Fuel Pump leaking on new VS

....I've noticed that as I turn the "key" before starting the car....

Pump should not be loose. Tighten and try again.

i'm assuming Facet/Empi square fuel pump?  It should click-click-clack - most are mounted on rubber posts to cut noise.  Rotary pumps are mounted with what looks like a hose clamp?  If it's the square one - i'D REPLACE THEY ARE CHEAP. If it's directly mounted to frame that may be its ground.  A rotary pump like a Carter is far better./ 

Vintage uses a normal VW mechanical pump.

 

It should not be loose.  Tighten the nuts holding the pump down and try running it again.  The pump should not move, nor should it may a knocking sound.  

 

Tighten the fuel line connections before you start it, too - they appear to be loose, too.

 

800 RPM is about normal at idle.  If it was cold when first started and has an automatic choke on a stock VW (single) carb, then cold idle is about 1,000-1,100 RPM.

Ok. I will tighten. The car is running. However it is acting strange. The tact was jumping all over the place. Then when I was barely in 1st or 2nd it was redlining. I was NOT revving it much...just moving thru the gears. The car was real jumpy too...kept lurching as I was steady on the gas. I climbed back under and noticed there is an amount of loose gas under the fuel pump on the frame. This car went from driving great 2 days ago to driving terrible. Help.

Also, I did check the oil. The level was good and it was clear.

 

...The left red speedometer light came on and stayed on...

 

...The car starts and runs low rpm... 

 

...The tact was jumping all over the place...

 

 

I think these three have nothing to do with the fuel leak and could all be caused by loose wires at the alternator and coil - or elsewhere. On a new build, go through the car methodically and check the tightness of all electrical connections.

 

But the fuel leaks are the most serious problem and should be fixed right away. Leaking fuel in the engine compartment is especially serious on these cars as the compartment is closed at the bottom. Fuel and - more importantly - fuel vapors can't escape underneath as on most cars. They can pool and collect until a spark from the alternator or distributor starts a serious fire.

 

If your gas gauge reads 3/4 after using about two gallons, that's actually about right on an eight-gallon tank (which most of us have). These Chinese replica gauges are seldom very accurate and, in any case, should be read only when the car is stopped. Under way, the needle usually swings wildly.

 

Given the other electrical issues you're seeing, an erratic gauge might also be caused by loose wires. Since these cars don't have metal frames, loose grounding wires seem to cause more problems than on other cars.

 

Good luck sorting those gremlins. We all go through the same thing, sometimes more so on a brand new build. It's all part of the adventure we call 'the madness'.

 

 

Ok. Fuel leak fixed. One of the connecting parts on the pump had a crack in it and was leaking. I replaced and no more leak.
Now when driving the car is running really rough. When I step on the gas the tact jumps all over the place and even buries in the red. It's not just the gauge...the car jerks forward and doesn't have much punch (like it did 2 days ago).
If I drive really really easy it seems to be ok but when I step on it even slightly that's when the "jerkiness" starts. I checked the wiring and plug connections.
Any ideas??

 

 

If you don't know aircooled VW engines or the carbs that make them go, now is the time to find someone near you who does. I see you're near Chicago, so that will be easier than if you were in, say, Scratchnose, Nebraska.

 

A brand new engine that suddenly goes from running well to hardly running could be many things, most of which probably aren't serious. The most likely culprits are dirt in the carbs, some wiring that may have come loose, or leaks that may have opened in the intake plumbing or exhaust. An experienced VW guy - and most of them today have very gray hair - will quickly spot this stuff.

 

My new VS would hardly run at all. It turned out that some very basic setup steps hadn't been done. Believe it or not, brand new carbs should be stripped down and thoroughly cleaned. Stuff like machining burrs and dirt - in tiny amounts - can bring things to a stop. The fuel pressure being supplied by the pump needs to be measured with a gauge and set to within the narrow range these carbs demand. The float levels in the carbs need to be set - again, to within a very narrow range.

 

None of this will be tough for that old dude with the gray hair, so finding him should be your first step towards Speedster happiness.

 

 

Make sure you have good solid contacts at the coil

Which carbs are on it? What fuel pump? If you have Kadrons your fuel pressure could be too high.

Find a decent air cooled vw shop get it sorted and enjoy it.

Ted