# 1973 Volkswagen Beetle sat for two years, now won't start

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** beetle, volkswagen\
**Created:** [April 8, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258 "2018-04-08T17:39:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![david49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@david49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/david49)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258/1 "2018-04-08T17:39:51Z")

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my 1973 vw bug has been sitting for 2 years, i bought a battery and tried to start but no fuel going through fuel filter in engine compartment. what do i do??

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258/2 "2018-04-08T17:43:12Z")

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If you have let it sit that long with fuel in it then every thing is clogged. Drain fuel, clear lines and that might do it .

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**Author:** ![david49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@david49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/david49)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258/3 "2018-04-08T17:58:15Z")

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clear lines? do i need to take fuel tank out and blow air through the fuel lines?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-volkswagen-beetle-sat-for-two-years-now-wont-start/115258/4 "2018-04-08T21:29:27Z")

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The car is a '73, run on gasoline that contains 10% ethanol in a car never designed for that. Your fuel lines, fuel pump and filter likely need to be replaced and the carburetor rebuilt. Drain the tank from the fuel outlet line, I don’t think you need to remove the tank to get to that fitting.