weber fuel inlet problems - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

Ace of Shades · August 21st, 2012, 10:14 AM

TL;DR
Press in NOT screw in style has came out of the carb. I need opinions on fixing the problem. I can tap it for a thread in style, but I fear cracking the carb, I could JB weld it but I don't know how long that would last. It's not a daily driver, so it is in no rush to fix
Picture for clarity - weber progressive

Last year I picked up a rabbit cabriolet and I finally got around to cleaning it up, driving it around. Sunday I flopped the top down for the first time and set off from the friends house I have it parked at. I started noticing a fuel problem I think my words were "This thing has an over fuelling problem.. something fierce". Around the time I had finished my though the motor died, coasted up to a wide spot in the road and looked under the hood. It took me about a solid minute to find the fuel line because it was no longer attached to the carb, but it was attached to the brass tube. I pushed it all back into the carb and limped back to the buddys house on eggshells. When the hose comes out it dumps fuel straight onto the exhaust manifold

Also reminds me to check my extinguishers in all my other vehicles

**Unkl Ian** · August 21st, 2012, 10:56 AM

I know the side drafts have 2 different thread sizes.
If you try and go too big, the boss will crack because it's too thin.

**d3ghia** · August 21st, 2012, 04:53 PM

I don't have a pic....I am not at home. You can do two different things, both are free and work.

One, you can take a chisel punch and score the inlet tube and then the carb body so that it doesn't move. Similar to the trailing arm mounting points on the rear of a late model bug.

Two, you can also do a "poor man's knurl" on the inlet tube. Take a file (cross hatch preferebly) and press hard around the tube, transferring the hatch pattern in the brass (just hard enough to "score" the outside of the tube. This will help it "grip" the carb.

Hope this makes sense. I know many that have done this, I have in two of my bugs, run them for years with no issues.

**d3ghia** · August 21st, 2012, 05:02 PM

You can also safety wire it in.

**Unkl Ian** · August 21st, 2012, 05:25 PM

Loctite probably makes something for this kind of thing.

**dt113** · August 21st, 2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkl Ian

Loctite probably makes something for this kind of thing.

Loctite makes a green one, that will hold anything forever.
Have been using it since back in the late 70's.

**tattooed_pariah** · August 21st, 2012, 09:58 PM

having been through at least 4 engine fires (1 was catastrophic and totaled my first VW), I feel inclined to step in and say:

DON'T HALF ASS YOUR FUEL SYSTEM!!!!

It may cost more to have a shop put some threads in and do it right, but believe me, you NEVER want to be standing on the side of the road waiting for the Fire Department.

sandfreaks · August 22nd, 2012, 03:49 PM

Ive had a similar problem on a past car and I just
stuck a large philips head screw driver in the end that goes into the carb
which made it just slightly bigger then taped it back in with a piece
of wood on the end. Never had a problem with it again.

Ace of Shades · August 22nd, 2012, 08:02 PM

I had thought about giving it a flare, knurrling it, Machining threads into it. I think I might try all of them. Knurl it, put a bit of a flare to it and put some JB weld around it, If it is still wants to come out, I'll machine threads into it, If something goes tits up I needed a new carb anyway at this point

**Unkl Ian** · August 22nd, 2012, 08:12 PM

Build the steel nipple up with a thin layer of Solder.

Doesn't take much to create a press fit.

Ace of Shades · August 22nd, 2012, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkl Ian

Build the steel nipple up with a thin layer of Solder.

Doesn't take much to create a press fit.

And that's why I posted here. I never even thought of that.

**Unkl Ian** · August 24th, 2012, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkl Ian

Build the steel nipple up with a thin layer of Solder.

Doesn't take much to create a press fit.

I would leave about 1/8" at the very end, bare.
This smaller diameter would act as a pilot for reassembly.

If you get a little too much solder on it,
you can file it down pretty easy.

Exactly how much it needs to be built up ?
Not sure.

Probably not much.

But it's no good the way it is.

metalmaster1766 · August 27th, 2012, 03:48 AM

I've had that happen to several stock VW carbs, I tried a few different things to fix it, the best & longest lasting was to put a hump in the tube about 1/4" from the end that goes into the carb, I just used a small modified punch/chisel, then set the tube on top of my vice jaws (which were open about an 1/8") and rotated the tube as I hit the punch so it left a raised section around the tube, it doesn't hafta be perfect, then I put a bit of JB Weld on it and pressed it back inside the carb

Ron