A Sad Tale

[Martin Benade]

Like BoyToy but more polite?

[Al Zim]

In 1962 VW eliminated the fuel petcock with the instillation of a Fuel Gauge exactly like the ones installed on the 356 T1 cars. On my personal car 1957 356T1 we eliminated the fuel petcock when we installed Fuel Injection. It is easy to modify the the tank to accept an AN screw in fitting with a barb for the rubber fuel line. It has been 2 years with not fuel leaks. The factory original system does not run out of fuel (when coupled to fuel injection)
I would suggest that fuel leaks can be reduced by using fuel line that is designed for fuel injected cars. If you have a carburetor fuel leak than that should be repaired. DO NOT USE A PLASTIC OR A GLASS FUEL FILTER. Commonly referred to as the Flame Thrower.

[Wes Bender]

This is the primary reason that I shut off the fuel petcock about four blocks prior to arriving back at the house. The engine is just getting ready to stall as I pull in. There's a secondary reason too. I don't like residue from evaporated fuel in the carbs. I suppose a third reason is that I get to burn all of my expensive gas in the engine rather than letting very much of it evaporate.

Morning Wes, I was thinking about doing it like this also but I have an electric fuel pump and I thought it might be bad for the pump to stay running with the gas shut off..

They're not positive displacement pumps so running them with the petcock closed won't hurt them. Just don't run them dry for any length of time. They've still got some fuel in there when the petcock is closed.

[Patrick Ertel]

#37 Post by Jon Schmid » July 5th, 2022, 5:00 pm
Certainly not concurs, but I find a small strip of masking tape with ZU written on it and placed between the Speedo & Tach or above the radio is pretty effective reminder. Easy on/easy off. Great conversation piece with the uninitiated as in "Hey, what's that for?".

Unfortunately I know myself well enough to know I would get used to it being there and not "see" it anymore. I need something like the alarm on my Volt that goes off if you open the driver's door with the charger door still open. It can't be ignored or forgotten.

[Paul Ahnell]

How about having your wife ride shotgun? If she's like most, she'll tell you what your doing wrong and can't be ignored.

[Bill Lawless]

Anybody put in an Electric Petcock, Key on open, Key off closed... Although that will not work 4 block out!!!!

[Martin Benade]

I looked into those a few months ago, it wouldn’t be hard.

[David Jones]

I installed a buzzer across my light switch that operates if I turn off the ignition with lights on to remind me to turn my lights off. With a little thought one could adapt one to operate as a reminder to turn off the fuel cock when the ignition is turned off. Perhaps a simple circuit that can be cancelled by means of a pushbutton once the petcock has been turned to the off position. In this day and age that may be a little bit too analog now we are all so used to everything being automatic except that it is no more intrusive than a seat belt alarm.

[Steve Newland]

Anybody put in an Electric Petcock, Key on open, Key off closed... Although that will not work 4 block out!!!!

Hi Bill
My T5 came to me with a solenoid valve installed on the fuel line in the left side of the engine bay before the fuel pump. It is energised by a wire from the coil terminal that receives power from the ignition switch.
The valve is closed when not energised. I assume it has a spring to close the valve when there is no power.

[Steve Newland]

Here’s a photo

[Bill Lawless]

Exactly Steve, Anybody have a link as to where you can buy one of these?? Although, that would put my wife out of a job!!!

[Patrick Ertel]

Finally got the brakes done. They hadn't been looked at in 30 or 40 years, so it was past time. The car has had silicone brake fluid in it since I redid the brakes 40 years ago, so the front wheel cylinders only needed a light honing and were good to go. The rears weren't so easy, only because this car is such a mutt. It has a dual mount 741 transmission with B brakes and 20mm wheel cylinders on the rear. The usual sources had no parts for the 20 mm cylinders. I called the local NAPA and they came up with a bag of 13/16 cups, but no boots. I had already ordered 19 mm rebuild kits and the boots out of those kits fit, so I was able to piece them together. I ordered Zim's dual master cylinder kit, which went in fairly easily. I wasn't comfortable with attaching the fluid reservoir to the gas tank strap with a simple hose clamp, so I made a bracket that bolts to the floor and is stabilized with a strap around the gas tank strap. The engine rebuild and new brakes have transformed the car.
Unfortunately, something happened while I was working on the brakes and the charging system stopped working. Trying to figure that out now. I'm getting the feeling I'm going to be chasing gremlins in this car forever.

[Martin Benade]

A small difference but I would have put in the usual 19mm cylinders. I wonder where the 20mm ones came from.

[Patrick Ertel]

They were used on A cars.

According to Skirmants, "From previous experience:
19mm up to 356A, then 20mm on all models. Then back to 19mm for 356B."

I don't know how they got onto the backing plates on a late 741. They've worked fine for years. Cost of parts to rebuild them was less than $8.00. New cylinders would be $116 for the pair.