Handle

[Mark-356]

I know Starwars is about to start but I wondering if one you knowidgable 356 owners could tell what this handle is for. I have not pulled it or turned in case it’s the ejector seat




Many Thanks

Mark

[Kneeslider]

Its the fuel reserve tap. Normally the handle points straight up for on, which then leaves about a gallon in the bottom of the tank as a reserve. Turn it to the right and you access the rest of the fuel, turn to the left to turn the fuel off. There should be the markings A, R, and Z on the rubber that the lever sticks through for Auf for on, Reserve (or whatever the German equivalent) and Zu, for off.

[Mark-356]

Your a star Kneeslider

Thanks very much

Mark

[marc500]

mine's fitted so it points down for on... pointing left to access reserve and pointing right for off. I tend to switch it off if I think I'm not going to be using the car for a while and then run out of fuel at the same place up the road when I forget to switch it back on

[Mark-356]

mine's fitted so it points down for on... pointing left to access reserve and pointing right for off. I tend to switch it off if I think I'm not going to be using the car for a while and then run out of fuel at the same place up the road when I forget to switch it back on

Funny

[roy mawbey]

Mine is in the same position as Marc's one. For 40 years I never turned mine off after trips out until one day got in the car and the alloy ' petcock ' the item the black turn off rod is connected to, was leaking fuel. The petcock directly under the fuel tank, had a cork gasket that failed after 50 years! When I bought a rebuild kit for the petcock the defective cork gasket I removed crumbled like hardened wood from its housing!!

So... for the past 10 years I remember now to turn off the fuel supply after taking the car out.

Roy

[POR68]

I always turn mine off (Right) about 100 metres from home. No carby weeps.That with the gearshift reverse lock on the car makes it harder to steal/pinch. I did find that fitting the correct 2-piece radio with its rear power pack could foul the petcock valve lever, however.

[mycar]

Agreed, get into the habit of turning your petcock off when parking up.

Otherwise there is a chance that one or other needle valves in your carburetors won't close correctly.... maybe a bit of crud gets lodged in there or general wear and tear and slowly but surely the contents of your fuel tank will spill into your engine... maybe causing a hydraulic lock and broken bits but at the very least requiring an oil change.

Here's a laser level on the top of my A tank...



and the same level round the back.



That's nearly 9 inches above the carb top. The fuel tank is about 9 inches deep.



Fuel seeping down the cylinders has happened to me only once and that was after the carburettors had been rebuild by a reputable carburettor rebuilding company. Who made a rubbish job of it.

Always Zu your petcock.

[roy mawbey]

Yes absolutely correct the needle valve to the float bowl can fail. I had one fail on a 356C I owned. I was lucky checked the oil and noticed the level was over the top mark by a considerable amount. Then noticed the smell of petrol on it. This was well over 40 years ago and I was foxed by this. Until I removed the needle valve and noticed when I blew down it the ball would not seat in certain places.
So lucky really if I had not checked it, within a short time it would have been high enough in the sump to lock the engine no doubt.

It says something for also just checking the dip stick regularly as this can happen without you realising it.

Roy

[vwgillybilly]

Also happened to me, I was totally unaware & fortunately when I cranked the engine over the wife was stood behind the car & unluckily for her got covered in fuel being pushed out of the exhaust, luckily for me it didn't hydraulic lock.

Gill.