Depending on the year of your Beetle, removing the fuel pump can become necessary for a number of reasons. Your vintage VW's fuel pump may have simply worn out. If you own a new generation Beetle, perhaps there is a problem somewhere else in your fuel system. Regardless, most backyard mechanics can remove a Beetle's fuel pump with some time and elbow grease.
The first step to removing a fuel pump is to drop the gas tank from the undercarriage of the Beetle. Drive the VW up onto a pair of wheel ramps and locate the gas tank on the underside of the car. Depending on the particularly year of your bug it may be on the rear or front portion of the undercarriage and is a large rectangular shaped object. Disconnect the fuel lines mounted on the engine side of the gas tank and then use a ratchet to disconnect the strapping holding the tank in place. Carefully lower the tank down from its mount and rest it on the ground or pull it out from underneath the car.
Locate the fuel pump, which is a circular housing located on the top portion of the tank. Make sure the battery terminals are disconnected, and then disconnect the electrical connection on top of the fuel pump assembly. Use a set of crescent wrenches to disconnect the fuel lines that lead into the top of the fuel pump, and then set them aside. cover the ends with tape so that no dirt enters the lines.
The last part of removal, pulling the pump itself, is the easiest. Use a ratchet wrench to remove the mounting screws on top of the pump housing. Twist the entire housing slightly to work it from from the gas tank, and then carefully slide the pump out. Many older pumps will be of an in-tank design. However, newer Volkswagen Beetles can be equipped with an external fuel pump that you can simply unbolted.
