Hi,

Just finished installing my fuel tank and put a gallon of fresh gas into it. The pump isn't pulling any fuel from the tank. I'm wondering if I have to prime the fuel line somehow? My pump is in the engine bay.

Is 1 gallon enough to put fuel into the line?

Thanks,

Kris

'73 1.7 w/single weber. (Ugh)

Make sure you didn't hook your line to the return line connection on the bottom of the tank. It has a tube that sticks up enough so that you can't get any fuel unless you have 3 gallons of gas or more.

You need to connect the line to the pump to the bigger of the two connections on the bottom of the tank.

The pump needs to be lower than the bottom of the tank, ESPECIALLY if it's one of those "Facet" electronic pumps. The Cap'n

Thanks! That thought had crossed my mind... I swear the larger hose went to the larger fitting... Then again, maybe the PO futzed with the lines coming out the rear into the engine bay and hooked THOSE up wrong...

Or, I kinked a hose when I set my tank back in...

BTW, looking at the lines coming out of the tunnel, which one is supposed to be the main line and which one is supposed to be the return line?? (Drivers/Passengers) Just want to make sure they're hooked up right.

Thanks guys,

Kris

Sorry, but just to make sure we are all on the same plane, you are talking about a FI system? If it's a carb system, the setup (return line) would be different.

Eric Read

Hi eric--

It's a '73 1.7 w/ single weber carb (yeah, I know...)... One of the fuel lines is capped off and the other goes to the pump. It probably had FI initially. Just trying to sort the thing out--the PO had many things hooked up wrong, and I'm wondering if this is yet another...

Thanks,

Kris

I'm running a '75 2.0 w/ dual carbs; but the basics are the same. Yes, the car probably did have FI originally (I know mine did) which is why the one line is capped off- this line is the return line, and you don't need to worry about it. It's not going to hurt anything to leave it hooked up so long as it's capped off. But the Cap'n is right- the pump needs to be mounted below the tank level.

What happens if it's not, you ask? Well, every time you shut the car off, the gas will bleed back to the lowest point in the line, and then you'll continually cycle through having to bleed the line to the pump because you'll just be sucking air every time you go to start it.

If you're happy w/ the pump where it's at, then leave it, just make sure it's mounted low enough to keep a constant feed of gas to it. Or, you could relocate it to the front trunk underneath the tank. Click the "My Porsche Pics" link in my sig, then check out Pic #6 and you can see where to relocate it if that's what you decide to do. It's just a matter of your personal preference.

Good luck.

Thanks!

I'm wondering if they capped off the wrong line back then and didn't realize it? I'll pull the tank up and make sure everything is hooked up right (on my end). Then I'll have a look underneath to make sure I've got gas coming through the line.

When I emptied the tank (I ran the car just beforehand), there was a little over 4 gallons in it...

thanks again,

Kris

Thanks! I hadn't read that the return line had been capped-off and I was worried we were going about this incorrectly.

That said, with everybody else here.

I'll put my money on a kinked fuel line. Pull off the gravel cover under the steering rack and use a flashlight and inspection mirror to look at the hoses from below.

It would probably help to add a few more gallons.

Could be...

Pour a gallon or so more gas in the tank. Unhook the gas line from where it enters the fuel pump. If you have a steady stream of gas, no kink. If your gas flow is very small (restricted) look for a kink, strainer or fuel filter restriction.

If fuel is reaching your pump, you have an answer to half the answer. If the fuel is not reaching your pump with a full flow, fix that first, then troubleshoot at the pump.

With fluid troubleshooting, always cut the problem in half. When you check at the halfway point, you know which half to continue troubleshooting.

Good luck, and have fun!

And the answer is....

A.) Kinked fuel line!


The line looked fine when I set the tank back in place, but from underneath I noticed that it was kinked. A little reorganizing of the hoses from down below and the fuel started flowing again...

Next is timing--It runs pretty well, but you never know. I have a feeling I'm going to have a hard time finding the mark in the housing--Everything looks pretty crudded up in there... We'll see. Then I'll re-route the fuel pump...

Thanks again for your help, guys. Much appreciated!!!

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The car absolutely had FI originally. Any four-cylinder US-spec 914 had either D-jetronic EFI or L-jetronic EFI. The only factory-carbureted 914s were the Sixes, and the European-spec 1974-75 1.8 liter.

--DD