Ok, so I bought 3 stock copper mesh fuel filters from 2 different places… A local import auto parts store and Wolfsburg West. For the life of me, I could not get either one to install properly into the tank. Of all things, you wouldn’t think a stock fuel filter would give you so much trouble. The copper mesh would crush each time I’d try to insert it because the hole in the tank was just too small. Here’s a picture of the copper mesh partially inserted into the hole:
I tried strengthening the copper mesh by rigging some fuel hose inside the mesh. You can see the plastic clear piece below, which was inside of the copper mesh when I purchased it. It fits around the fuel hose perfectly actually. This actually worked pretty decently, but I felt the copper mesh wasn’t being used to it’s full potential like this. I destroyed a fuel filter for illustration purposes (see pictures below):
I also tried gently tapping the copper mesh filter into the hole with a screwdriver, pressing on the plastic piece inside the fuel filter. Well, it required too much pressure and the plastic piece would slide toward the end of the filter and peeled the end seams apart. Here are some pictures:
During all of this, I came across a different style fuel tank filter from a different online vintage VW retailer. It has a plastic frame around the mesh, and it actually fits nicely into the hole. Here are some pictures of the final installation:
Works great! Nice and snug, and doesn’t leak! =)