Yes it certainly will be BUT today was a bust with major steps backward.

Thanks Jeff for support and the complement on the work on the car.

Lots more to follow later this evening with a complete update.

Yeah I use a white board for my list. Deleting and Adding, really like the part of deleting the best
But like I just said in my last post things didn't go to well today. Will post with the latest update as I am a little behind in posting.

Well yesterday was a big day as I felt it was finally time for it to come off the jack stands. But after a late start it was getting late last nite and I still needed to download pictures. I figured I would just post today.

Forgot just how low it was! Been up there since Sept 11 of last year. I forget a lot these days.

Wow it was actually kind of hard to get it down. I do not to use the side jack points (just a weird thing with me). Took a while to do it for sure.
I was feeling pretty good about life. Ahhh home stretch!


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The plan for today seemed simple enough get some Chevron 91 octane gas and put it in the tank

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Next on the plan was to rig up some long hoses from the fuel block to a bucket then power up the fuel pump in order to flush the lines from the gas tank all the way back to the fuel block.

Easy peasy! Right? Never made it to this step.

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Yup after putting 10 gallons of gas in, there was a pretty good puddle under the fuel tank that had grown to about 2ft by 2ft which I did not notice right away.

Looking up the access hole under the tank, with fuel dripping all over the place, I see some coupling fittings on the fuel line that is right up next to the tank with no possible way to tighten them.

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Gas has to come back out and you know how that goes, you can’t siphon it all out, so more mess was coming. Boy howdy mess! By now it is getting dark and damp out. Stinks to high heaven too.

Remember a minute ago I was talking about how tough it was to get down, yep just as hard to get it back up on stands.

Think I will consider parking on 2 X 10’s just to get it up a tad.

Tank comes out tomorrow! Still trying to figure out why I didn't put the gas in up on stands.

Still airing out the garage There we are all up to date.

.....................shut down water heater if in garage or ELSE

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That's rough Jim. I had a similar problem when I removed the tank - gas everywhere. It's a scary position to be in. Hope it's an easy fix.

Wow, I feel your pain! I went through the exact same issues and ended up removing the tank four times. Two bad fuel pumps located under the fuel tank and then a pinched line the third time. Ended up moving the fuel pump into the trunk where I could get to it. I still need to eventually remove it one more time to hook up a recirculating fuel line.

You might be able to get in and tighten the line without removing the tank. You will have to do it by feel since there is no way to see the fittings under the tank.

Jeff B

Nice! Well I sure hated injecting the cool damp air into the garage with a big fan most of the evening, but did so and got it aired out enough. Have a tankless so no open flame which is cool.
We're Ok

Sorry to hear that but I kinda figured I was not alone. Sucks trying to move fast to jack it back up high enough to see what is going on with gas leaking out. I will share the problem and the fix. Thanks!

I would not wish 4 times on anybody I do not envy your eventual 5th time.
Once is more than enough for me!
Fuel pump and filter already in the front trunk. Thought I had double checked all the fittings but we'll see.
Thanks for weighing in.

Thought I would show what I came up with as a battery clamp for my Optima.
Took a stock battery clamp and welded a piece of metal that I sculpted to fit around the center cell.
The gas tank awaits!.


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To be on the safe side, you only need to put a gallon or so of gas in, just enough to start it......

I like it! Curious though. Every Optima I've bought (for other cars) came with a kit of plastic pieces that snap to the base to accommodate a variety of mounting styles. Do none of those work on the 914?

That is sweet, yo should market that I would buy one. Maybe 914 Rubber can make them.

I modified a clutch pedal stop for a battery hold down.......



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You know what that is an interesting point. This batt came with the car project and I do recall seeing a red plastic thing but it was cracked or broke and I just tossed it. Meant to try to look at a new Optima today to see what they come with but was tied up all day fixing my gas leak. Oh well my clamp is done now. I apparently like doing things the hard way.

True True True! But the thing is, it was that last gallon in the tank that made the biggest mess.

Looks good but I wanted more clamp, kinda like more cow bell. Ya just can't have enough!

Thank you very much! Afraid it's a bit too labor intensive to make and sell, at least for me. I'd have to get like $120 for it Slow welder with limited skills and lots and lots of grinding.

Premature Dejackulation (when you take your car off jack stands a little too soon)

Not a good thing with fuel coming out under your car and not being able to figure out where it is coming from.

Well here we go it was a simple bad flare on the aluminum tubing on this part of the fuel line coming from the front trunk right after the fuel pump. Blue line runs back to the engine.

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I’ve had the day to think about this, along with struggling with a fix myself.

Rob my PO did the fuel lines on this car and throughout the day I have checked many of the other flares he did and they are all good. So why did this one fail? Well I think I figured it out.

On this section of hard line, 10 inches total, the flare for the fuel pump end was done first, not on the car, easy. It was done first because it is so low on the bulkhead in the trunk and it would be impossible to do a flare in place in that location, just no room. With that good flare on the one end he then had to fight the line through the bulkhead hole back and miraculously bending it to come up vertically through the hole in the channel.

Then he somehow flared that very short end, only 3 inches showing, of tube coming up out of the hole and way in the cavern. I seriously don’t know how he even did it. So even though this caused me some grief I say hats off to Rob for all the good flares and getting a flare at all in that difficult location. I do not think I could have done any better with it and that’s the truth.

It took a lot of thinking and considering options before I headed to my tubing shop 25 minutes away. Nothing in my town.

This is how short this line actually is and how it runs from the fuel pump through the bulkhead.
Yes that is one picture.

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Back from the tube shop with a solution! Convert that 10 inch section to 250 PSI rubber hose. I get having a hard line from the fuel pump to almost the engine, but I simply could not see making that line again with any better results. And we couldn’t come up with a good hard line solution.

Now it was time to remove the old line. It was then I saw there was a pretty tight bend in the line. So good call to replace.

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It wasn’t exactly a picnic to run the rubber line either. Tight, Tight, Tight. About 4 hours just that part and I still got to put the tank back!
A glass of wine is in order. Took the whole day.

The finished project.


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Nicely done.

Gave this some thought today and had I only put in a gallon, the level in the tank would not have been high enough to find this leak. It would not be until the fuel pump fired up and then the leaking fitting would have sprayed everywhere. The fitting was leaking like a sieve with only gravity! I can't say if 5 gal would have found the leak with gravity or not.

Tank in now back in and I created a longer drain tube rather than just having the cap that was way up there (see pic) so it now has easy access and could be drained quickly and cleanly.

In the situation I was in I pulled the fuel line hose off the red tube, which may not have been the best choice, but with the amount of gas present and coming down on me, it's what I did.

As I was almost finished writing this I decided to check the PET and realized there is suppose to be a strainer. None was there, none installed. Guess what I will be looking for next.


This is how the drain was with a cap, Red tube is the fuel line.

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And now (I wanted to flip this pic but couldn't, it's upside down)

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I guessing with your lack of updates the car's finished and you haven't stopped driving it.

Strainer can be found on Tangerine Racing's website towards the bottom on the right hand side.

Wow I must know that site to darn well

Thanks for reaching out guys and the strainer tip. I sure wish "lack of updates the car's finished and you haven't stopped driving" I would not deny the start up after all this and Moparrob has promised a special brew! I'm going to hold him to it

It has been a combination of things that seemingly ground my project to a near halt or slo-mo progress. Had several urgent priorities come up that took my complete attention. Family member surgery. And out of state guests in for a few days.

But I also kinda ran out of steam when I hit all the gas tank stuff. Here I was thinking I was very close by putting gas in, first the leak, then I find something so simple missing, the in tank strainer sock and nipple. And it makes perfect sense they should be there, but it made me wonder what else I could have over looked. Ever heard the expression “You don’t know what you don’t know”? Well it happened twice in quick succession, read on. I had not thought of the need for a strainer in the tank and I believe the fuel system having been converted to AN at the tank by the PO led me to just overlook it. At first, I considered just moving forward and letting the external fuel filter catch anything, but having had the tank cleaned out and sealed convinced me an extra layer of protection was absolutely necessary.

Now I was on the hunt for parts and in the process got yet another education. Some of this stuff of course is getting harder to find. The strainer is fairly easy to get, but the nipple and the nut are not. The nut can be gotten new at AA for what I considered a pretty reasonable price. Then it was the waiting game for the various parts to arrive.

So, I made a trip to my 914 buddies house, toolguy, and was looking at his perfectly restored, newly installed, original front suspension, when I asked about some bolts I noticed on my car and that I couldn’t figure out what they were for. I then learned they are for the steering rack cover that I now realize I am missing. A WTB was posted here with good response. Ended up getting a great steering rack cover and a re-plated fuel nipple from Bruce Stone and at very good prices. Thanks Bruce! He also offered a couple of tips! Been cleaning up and painting the cover in the mean time.

Turns out there are 2 nipple sizes and Bruce is now sending me the larger one re-plated to replace this rusted one. The larger one will work fine with the hose I have and will then make the transition to AN from there.

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I hope your family member is recovering well Jim.

Good to see you're moving along with it.

It's often the missing small parts that make you stall, especially nearing the end of a project when those parts are vital.

Looking at that nice plated fuel nipple I've added mine to my small pile for plating, thanks.

Glad I could shine some light on that little nipple. I can see how easily it could be overlooked. Can't wait for the re-plated one from Bruce! Thanks for looking in.

You can still buy this fuel tank nipple kits new for less than
Playing the old one. CB performance sells the whole kit for 8.95 and it comes with the nipple, securing nut and gasket. I’d install a brand new one. They are the same as what was in aircooled VW’s.

Thanks for the tip that is amazing and possibly better suited to my situation.
If that nut is the same, and it looks like it is, Bruce Stone will be thrilled.
Will have to contact CB Perf on Monday to find out tube diameter.
Below is what is on their website.


3189 Fuel Tank Outlet Kit
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Your Price: $8.95

While I’m waiting for gas tank parts I got into a couple of small projects, one of which was the steering rack cover.
It needed a bit of straightening with hammer and dolly, then Por15 on the up side with prime / paint the bottom side that will be visible.
These cars are so low and I know you can't really see this part when installed but I was on a mission to see what I could do with it.

Before Pic - Unfortunately what you really can't see is the crease marked in red running the length of it was wavy and bowed.
The flat area marked in blue was actually curved in the center but not the ends.
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Wow, nice improvement!

Thanks, I do what I can, but it sure doesn't hold a candle to the work being performed on Cairo94507's car! That's a double Wow! Or Defianty's car also a double Wow!

I have some added inspiration now (disclaimer I am by no means a computer guy)
I just figured out how to change my screen background in Windows 10 and I get to see this all the time on my computer now!
Unfortunately it is currently on jack stands

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Called CB Performance this morning and was told the tube is very small for VW. I do not know if they measured or not but said it was 4mm ID and 6mm OD. This could possibly work for 4 cylinder 914 but doubt it would be good on 6 cyl with Webers being fed with AN 6 fuel line.
Thought I would provide the follow up. Thanks again lonewolfe for suggestion.
Forgot to ask about the nut, might be a good deal

The other project I’ve been working on while waiting parts is fitting Marty Schneider’s cool fiberglass GT rear valance. Nice little piece I was going to do later but getting past the gas tank fuel line issues has provided an opportunity. Figured a roto Zip might work and it does a nice job.
Thought of trying to make a template but it just seemed to be such a pain. Took my time and by eye nibbled at it and did several trial fits that got it on close enough to then determine a proper clearance to the tail pipe.


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Pencil line generated by tracing a spacer to the exhaust.
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Rough cutting got it close enough!
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Great fit!
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Fitting and clamping and final sanding the opening went great!


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All done. Next is prime and paint!


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Nicely done Jim and the belt sander (looks like 6" x 48" belt) shapes a perfect mouse house . Looks like you will be having sound as soon as that fuel fitting is sourced !
Marty

Exactly what that sander is and I have done some pretty crazy things with it over the years. I contacted you a while back, and when asked, you advised what you used to cut the valance and of course I had none of that! The sander did a couple of things like allowing me to sneak up on my line and also provided a really nice finished edge. Hoping to get fuel part today.

Love that valance installed pics soon

Very creative technique for cut out Jim...



Oscar

Let's get that thing started.....

The fuel line nipple arrived today from Bruce Stone and it looks great!

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Now to install it is another story. I did not have a stock fuel line set up coming out of the tank. There was no screen and I wanted one. There was just been an AN adapter and an AN elbow going to a hose but now the stock nipple tube coming out of the tank is more angled down making my hose too short. Either remove the gas tank again to add longer hose or get creative. I chose the latter which involved making and adding a different elbow on the end of the stock nipple from Bruce. Lots of fun up in that hole. But thinking now, it turned out better than removing the tank anyway, and the clamps are very accessible. Finally fuel line done back to the engine.


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Alright already!

Tomorrow gas in again. Did not want to put gas in this late just in case there is another issue like last time.

Next after gas tomorrow is flush the fuel system back to the carbs and then hook the fuel lines to the carbs. There are still a few other loose ends to tie up Friday.

What are you doing Saturday? Come on down. Bring Steve and Oscar.

Unless something else crops up gonna give it a try.

Come down this Saturday and bring the ale.

I can't miss this....

Rats, I won't be able to make it down Saturday.

See, I knew you could do it without removing the tank! I'm sure you have some skinned knuckles but still better than tank removal.

I like the elbow idea since it is very easy to kink the hose without an elbow.

Jeff B