GTi Swirl pot issues....>!

Please note this is taken from another members forum: Credit to vw_singhMk1 Golf - Fuel starvation on right hand bends….Analysis and conclusionNote: Images taken from other forums.As many of you mk1 owners have already suffered or seen, mk1 golf tend to suffer from detrimental fuel starvation on tight long right hand bends. The general consensus has been that the mk1 tank isn’t up to the job due to the lack of a proper lift pump and a poorly designed tank. But the interesting thing is that this problem doesn’t seem to be consistent across all mk1s. The fact is that some very powerful mk1 machinery run with standard GTi setups and do not suffer any of the issues related to high cornering ‘Gs’ and fuel starvation.After my mk1 started to suffer the dreaded fuel starvation at the last Curby event, I started to investigate what was going on as prior to this, my mk1 didn’t have this issue.Upon removing the fuel level sender from the tank, it is possible to see the in-tank fuel swirl pot. In the centre of the swirl pot, the factory gauze filter can be seen. This can be removed with a hook or pliers.And here is an exploded image of the swirl pot and its parts.  How it works is that the fuel from the tank passes through into the centre of the filter from where it heads downwards towards the rubber sealing disc and then gets sucked out of the tank along a pipe to the tank outlet.Here is the bottom of the swirl pot showing the sealing disc location and fuel pickup hole.  So what has happened to my tank? Well, upon removing the filter, I found the bottom of the swirl pot to be full of dirt and rust particles present from a previous filler pipe rupture with resulting dirt and flakes of rust being sucked into the swirl pot.Using a flexible magnetic pickup, I proceeded to remove all the flake of rust until the area was clean as possible. But as the dirt was removed, it became apparent that the rubber sealing disc had broken down and become perforated. Using some pliers, I removed the damaged disc. The problem that leaves me with is that the swirl pot no longer has a sealed bottom so thus drains itself back into the tank in was filled from. So instead of the fuel pump receiving a steady flow of fuel from the swirl pot on hard corners, the swirl pot empties itself out leaving the pump to run dry and starve the pump of fuel.The thing is that the swirl pot is not removable from the tank without cutting the tank open and the rubber disc cannot be fitted without removing the swirl pot.So unfortunately that leaves me with one conclusion. The tank is kaput! I can now either try to find another 2nd hand tank, which will be like walking through a minefield, or fit some expensive after market pumps, external swirl pot and pipe work. I hope others find this info helpful.Has anyone else come across this?????????  I have just restored my tank - but is still ok to use?????

I assume this is the swirl pot mentioned - with the remains of the rubber below together with now removed debris!

I assume the fuel system will still work okay without the flap…….

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so what exactly are you asking? has your rubber seal gone?

Yes the rubber seal has gone.

Think you just have to live with it. 2nd hand tanks will almost certainly suffer the same problem and pattern replacement parts are cr P (and don't have a swirl pot or rubber flap anyway?)

Keep the tank 1/4+ full or take it easy on big roundabouts.  

the 2nd hand 'gti/diesel' tanks do have a pot but its primitive in design so doesnt work very well.  I wonder if some thick rubber could be chopped up and wedged in by the wee filter somehow. all very fiddly when its in the tank

Agreed rubjonny.

My current thinking is to keep my tank in situ and add an inline fuel filter between the tank and the fuel pump.  The in-tank filter is obviously no longer doing anything as the swirl tank is no longer sealed at the bottom.

I never noticed any fuel starvation due to the "leaking swirl pot" - and as crazyquiff has previously mentioned the fuel accumulator SHOULD maintain enough fuel to "get you round the corner".  

Looking into the tank with an endoscope it would be pretty impossible to re-seal the base of the swirl pot.  

Not only access.  The problem is that the fuel outlet tube runs along the base of the tank to inside the base of the swirl pot and then has a 90 degree end facing down towards the bottom of the tank.  I have confirmed this with a piece of wire directed along the pipe.  

Therefore the seal on the base of the swirl pot must have been of a greater diameter than hole in the base of the swirl-pot - if that makes sense……..?!

I have read various "theories" about the "rubber" base of the swirl pot - from it being an o-ring, a one way flap, permeable…….

The thing that mystifies me is how does the fuel get into the swirl pot???  If it came in the top only then when the fuel level was below that of the top of the swirl pot - no fuel could enter the swirl pot???

Interesting…………………………

errr… if you've never noticed any fuel starvation, what's the problem then?

Problem is that when restoring the tank I have found the seal in the base of the swirl tank is missing.  This therefore means that the in-tank filter is no longer doing its job - so no filter between the tank and the pump = any muck in the tank is going straight through the pump - not clever!

Having read on the forums about the missing swirl pot rubber base it seems some people say that leads to fuel starvation.  I wanted to make sure that before I put the tank back it was not going to cause any future issues.

the accumulator could help to a certain extent I guess, but there is only so much it can do if the main pump runs dry the fuel pressure will drop off pretty quickly.

as an experiment to see how well it can help once pump is sucking air, pull the fuel relay out when its idling and see how long it keeps running for

iirc there might be seals in the side of the pot too which would be more of an issue? plus it would depend how full the tank is as well, the length of the bend and which way you are cornering

if there is only 1 hole in the bottom of the pot, then the rubber thing must be a non-return flap, not a seal. allows fuel in, but not out!

what are the new tanks from VW like?

unavailable

They are there on classic parts de


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its a classic+ part though so not genuine. no garauntee the swirl pot is oem design or pattern design without buying one to see!

Yeah i would expect a part they are selling to be correct spec though or return it.
Facebook would have you believe these parts are now available to order via vw dealerships too


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yes some dealerships are signed up to the classic parts program, but not all of them