| Author | Message | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 341 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.225.93.74 Rating: |
When I pulled my fuel tank out it was crusted with black road junk and oil scum! After cleaning I discovered it was stainless. I pulled my tank out of the bus by the way! I needed new supply and return lines for the generator and hurrincane heater, that is where looking inside happened, I drained probably 40 gallons of the ugliest slop I've ever seen, it was a cross between mud and oily diesel. I managed to clean the tank out and cut a hole in the top(after filling it with water) it took me several days of cleaning it out to actually see the bottom of the tank! Being stainless I ordered some stainless stock 2"x 1/2"x 18", cutting off two 5" long pieces, one will weld to the tank and the other holds the return and supply fittings and will seal with threaded bolts and a homemade gasket. Everything being stainless I used Swedgelock stainless fittings, now here is a question, just how brittle will stainless supply and return lines in a bus be? I know copper is soft and more forgiving! I'll just have to figure this out! Back to the tank, there aren't enough filters that I could have used to clean that tank interior and feel good about it, but after the extreme measures I feel confident(at least til the next fuel stop) that I've done the best to clean it up! Lets hear your fuel tank stories! Pat http://prevostlemirage.blogspot.com/ | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member Username: Prevost82 Post Number: 276 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.181.210.47 Rating: N/A |
I would use soft copper, way easier to work with. What I did Pat was to put the copper pipe inside a heavy duty garden hose for protection. I also did this for the propane line running to the stove and BQ | ||
| Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Registered Member Username: Kristinsgrandpa Post Number: 303 Registered: 2-2003 Posted From: 64.24.208.82 Rating: N/A |
Pat, I put a copper tube on the end of an air hose and agitated my fuel for a while before draining. After sitting for 3 years I expected it to be bad, but it looked good. I pumped it through JJ's fuel polisher to put it back in the tank, just to make sure it was clean. The filter on the polisher looked clean inside when I removed it. I put some diesel conditioner in it just after I brought it home in March of 04. Some stuff I got down at Reinharts. And FYI, Reinharts has two old mechanics that are reportedly good Detroit Diesel mechanics. I called one of them one night about 8PM about a problem and he came over to the house to help me and wouldn't take any money for the help. Before Greg Tingler sold his Eagle he had all his work done there. I'd come down to check on your progress but I hate to miss any time working on mine. Ed. | ||
| Don Evans (Doninwa)
Registered Member Username: Doninwa Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 65.61.96.82 Rating: N/A |
I wish my tank was only 20! It is just over twice that age. I suppose that pulling the tank should go on my list of things to do just before hitting the road upon completion of the conversion. Anyone know what conditions promote the growth of the stuff in diesel tanks, ie hot dry, cool damp, non use, ect. Don 1966 4107 | ||
| Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Registered Member Username: Pete_rtsdaytona Post Number: 325 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 72.40.14.234 Rating: N/A |
I picked up my '89 RTS California Transit OmniTRan bus after 14 years and approx 600 miles of transit service. the s/s tanks were absolutely beautiful inside when I drained them to move them back a bit and put a hole for my fuel sender. could that be Ca. or perhaps cause they filled them so often or ran them all day (thus filtering the fuel all day) ?? Pete RTS/Daytona | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 522 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.117.21 Rating: N/A |
Got a 165 gal tank from Luke for my h649... when you remove the fuel filler apparatus, you have about a 8x12 inch hole for access. Because the tank has baffles, steam cleaning is impractical. I put about 2 quarts of pea size gravel in it with a mix of 2 gallons of kerosene and a gallon of laquer thinner. I then set the tank at midpoint on about a 1 foot high stool. Rocked it back and forth sevaral times for about a week, letting the gravel and mixture scrub out the bottom. I then drained and dumped the mix and gravel, then flushed 3 times with a gallon of kerosene each time. Tank came out nice and clean like new. ( removed fuel gage before I started.) Two coats of slow drying paint on outside, cleaned and reconditioned tank straps and support brackets, painted. Will install this spring. I'm going to take old tank and shorten to about 60 to 80 gallons and use for my generator. Will re use fuel filler and fuel gage for generator use. I'll be able to use cheaper dyed fuel this way for the generator, and have an emergency supply if I get out in the middle of nowhere with no engine fuel. | ||
| Randy Lackey (Leadfoot)
Registered Member Username: Leadfoot Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 207.55.227.2 Rating: N/A |
I wouldn't run hard line of any sort all the way to the motor; the vibration will crack your line. The best would be stainless inverted flair hardline to a short length of braided stainless, connecting the component. It may be easier just to run braided stainless all the way. When working with stainless inverted flair, you need a 37 degree flairing tool, and dont forget to treat threads with loctite or even anti-seize. Stainless theads can seize. | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1061 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.65.197 Rating: N/A |
Don, the microbes live in water, use dissolved air and feed on the fuel. This means that they grow right at the interface between the water and the fuel. Wikipedia has a real nice writeup on the subject. If you don't have any water collected in the bottom of the tank, or it is cold, the microbes are slow growing. We are still using fuel in our boat from our last refill in 2000. We have accumulated some water in the primary filter, but the temperature never rises above 55 degrees, and it's not much of a problem. The filters have not been replaced in five years. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 343 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.243.251 Rating: N/A |
Tom, I have to ask, if you last filled you tanks in 2000, how large are the tanks......LOL... or even better how large is the boat?.....just kidding! Pat | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1062 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.65.197 Rating: N/A |
Pat, it's a 62 foot ex drum seiner. The tanks are around 1800 gallons and we still have beteen 300 and 400 of the 2000 fill. When we are running, we usually are only turning around 800 RPM and only burning about 2 GPH, so I think we can put another year or two on the fuel that's aboard. The question is: will it pay to wait? I have a suspicion that fuel has went up enough to cause a recession, but who knows? And if it does, will that bring the price down very much? I just don't know. We DO carry spare filters so that we won't get into a jam. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska |
