel lines. (see the member vendors section).
*ONLY* use the correct fuel injection rubber hose for your fuel lines on the engine! get the correct metric sizes at your local VW shop. and make sure you get the correct fuel injection hose clamps as well.
don't cheap out on this, a burning car is no fun to watch ...

- green and brown out of the engine harness is power (green) and ground (brown) for the heater blower fan.
if you don't have a fan, just make sure the two don't shorten out anywhere.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Andy

[GWN7]

For the steering wheel you can wrap it with nylon/cotton cord (heavy string).

Wrap it around the wheel and then colour it with a felt marker. Space the wraps about 1" apart and start (and end) where your hands won't touch the knots.

You can per colour the cord by running about 9' out and pulling it under the marker. Let it dry and rewap it around the spool.

[golfcart]

So here's the help I need today.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

*ONLY* use the correct fuel injection rubber hose for your fuel lines on the engine! get the correct metric sizes at your local VW shop. and make sure you get the correct fuel injection hose clamps as well.
don't cheap out on this, a burning car is no fun to watch ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Andy

Thanks for everyone'e reply. I went to the local AutoZone and purchased their standard rubber fuel line. It appeared to be re-inforced and heavier walled than the one I removed. No good? I did use fuel injection clamps. What material are the clear fuel lines made out of? Are they still available?

No one has addressed my question about how the two fuel (rubber to clear) lines are fastened together.

A note to Zach, we've "spoken" before. I sent an e:mail to your office address ... let me know if you need help sanding.

Thanks again.

[Gint]

Thanks for everyone'e reply. I went to the local AutoZone and purchased their standard rubber fuel line. It appeared to be re-inforced and heavier walled than the one I removed. No good? I did use fuel injection clamps. What material are the clear fuel lines made out of? Are they still available?

No one has addressed my question about how the two fuel (rubber to clear) lines are fastened together.

A note to Zach, we've "spoken" before. I sent an e:mail to your office address ... let me know if you need help sanding.

Thanks again.

If it's FI rubber hose line it's fine. Provided it's the correct metric size of course.

Hose clamp junction rubber to plastic. It's just a hose clamp. With fresh rubber FI line and pliable plastic line in decent condition, you'll find that the rubber line is a little bit of a chore to put on the plastic line and a snugged up hose clamp is more than enough to hold the required pressure.

I don't believe the plastic lines are available. A member here named "Racer Chris" sells replacement lines in steel. Do a search for "+fuel +lines" and you'll find lots of information.

Here's an example of a search:

Search results for "+fuel +line*" in subject only.

Here's a link to Racer Chris' resource forum thread for replacement fuel lines.

[evan]

Welcome to the 914 World and the world of "US" that rely on people like Vaca and the good Dr. and many others. I'm down in Gaithersburg, MD so like and hour away. We can do a get together sometime.

[Tobra]

Take off the screws on the bottom of the side rocker covers and clean all that crap out of there.

Buy a bunch of fuel injection hose and hose clamps, you will need it. Lot of the oil drips come from the tranny, speedo drive at rear is frequent culprit.