engine and drivetrain Roadside repair using just the factory tool kit

[dlhoovler]

Never let it be said that the basic '02 tool kit is anything but useful. Today I was running the Orange Car around on some errands while the E30 is on jack stands for some work (control arm and timing belt). I was puttering down Main Street of Sharpsburg (PA), which is a narrow road that somehow squeezes in two lanes of traffic plus parallel parking on both sides. Suddenly I caught a whiff of gasoline. I know I drive old cars regularly because my first thought was, "Is that me?"

By the next stoplight, the gas smell was stronger, and I picked up a slight hesitation pulling away. I decided to find a parallel parking spot just as I realized that pressing on the gas wasn't doing anything. I drifted the car into a cross-hatched area just in front of the last parking spot of a row. During a break in traffic, I pushed the car back into the parking spot and found that there was a half-hour still on the meter.

With some time on my hands, I popped the hood and discovered that the fuel inlet fitting on my freshly rebuilt single-barrel Solex was not, in fact, on my freshly rebuilt single-barrel Solex but was dangling from the end of the fuel hose, with gasoline quickly evaporating from the entire side of the engine block. It was a moment in which I was very thankful that the M10 head is a cross-flow design.

I grabbed the tool kit from the trunk, and with passing trucks just about brushing my jeans, disconnected the hose clamp and removed the brass fitting. I took the pliers from the kit and squeezed the fitting just enough to get it slightly ovalized. I then used the brake-adjusting wrench to pound it back into the carb. It seemed like a secure fit, so I reattached the hose, fired the car up and checked for leaks (by this point the fuel had all evaporated from the engine bay). Success! I made it the half-mile home without incident.

Just a little tale of good fortune (on several fronts) and the usefulness of the factory tool kit...

-Dave

[BillWilliams]

You boy scout you

[dlhoovler]

MacGyver was an Eagle Scout, too! :-)

-Dave

[ray_]

I bought a Beetle once that was flambe'd for the same exact reason.

Glad that your experience ended happily!

Cheers,

Ray

[Mike Self]

except (1) it was the outlet side of the fuel pump and (2) the gasoline flow was directed on the distributor.

When the engine stalled for lack of fuel, a few turns of the starter squirted gas on the distributor, which promptly burst into flames, catching the spark plug wires on fire. The gas burned off in a few seconds, so I was able to put out the fire with a bucket of water thoughtfully provided by the gas station where my car had stalled.

After the fire was out, I dried everything off, made sure none of the plug wires were burned through, reattached the brass nipple (I spread the end just a little with a tapered punch), and drove home.

I've carried a fire extinguisher ever since.

Dave--suggest you stake the carb inlet nipple back in place so it won't come loose again.

Cheers

mike

[02Les]

Did you use up the whole half hour on the meter?

Good story.

[SteveJ]

my first thought was, "Is that me?"..

-Dave

We drive old cars.

It's always us.

The sounds, the smells.

Sort of like some people.

[jgerock]

Great job Dave.

Anyone who has an old car with Solex carb (and mechanical fuel pump) should be familiar with the pressed-in fuel fittings. In my case, the clear glass (expensive) fuel filter came apart in my VW pushing gas all over the engine. I was lucky it didn't catch on fire.

Picture shows the standard plastic fuel filter (no clamps!). The vacuum advance line from the distributor to the carb was an aquarium hose. Young, poor, and stupid.

[dlhoovler]

Jim,

I also like that the bug has a bald tire on the left and a nearly-bald snow tire on the right. That had to do wonders for the differential! :-) Did you run it without fenders, or were they off for work?

and Les,

Nope. I still had 15 minutes or so left when I pulled away. Would have been more, but I spent a couple of minutes chatting with the guy who parked illegally in front of me...

-Dave

[jgerock]

Jim,

I also like that the bug has a bald tire on the left and a nearly-bald snow tire on the right. That had to do wonders for the differential! :-) Did you run it without fenders, or were they off for work?

-Dave

That picture was taken just after we hoisted the body back onto the floor pan (four guys - one at each corner). Those tires were on the car when I bought it in 1982. The entire car cost me $ 50.00.