Zen, What kind of pump did you buy ?   Those Facet(?) brand  pumps I told you about don`t  pump over 2-3 pounds. I have used these pumps for a long time and never had a problem flooding out a engine. :?

I got the pump from Herb. He had purchased it for his double cab.  I like the pump . . . seems to be well made and it is super quite, unlike most electric pumps. The label on the pump body says 2.5 - 4 PSI. I don't know what it's actually putting out, but it's too much for the float and needle valve to hold back.

I bought one of the disk shaped regulators with the dial on top ($19.99 @ AutoZone).  It came with some type of plastic hose nipples and had no provisions to mount it.  I figured the best thing to do would be use 1/8" pipe nipples and mount it on the end of the pump.  I got all the fittings I thought I'd need today at ACE and started to hook it all up . . . this  *%&^*& regulator does not have 1/8" pipe threads!   :-x  The threads are the same pitch, but the diameter is very, very slightly smaller.  A 1/8" fitting will only turn in about 1 round.

But I was determined to Homer on the road.  I went back to ACE and bought a 1/8" pipe tap.  I tried to hold the regulator with a wrench while I cut the threads a little deeper . . . it knocked a lot of the "chrome" finish off it, but I finally got the two holes threaded deep enough for the 1/8" nipples to thread in.  Then something hit the floor . . . got to looking around and found a small screw.  It FELL OUT OF THE REGULATOR.  Three or four more of them were about to fall out!   #-o

So, I tighted all of the screws up, got it mounted, hooked everything up and got it looking like a pro had installed it.  Works like a charm.  BUT THE PIECE OF C&^% LEAKS!!!  Not from the fittings, but from where the two halves of the disc bolt together!   ](*,)  I'm kind'a at a loss right now.  I either need to get a different pump (which will mean more days of downtime) or a good pressure regulator.  I need to cut the pressure down to around 1.5 pounds.

Anyone have any recommendations?  I'm about ready to try to drill out the block for an stock mechanical pump!   :tard:

After talking to Kyle, I backed up and regrouped.  If the pump has a max. pressure rating of 4 pounds, the needle should be able to hold it back.  Instead of trying to mask the problem with a pressure regulator, I needed to find out what the problem was with the carb.

 :idea1:

I started by removing the regulator and hooking the carb back directly to the pump.  I turned the switch back on and TA DA!  . . .  the needle holds the pressure back now!  I guess after sitting for two or three months, the float or needle had stuck.  After sitting overnight with fuel in it, it freed up!  I didn't even have to take the carb apart.

I did get something out of the deal . . . I learned that the aftermarket "Performance" crap at AutoZone has no place on an old Volkswagen!  

I guess I need to take the carb apart anyway.  I can't get it to idle.  Other than that, it runs and sounds GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!   \/

I'm sure glad to hear Homer is back amoung the living. Did you get his timing set?

I had planned to work on the carb today, but Joy wanted to visit with her brother and his family who had rented a cabin near Fall Creek Falls.  So today I put about 250 miles on Homer . . . a lot of them steep mountain miles . . . and other than the idle curcuit in the carb seems to be stopped up, it did a super job.  It didn't run hot, hasn't leaked any oil and got somewhere in the neighborhood of 21 miles per gallon!  With the old engine I was getting less than 15 mpg and leaking a quart of oil a day.  With just the savings from gas and oil, this engine will pay for itself within a couple of months!  

David . . . thanks for shaming me into buying NEW piston/cylinders!  I never knew a stock 1600 could have this much power!

The carb is coming apart tonight!   8-[

On the way to work this morning a dump truck cut in front of me and it looked like his load shifted . . . I got off the gas and on the brake pretty quick because I thought for a second or two he was going to turn over.  The dump truck got straigtened out and I got off the brake and back on the gas . . . it started spitting and spuddering like it was starting to run out of gas . . . but it kept on going.  I ran for about 2 miles with my flashers on, foot to the floor, third gear and doing every bit of 35 MPH.  I got to a place I could stop and checked everything out and couldn't find anything wrong.  It started right back up and ran fine the rest of the way to work.  It ran fine all the way home.  As soon as it cools off a little, I'll tear into the carb and see what kind of little critters made their home in it while it was sitting the past few months!