The stock fuel pump for all fuel injected air cooled VW's has a fuel pressure of 65 PSI. 

All Solex carburetors use between 3 to 5 PSI.  In simple terms your factory fuel pump will flood your carburetor and blow out the needle and seat. (that's a very bad thing to have happen when you are stuck in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic!)

On the subject of fuel pumps "Well I will just use the stock mechanical"  I don't think so, Tim.  The mechanical fuel pump requires mountings that don't exist on fuel injection engines.  You can get one mounted as long as you drill out the holes, then tap them and hope that you don't tear up your case.  So, is installing a $15 fuel pump worth an engine overhaul of $1200 to $1800?  Not in my book.

What is another option?  Electric.  you can buy any electric fuel pump designed to pump 3 to 5 PSI for any auto parts store (I got one for Dave at O Reilly's Auto Parts for $49.99)  Problem: they are not repairable.  Those types of fuel pumps may last 2 to 5 years but when you consider that Dave and I took off the stock fuel pump off of a 1977 Beetle, that still works, after 27 years and almost 400,000 miles.  Cheap pumps will not go that long.

So, we have decided not to use the stock mechanical or a cheap electric fuel pump.  what is left, you ask.  One very good option is using a Holley "red" fuel pump (HL-801-1) along with the red regulator (HL-12-804 or 12-500).  You will want to use the regulator since the red fuel pump is rated at  7 PSI with a flow rate of 97 gallons per hour.  Stock configuration is 3 to 5 PSI and a flow rate of 6 gallons per hour! (Stock configuration is based on using the Solex 28 pic 1 to the 34 pic 3) Yes, Holley makes a "blue" but that is only for racing applications since it puts out 14 PSI and flows 110 gallons per hour, way more than needed in a stock Beetle.

The Holley red regulator has two outputs on it for use on TWO carburetors.  Do not use the return line.  Plug up the return line and use a 3/8 inch NPT (National Pipe Thread) plug on the second port of the regulator.

The Holley fuel pump and the regulator can be rebuilt and you can purchase the rebuild kits from sites listed on our links page.

I know you are thinking "boy, you are really biased in favor of the Holley"  There is a reason.  Holley carries a very good warranty along with great tech support (yes, that is experience talking)

The pressure at the carburetor, after installation, should be about 4.9 PSI, well within range of what the carburetor can handle.

On the Holley regulator, you may have to adjust it down in pressure.  To do this effectively, you will need at Fuel Pressure Gauge.   We had to readjust the regulator down to about 3.4 PSI, so that the carburetor would idle without overflowing it.  But that was our experience with the regulator, your results may vary.

See photos of the installation of the fuel pump and of the regulator on our Fuel Pump page.