Dorado
Veteran Member
New Beetle ventectomy \"how to\"
I saved these instructions from a post by SwimmerDave, and it seems that due to the forum change I can't find the original post with search. So I'm posting it again. I just did it today, finally. Very easy. The hardest part on the NB, is getting the tail light to pop off: carefully pry off only at the lower half of the tail light, as it only comes out bottom first. If you use two screwdrivers at the same time its easier (holding one side while you pry off the other). Again, take your time here, because the rubber seal around the tail light is easy to deform.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by SwimmerDave, Sept. 2002:
To keep from having to manually "vent" each time I fill up my 2002 New Beetle, I performed the ever-popular "ventectomy" procedure - removing the gas tank vent valve.
The New Beetle ventecomy procedure are very different than the Jetta and Golf ventecomy procedures. On the NB, You'll need to remove the right tail light (steps below), but you won't even need to bother opening the gas cover - there's no reason to even be inside there for the NB ventectomy procedure.
Tools:
-1 or 2 flat-headed screw driver(s) of appropriate length
-common sense
Procedures:
1) Open the trunk, bend over and look to the right. You should see a round plastic cover with a slot kind of towards the bottom. Using a screw driver, pry it off, taking advantage of the slot towards the bottom.
2) Look inside there. You should see a hand-turnable "star" nut. This helps to keep the tail light in place. Unscrew the not, being careful not to drop it where you can't fetch it. Even if you let it drop, you'll be able to fish out after you remove the tail light.
3) Using the screw driver again, pry under the bottom part of the light. The bumper assembly is plastic, so scratching it should not be a big concern. Keep working the screw driver under there until you are able to "pop" the light out of its socket. Keep trying different spots until the light comes off. Just don't use so much force as to break the light, though ! The light will eventually pop off.
4) Once the tail light assembly is out of the car body, disconnect the 2 clips from the light. If this is not working out for you, you can just let the light hang or get somebody else to hold it.
5) Look up inside the car towards the gas tank. You should see the gas tank neck coming from the filler going towards the tank. There is a small white assembly facing you, though you may need to park your butt on the ground with your legs under the car to see it. This is the vent assembly. Holding the vent assembly in place is a flange with a movable part. Using your all-powerful screw driver, push in the "hinged" part towards the center of the vent valve and pull the vent valve towards you. It should not take too much force. Keep working it until you get it out.
6) After the vent valve is out, turn it so you can see the pressable part. There are a couple of black wedges on each side holding a black plastic cover in place over the spring. Using the screw driver, press in on each wedge and work out the plastic cover. Take out the spring and remove the funny-shaped vent valve. This is only part that will NOT be going back in the car.
7) Replace the spring, put back the plastic cover, and re-insert the white vent assembly back where it came from, remembering the direction the hinged clip part was facing (to the right in my 2002 NB). Use the screw driver to help get the slotted part of the clip to rest in place such that the vent valve assembly cannot easily come in or out.
8) To replace the light, make sure it is facing in the right direction (orange part up and two small, metal fingers sticking out towards the right). If you removed the electrical connections, snap them back on. Then, line up the metal fingers with a slot on the right. Also, make sure the bolt which holds the light in place gets inserted through its hold in the car body. Note that it is attached to an accordian-like piece of metal just to make it easier to re-insert it into the car (those Germans think of everything !!). Make sure the light lines up nicely and the rubber seal is flat all around (not pinched).
9) Screw the black, plastic "star" nut back on the threaded tail-light post from the inside of car.
10) To replace the round, plastic cover, place it against the hole and rotate it until the countour of the cover matches that of the car. It should snap right into place without forcing it.
11) Fill 'er up !!!
I saved these instructions from a post by SwimmerDave, and it seems that due to the forum change I can't find the original post with search. So I'm posting it again. I just did it today, finally. Very easy. The hardest part on the NB, is getting the tail light to pop off: carefully pry off only at the lower half of the tail light, as it only comes out bottom first. If you use two screwdrivers at the same time its easier (holding one side while you pry off the other). Again, take your time here, because the rubber seal around the tail light is easy to deform.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by SwimmerDave, Sept. 2002:
To keep from having to manually "vent" each time I fill up my 2002 New Beetle, I performed the ever-popular "ventectomy" procedure - removing the gas tank vent valve.
The New Beetle ventecomy procedure are very different than the Jetta and Golf ventecomy procedures. On the NB, You'll need to remove the right tail light (steps below), but you won't even need to bother opening the gas cover - there's no reason to even be inside there for the NB ventectomy procedure.
Tools:
-1 or 2 flat-headed screw driver(s) of appropriate length
-common sense
Procedures:
1) Open the trunk, bend over and look to the right. You should see a round plastic cover with a slot kind of towards the bottom. Using a screw driver, pry it off, taking advantage of the slot towards the bottom.
2) Look inside there. You should see a hand-turnable "star" nut. This helps to keep the tail light in place. Unscrew the not, being careful not to drop it where you can't fetch it. Even if you let it drop, you'll be able to fish out after you remove the tail light.
3) Using the screw driver again, pry under the bottom part of the light. The bumper assembly is plastic, so scratching it should not be a big concern. Keep working the screw driver under there until you are able to "pop" the light out of its socket. Keep trying different spots until the light comes off. Just don't use so much force as to break the light, though ! The light will eventually pop off.
4) Once the tail light assembly is out of the car body, disconnect the 2 clips from the light. If this is not working out for you, you can just let the light hang or get somebody else to hold it.
5) Look up inside the car towards the gas tank. You should see the gas tank neck coming from the filler going towards the tank. There is a small white assembly facing you, though you may need to park your butt on the ground with your legs under the car to see it. This is the vent assembly. Holding the vent assembly in place is a flange with a movable part. Using your all-powerful screw driver, push in the "hinged" part towards the center of the vent valve and pull the vent valve towards you. It should not take too much force. Keep working it until you get it out.
6) After the vent valve is out, turn it so you can see the pressable part. There are a couple of black wedges on each side holding a black plastic cover in place over the spring. Using the screw driver, press in on each wedge and work out the plastic cover. Take out the spring and remove the funny-shaped vent valve. This is only part that will NOT be going back in the car.
7) Replace the spring, put back the plastic cover, and re-insert the white vent assembly back where it came from, remembering the direction the hinged clip part was facing (to the right in my 2002 NB). Use the screw driver to help get the slotted part of the clip to rest in place such that the vent valve assembly cannot easily come in or out.
8) To replace the light, make sure it is facing in the right direction (orange part up and two small, metal fingers sticking out towards the right). If you removed the electrical connections, snap them back on. Then, line up the metal fingers with a slot on the right. Also, make sure the bolt which holds the light in place gets inserted through its hold in the car body. Note that it is attached to an accordian-like piece of metal just to make it easier to re-insert it into the car (those Germans think of everything !!). Make sure the light lines up nicely and the rubber seal is flat all around (not pinched).
9) Screw the black, plastic "star" nut back on the threaded tail-light post from the inside of car.
10) To replace the round, plastic cover, place it against the hole and rotate it until the countour of the cover matches that of the car. It should snap right into place without forcing it.
11) Fill 'er up !!!
lol
