Re: How easy is it?

[Jonathan Grippe <J.Grippe@m.cc.utah.edu>]

SoapDuck@aol.com wrote:
> 
>   I am having problems with my fuel injection.  So, I have decided(with help
> from fellow volks owners) to convert to a carb.  My problem is that I do not
> have that much money for it.  I need to know the best quality for the least
> amount of money.  Also, how easy is it to convert one?  

GREETINGS:

I got my Fastback with an aftermarket carb and conversion kit on the
motor. Mine is a single, two-barrel progressive Weber. And yes, it does
stick up higher than the motor lid. Therefore, a square has been cut in
it and the air filter sticks up through there to draw the air from the
rear luggage compartment area.

My buddy who has a shop says the exact carb can still be ordered from
about $200-$300 bucks. Now the question is, did it come with other parts
to convert it over? I don't know. I seem to remember that the intake and
the tubes going down to the cylinders are a custom set up. Mine also
had, what looked like a self fabricated support under the carb and the
intake to hold it up. It seems that what they had done is simply, took
the incoming feul line and ran that to the carb and sealed the return
fuel line that goes though the tunnel and it was just left unused. There
was also a special part for the spring that was back there so it would
put the proper tension on the accelerator cable.

In my experience this seems to be a good running carb that is a little
less finicky that FI. I had not heard of any carbs that actually sit
lower underneath the motor lid other than the stock duals that did that
in the earlier years. And those are obviously another art in themselves
like FI, if you can even find them. 

How easy is it? I don't know. It would seem to me that you wanna be damn
careful whenever you start dealing with fuel and rerouting the original
set up. I've seen many an aircooled VW in my years that gets BURNT to a
CRISP because the feul system was malfunctioning or not cared for. And
if you happen to be in the car when it starts burning, then that's
really a problem. 

Hey Jim, what do you suggest? Am I wrong?

So I might suggest taking it to a VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AIR-COOLED VW
mechanic if you are not that experienced doing this sort of thing yet.
In my estimation it's a pretty big job. When I got into VW's I started
doing the little repairs first.

In any case, BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL. Improperly set up fuel systems can
spell BIG PROBLEMS.

And it seems that any alternative, will probably NOT be cheap.

GOOD LUCK.

Jon.

'71 Squareback 
'72 Fastback (For Sale-Nice!)
'83 Rabbit
'83 Rabbit Pick-Up
-- 
# Netscape POP3 State File
# This is a generated file!  Do not edit.