two problems here,

1) we keep losing fuel out the beetle, while it is just sitting around. it has some big afterrmarket fuel filter in the engine bay, which some lowlifr tried to steal while it was sitting in the previous owners front yard.

they just tried to pull it out, and damaged the rubber line from the steel line to the filter, which the previous owner replaced for us already, but it is still losing fuel so I think the solid line may have been pulled out of place, and is leaking at the front.

where do I access the fuel line from the tank to the solid line?

and

2) the handbrake is slack as, where and how do I adjust it?

this is for a early 1970 beetle, it is not a superbug,

also what is the small lever next to the handbrake handle for?

if you look in behind the front wheels you should be able to see the fuel line at the bottom of the tank and the little lever next to the handbrake is to close off the vents under the back seat i think ?? and there are two in mine.

I doubt that pulling the fuel line from the rear would brake/move the fuel line in the pan. The fuel line enters the pan (at the rear) next to the gearbox (into left fork) runs through the pan and comes out under the tank in the front, it is welded at several points in the pan. To check the line at the front , jack the front of the car up, then turn the wheels to full lock and look under the tank, you will be able to see if the line is leaking. Or open the bonnet, remove the lining if any and remove the tank by undoing the 4 bolts holding it down !

Park the car on some grass, where it dies is where you're leak is

Handbrake needs to be adjusted firstly at the drums, then by tightening the nuts on the ends of the cables at the Handbrake end.

The levers, one operates the Heater boxes, the other operates rear vents under the back seat:thumb

thanks guys, well we cant see fuel dripping down, but maybe the tank got drained while we werent there?? I'll have to have a good look over the entire fuel system and see if I can find a leak, I thought it may just be loose in the pan, but if its welded.....

and thanks, we could only find one lever... I really must find out how the vents/heaters work, so I can check it all out before we drive it any more.

and thanks, how do I adjust the handbrake at the drums?? I'll have to pull a wheel and have a look, I should be able to figure it out, foot brake is good, handbrake is non-existant ATM

if you dont know the condition of the drums and shoes I would suggest pulling the drums off and giving the brakes a good look over. Pull back the rubbers on the wheel cylinders to see they arent leaking. Replace if required. Obvoiusly shoes too if needed. Remove the adjusters, clean and never seize them. Wind em all the way back in and reassemble the whole assembly. Put your wheels back on. Bleed the whole system.

Loosen the handbrake cables completely off at the lever. Through the brake drum backing plate, screw the adjusters out with a screwdriver evenly. If you backing plates arent rooted due to some wanker trying to turn seized adjusters this will be easy. Say 5 clicks on one then 5 clicks on the other, until the wheel starts to drag. Pump the brake pedal to centralise the linings. Adjust again if required. Leave them draggin just a little. Then do same on the other wheel.

Now you go back inside the car and adjust the cables up evenly until the handbrake lifts up about 3 clicks. You're done.

thanks amazer, I know a few different brake setups as I am a mechanic (not afraid to try new cars, I can usually figure them out) but never worked on old beetles before, so any background info on where and how adjusters work would be good.

or I just pull it apart and have a look and see what I can do

the adjusters are like a star shaped nut, at the bottom of the drum. You just flick them with a screw driver from the back of the drum.

I really recomend pulling them out and neverseizing them. A lot easier now than when they are seized. You wont be able to slacken them off to get the drum off otherwise. If your backing plates are like 95% of backing plates the holes will be stretched out from stiff adjusters. a PITA.

thanks again, I am planning to check the whole car over, it isnt on the road yet, we are working on getting it roadworthy first

and please dont tell me I need to undo the one big nut in the centre of the hub to take the drum off a beetle, please.

although apparently the brakes are all new, although I'm unsure if it is all round or just at the front.

you don't have to take off the but nut from the rear drum to take off the drum.

Disclaimer: the previous information is totally false.

If you're in Melbourne, I can lend you the 36mm socket and wratchet and even my old axel tube to take off the aforementioned.... its not as hard once you got an extention tube to gain sufficient torque...(217ft lb+!)

:thumb

oh, 36mm you say?? almost as bad as the 54mm flywheel nut on rotoaries

thanks for the offer, but I am in Adelaide, and I'm guessing they also have to be done up f**k tight too when I put it back together.

/me begins the search of the toolbox for a rather large socket...

yeh, they are pretty F%^! tite. I remember leaning all my 63kg of lean muscle on the lever arm of the wrachet and I just stayed suspended in the air!
:alien

Rota

Seeing as Rob is busy these days i will push his site here

http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/ 

have a look in his tech articles. He has pictures and stories that would put most manuals to shame

thanks for the heads up blue74

and oval TOFU, I shouldnt have as much of a problem, 100+ kg of me on the end of a couple metre lever bar should undo the nut easy enough

Not alway so Rota.

The car can "bounce" when you try to undo it. Even with the hand brake on!

What works for me is the "Battle axe" V Force made up.
It is a head about 300x200 mm with bolt holes that go into the drum plate. This head is like at least 5mm thick.
It then has a metre long 50mm pipe welded to it.
When you bolt it to the drum it gives it a leverage that locks it in place.

Other wise park in front of a tree so as the car dont go anywhere!

well this car is going to be alot of work to fix up the stupid things done by the previous owner

I just figured out that he has filled the heater ducts up with spray foam, so thats gonna be fun, and we gotta get the heaters working

but the brakes are good, so to undo the nut, there will be one of us sitting in the car with the footbrake firmly applied, and me bouncing on the breaker bar to undo the nut - easy well it sounds easy.