long range fuel tank issue
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:07
ThreadID:
38787
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3240
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
3
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mcgra (VIC)
Hi all
i have a problem with my long range fuel
tank.
i bought it second hand for my 60 series, it had diesel in it before and im running diesel. Gave it a good flush out and was spotless inside. no promlem fitting it and all was great 180lts to fill it up.
was driving had 938ks on the clock with the original fill and lost all power no fuel geting to the engine. still showed fuel on the gauge.
wasnt far from home so got fuel brought to me. went to the servo could only get in 100 lts on top of the 20lts i put in. fuel gauge didnt show full with 120 i put in. i gave it a few mins to let the foaming settle but could fit any more in.
so today i decided to see what was going on i put in 120lts but took out 160lts from the fuel line suction of the
tank.
so my question is does any one know as to why i cannot via the engine pump suck the last 40lts even though with a drill pump i can suck it out.
and why cant i get the last 20 lts in when on the original fill did.
i have taken each line of the
tank and blown air through them and all clear the
tank breather line is clear also.
when i only got the 120lts i thought it strange and rocked the car i did get luod glugs for traped air. i know all the line go to a manifold but does this manifold have some check valves in them perhaps.
thanks for yr help i know its a bit long winded but wanted you to know i have tried all i can think of.
cheers
gra
Reply By: Chucky - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:23
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:23
First up when you opened the
tank did you get the air gasping sound?
Also the drill pump is self priming. So if you lost suction it still kjeeps pumping. A diesel pump wont reprime itself if you get air in the system. So if you go around a corner too fast the suction line can get a load of air in it and it will stop pumping.
My 80 series has a long range
tank, 180lts, and I can never suck it dry, on refill I also have between 15 and 20 lts left in it. Same as my main
tank alsways has about 5 to 10 ltrs in it when I try and suck it dry.
AnswerID:
200741
Follow Up By: mcgra (VIC) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:44
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:44
i was on a straight road. and 40lts was the diffence, will look into it more
FollowupID:
459923
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 20:04
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 20:04
My long range
tank is designed to be as deep as the bash plate on the original, i.e. about 25mm deeper. 135l replaces 90l.
Is yours same?
Had to extend the pickup to get the last 20 litres out.
Other point is to check the sealing. My original
tank had quite a fancy venting system.
Does it have a vent line or a hole in the filler?
Does taking the cap off help? When you take the cap off after 120l, do you hear a rush of air into the
tank?
AnswerID:
200748
Follow Up By: mcgra (VIC) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:40
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:40
when i used teh pump i opened up the cap it sucked air in.
i checked the breather it had hardly any suckion as i pumped out the
tank
do u think is a breather issue?
gra
FollowupID:
459920
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 07:46
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 07:46
Venting the
tank has always been an issue. Try a soft drink bottle with just a small hole in the cap and turn it upside down.
Water won't come out. Take the lid off and it comes out in glugs as the air goes in. Pumping from a fuel
tank with a low pressure pump is similar. If air can not get in, fuel won't come out.
Easiest way to check it is to take the filler cap off and just put a bit of glad wrap or plastic over the filler with a rubber band to hold it. Poke a couple of holes in it as a vent. See if it makes a difference.
Venting changed in the early 80s.
Most caps up to then had vent holes in the cap. After that closed systems with a vent through a filtering system to contain the hydrocarbons. Both have been known to block with dust and dirt.
FollowupID:
459955
Reply By: Tim HJ61 (WA) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:58
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 23:58
Not so much an answer, but maybe a resolution, would be to put a small electric pump in the line, so if the pickup sucks air then the electric pump will suck it back up again. Hopefully any air sucked in this way will purge through the return line from the injector pump back to the fuel
tank.
If you do this, put a small filter prior to the pump so it doesn't get clogged with crud.
Tim
AnswerID:
200798
Reply By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 10:17
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 10:17
Any chance you mixed the return line and the supply line up when you installed the
tank.
The return usually drops fuel back into the
tank at about the 1/4 point. If you are drawing off this line the
tank works fine until you get near 1/4 etc and then you suck air.... As others have said, then you stall the pump and no-go! Where your drill will continue to pump for awhile longer!
Good luck with it anyway!
Matt.
AnswerID:
200830
Reply By: longJohn - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 12:43
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 12:43
What about a surge
tank? Maybe install a small surge
tank in the engine bay, so keep air out of the final fuel line, and air back to the
tank.
AnswerID:
200848
Reply By: mcgra (VIC) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 13:03
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 13:03
thanks for your help.
i have checked and my return doesnt go to the
tank it feed right back into the suction side of the fuel pump.
all hoses are correct and the breather line is also connected correct.
may have to put a pump in also with a surge
tank to remove air in the line.
thanks all
if anyone has an idea pleae let me know.
gra
AnswerID:
200849