Steel fuel line in tunnel

Hold on a second, hamburger thawing in microwave. Be right back.

Okay, I am back.

I am no typist so bare with me.

Couple years ago, dune buggy and hot VW magazine wrote a tech article with pictures on how to go about replacing the fuel line.

The fuel line is metal from the rear, through the horn arm and into the tunnel. Comes out under the fuel tank. Metal all the way.

Water and dirt, enemies of that metal line. Rust forms dirt collects on the rust. More rust, eventually the line plugs.

You might try blowing compressed air through the original line or running a long piece of braided cable, like a speedometer cable with a lead slug or brass tip of some sort to guide the cable around the turns and bends in the line. Provided the original metal fuel line is not rusted through and the air or the cable pushes through, you may be able to use the original fuel line, with maybe a couple fuel filters in series.

The metal fuel line is attached at several different locations inside the tunnel. It will not pull nor push out.

The only way to replace it is to cut openings into the tunnel, cut loose the attachment points and pull in a new metal line using the original as a pull.

Unfortunately with out a factory road map, we do not know where the line is attached to the tunnel.

The article in hot VW showed how to cut open the tunnel, where the attachments are, how to remove the attachments. How to replace the fuel line. Where to reattach to the inside of the tunnel. Then how to seal the holes in the tunnel.

Think they said it took an expert over sixteen hours to do this job. It was suggested that, with this article as a guide a skilled craftsman at home could do this in their garage. That is as long as paid close attention to the article and followed every direction.

My local shop gets $100.00 an hour without batting an eye and customers pay it. So, sixteen hours at $100.00 an hour equals $1,600.00.

I need to do the same on my manx dune buggy. The metal line needs to be attached inside the tunnel or it will rub and get cut through. If you do not replace and just add another metal line, cut access holes in the tunnel, drill a hole in the horn or in the rear of the pan ahead of the front transmission mount.

You can then pass another metal line through the tunnel to the front. You will need to drill a hole in the tunnel under the gas tank for the line to come through.

Best to carefully drain the fuel out of the tank ( disconnect the battery, both cables before you attempt to remove the gas tank ) and remove it to access the area under the fuel tank.

It will be a pain to run the new line through the tunnel, pushing it along, a friend at the access points guiding it.

No magic, no easy way to do this. It will be difficult and you need to be extremely careful.

If you attempt it, find that article in hot VW.

I do not know exactly how long ago they wrote it. They replaced the line with a larger one for a larger displacement engine they were running.

Good luck, and remember take your time and always think safety first.

Okay, found this on Samba.

I have helped replace a fuel line on older vw was years ago. We did it the way I described above.

This person suggests a different way.

First off, you do not need to cut any holes in your pan. If the body is still on the car you will need to remove the following items to use the existing access holes. Remove the front bumper and the front access cover in the frame-head, remove the pedal assembly, shifter and inspection cover under the rear seat. Last of all you will need to remove the large bolt at the rear of the vehicle that secures the transmission bracket on the tube that the fuel line comes out of. This will allow you a hole to look in when running the new line.
Second, The fuel line is not welded inside the tunnel, it is held in place by two tabs that are bent around the tube. One is located just rear if the pedal access hole and the other is accessible thru the rear inspection hole and is where the rear frame tube is attached to the pan. You can reach the rear one with a screw driver to bend it open slightly. The front one is a little harder. I took a four foot long piece of quarter inch square steel tube, from Home Depot, and hammered the end flat. I reached through the front access hole and bent the strap open with it. Be patient.
Third. I broke off the existing fuel pipe where it exits the frame in the front and rear and used a screw driver to push the tube into the frame. Then, I worked the old tube out of the frame through the pedal access hole using a pair of channel locks and pried against the opening to leverage the tube out the hole.

Now you have the old fuel line out. If you put a trouble light in the rear access hole facing forward you can look into the frame from the front access hole and you will see where to route the new fuel line.
Buy a twenty feet roll of quarter inch steel fuel line at the auto parts store. Roll it out on the floor and tape the end to keep dirt out of it. Feed it into the frame through the front opening and do not worry about getting it in the clip until the end. Once it reaches the rear inspection hole you will have to bend it slightly to guide it down the rear tube. Turn your light in the rear inspection hole to face down the rear tube and you can look in the tube through the transmission mount bolt hole. Once the tube is at the opening in the frame, use a long thin Philips screw driver or any long round object that you can fit into the fuel line. Reach into the tube with the quarter inch square steel piece you got at home depot, and gently lift the fuel line up towards the opening and stick the Philips screw driver in thru the frame opening into the end of the fuel line. This will act as a guide for the line to follow up and out the hole. Now go back to the front of the vehicle and push the line in and it will come out the rear hole very nicely. Push about one foot of extra out the rear frame hole to allow you to have extra for working the front into the hole. Do not cut the extra off yet.
Go to the front of the vehicle and cut the tube with a tube cutter, Make sure you can get your Philips screw driver in the end of it so you can guide it out the frame hole like you did the rear.

Go to the rear and pull the line until the end of the tube up front is aligned withe the hole in the frame and gently lift the line using the quarter inch steel tube and insert the Philips screw driver in the frame opening and into the fuel line. Go to the rear and push the fuel line back into the frame and it should pop out the front hole.

Now you can adjust the tube inside the frame so it's in the straps you bent open. Use the quarter inch steel tube to pry the front clip back closed around the fuel line.

With your tube cutter, cut the front and rear tube so you have about four inches sticking out. You can adjust this length later for the perfect fit.

Place the new rubber fuel line grommets over the fuel line an into the frame holes.

Reinstall your inspection cover, transmission mount bolt, front access hole and front bumper and you have a new fuel line installed just like new without cutting up you car. It took me three hours by myself with me car body still on my 1966 very. If the pan is off the catalytic converter it is even easier.

It is not a bad job, just be patient and take your time.