Fuel Tank Dilemma.

Tadpole · 27 September 2013, 18:22

Hi All,

Had one of those "Oh Sh!t" moments last weekend when the engine stopped 5 miles out of Cherbourg. Deduced it was due to lack of fuel from the built in tank. The pipe from the engine goes to the top of the tank (via filter of course) and when I blew down it I didn't hear bubbles!
So I reckon there is an internal pipe in the tank that has dropped off, leaving me with a pipe high & dry at the top of the tank!
I cobbled some bits of pipe together with what I had and poked it into the tank via the filler cap & we were off again without a problem.

Back home now I'm pondering how to fix it.
The old fuel pipe entry seems to have a restriction where it is welded in the tank so I can't use that (plus it is a bit small to push a new pipe through even without the restriction).
The breather pipe is the same.
There is a fuel gauge, but the hole is about 55mm, so way too big.

So it looks like I'm going to have to drill a new hole in the tank to poke a pipe to the bottom and somehow fix the fuel line to the engine to it.

Luckily it's an aluminium tank, but the access is through a 6 inch inspection hatch.

Any idea how to do this properly without resorting to a huge blob of sikaflex to hold & seal everything in place?

captnjack · 27 September 2013, 18:45

You can't drain the tank? Then reach inside through the hatch to find the pickup tube in the bottom?

I am guessing it broke off but there's a small chance it could be screwed back onto the underside though the inspection hatch.

I would not use a caulk to seal a fuel tank. Liquid steel (which is actually an epoxy) would be a better bet to me.

Tadpole · 27 September 2013, 19:02

I can syphon the petrol out, but the biggest hole in the tank is the 55mm one. The 6" access hatch is the one in the console through which I'm able to get to the top of the built in tank.
Like a gynacologist!

captnjack · 27 September 2013, 19:31

Could you use a little inspection scope to find and extract the pickup tube? I think if you can get the old bit out it'll tell you alot about why it failed and how to either put it back, replace it with another hole/tube, or replace the whole tank.

fiber optic inspection tool:
Inspection Camera - Save on this Digital Inspection Camera