Hello All,

this is my first of many questions as I embark on getting my 1973 914 back on the road. I purchased the car from a friend who said it ran great before his voltage regulator began giving him issues. I was storing the car for several years for him before buying it. I know would like to see it running again.

It is a 73 1.7L with dual webers. The fuel tank was cleaned and out of the car. I went to reinstall the tank and replace the rubber lines when I noticed that both the fuel outlets on the bottom of the tank were capped off . I can not locate fuel pipe for the line to attach to the tank. I have also been told that I only need the supply line and can cap off the return line of the original fuel injection set up.

Any advice or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Where can I source the fuel pipes and nuts? Auto Atlanta does not have them currently.

Thanks

If you are going to stay with carbs you can cap off the return and just use the supply. Post up here in the classifieds WTD, and keep bumping it up till one of the fella's takes pity and hunts one down for you. Good luck

If you are in there anyways, although technically not needed, carbs do benefit from having a working return line.

It helps keeping the fuel in the bowls cooler and prevents heat soak and possible hot start issues.

I have carbs and a return. Sometimes on start (letting the fuel pump run before the starter), I can hear bubbles come through the line. Not sure if the fuel return prevents vapor lock but I think it would.

There are pluses and minuses to having a return line. I have been running my 1985 Alfa spider (Weber carbs) without a return line for many years and never had a concern.

What are the minuses?

I know this is an age old debate.
but I still fall on the side or always recommending a return.

it helps.
and there is a reason all car manufacturers use a return line
or they wouldn't bother to spend the extra money.


cooler fuel
a potential for a very minor hp increase
less vapor lock.

Well, I don't know about Tewfiks, but I'm convinced. Adding a return back in.

The chassis side of the line connections are about where the center tunnel is. Both lines run through the tunnel. Look for a rubber block with 2 holes in the cabin firewall. You should see it with the tank out. Where did the fuel line run when you bought the car? I have carbs and no return. Only time I've experienced hot fuel is when the heat soak has set in when parked. Still starts and light feathering until cooler fuel is in the bowls. Never any sort of vapor lock. YRMV.

How do you plumb the return? Fuel tank feed to carb 1 (through a pump), 2 way banjo to carb 2 using another 2 way banjo for the return?

The way the car is set up currently is with NO return lines to the tank. Only a fuel line for the fuel filter and fuel pump and routing through the center channel of the body.

While you're in there...consider putting stainless steel fuel lines in the center tunnel. If you don't care about a return line, just cap it for future use. I did not do that but wish I had when it was all apart.

agree.

got a real life situation with that.
even with L jet and a return line.
have a cut down bulb on the bottom of the tank due to rhd.
when tank goes down, though it might be reading a quarter, i believe its a lot less.
and a super hot day down here, which is pretty hot, i can get to the point where even recirculating fuel warms enough after a while its starts messing with the pump due to the hot line just before the pump. temp rises in fuel in that section to critical point. and the idle starts hunting.

solution, go to gas station and fill tank well past 1/2.
fuel in tank becomes big enough heat sink.
problem goes away until next super hot day and low tank.

doesn't happen in winter.

live somewhere hot, have a return line.
maybe you can get away without one in the arctic or northern USA where it never gets hot even in summer.

Right?

That is how I will do it.