The Dreaded Fuel Tank Thread

[Guest richieu]

Had a look through and cant see any topics that match my exact problem so here goes.

 

I just purchased a fuel tank from kitpartsdirect and the sierra sender unit, picture attatched,

 

i just cant work out how it all works,

 

i have the bits to mount it which is fine, but how do i get the fuel down the car =),

 

the sender unit has 2 pipes on it fuel pickup and return ? which one does which?

 

it also doesn't sit in the hole properly do you have to cut the tank for it to fit?

 

also the tank looks like it sits with the hole at the top how does this work as i thought you needed it at the bottom for gravity to work?

 

also do i need a swirl pot somewhere, i only have a carb driver 2ltr pinto with a manual fuel pump ? ( dont want to me cornering and to run out of fuel )

 

last question how does the fuel sender wire up ?

 

sorry for so many questions but i feel so confused =(

 

Rich

[Joel]

....I just purchased a fuel tank from kitpartsdirect....

 

There's your problem

 

Just kidding.

 

You get fuel down the car by running fuel pipe from the tank to the engine, usually down the tunnel (being careful to avoid the propshaft and any other moving/electrical parts).

 

Be aware that there's different types of fuel pipe for low pressure (carb) and high pressure (injection) applications. You can use high pressure pipe for low pressure applications, but not vice-versa, so if you ever want to upgrade to throttle bodies or something similar, I suggest using high pressure stuff from the start!

 

For SVA/IVA regs you need to secure the fuel pipe with a clip every so often (don't know the exact figure but it's something like 6")

 

Standard supply pipe is usually 8mm and return is 6mm using the sender you've got.

 

The supply pipe is the longer one, but you may have to add an extension to make it reach to the bottom of your tank. You might not want it to reach right to the bottom though as it will suck up any crap in the tank, or fit a pre-pump filter.

 

You can fit an external swirl pot, or keep/find a Sierra fuel/air separator which acts as a mini-swirl pot, though I've never had any mid-corner fuel starvation problems with this setup.

 

The sender is wired with the case to earth and the signal to your fuel gauge.

 

The fuel tank sits with the hole at the top.

 

Fitting the sender is where you have to get clever. Welcome to the wonderful world of Robin Hood! Whatever solution you come up with will invariably involve cutting or at least drilling the tank in some way, so be careful to hoover out any swarf before you put fuel in!

 

Good luck.

 

edit: I forgot to add; while you're drilling holes you might want to consider fitting a breather pipe. Run the pipe to the highest point in the system then out to vent somewhere safe, or run it back into the filler pipe.

[Al Milton]

Richie,

 

I had the same problem with the sender when I changed tanks to the GBS 30 litre stainless tank.

 

I presume that you have the filler hole and sender hole (sender hole should have 4 smaller holes circling). If it does, then carefully insert stainless bolts (with a washer) from the inside of the tank so that the thread protrudes above the tank - this is more than a little fiddly with big fingers!

 

Secure these bolts with nuts (obviously) with a little thread lock for good measure.

 

Using a seal of suitable size, (oil filter rubber seal type), position seal in place once thread lock has 'cured'.

 

Then the sender can be positioned and secured in place with nylocks (I have since replaced the pictured nuts) onto the locked bolt threads - don't forget the tank earthing.

 

This is how I secured mine, although the car isn't on the road yet.

 

Hope the piccies explain better, note the tank earth and sender earth cables.

 

Cheers

Al

[miikae]

I cheated when i did mine as i cut the top out of the Sierra tank , trimmed it up drilled holes, bolted it down with a gasket and what was left was to screw the Sender in as one would on the standard Sierra/Fiesta tank etc, local scrappie £1 and they even took the tank off the car for me so i could attack it with tin snips , jobs a good un.

 

Mike

[Guest dremmel1]

....For SVA/IVA regs you need to secure the fuel pipe with a clip every so often (don't know the exact figure but it's something like 6")

 

Standard supply pipe is usually 8mm and return is 6mm using the sender you've got.

Richie

 

IVA regs for clipping pipe are 300mm or less, 250mm to be safe, extra ones where you think you need them,

 

Also for IVA the fuel pipe if plasitic has to be marked "fuel"

 

Good parctice not to run the fuel pipe on same side of tunnel as electrics

 

 

Alan.....

[agent_zed]

I cheated when i did mine as i cut the top out of the Sierra tank , trimmed it up drilled holes, bolted it down with a gasket and what was left was to screw the Sender in as one would on the standard Sierra/Fiesta tank etc, local scrappie £1 and they even took the tank off the car for me so i could attack it with tin snips , jobs a good un.

 

Mike

 

Same