Fuel tank screen removal

[drooartz]

After giving it a good once over, I've decided to use the original fuel tank from the Tunebug. It's in really solid shape, and was boiled out by a radiator shop about a year ago, but not coated. A bit of flash rust on the inside, that's all. It feels much more substantial than the replacement tank I bought.

So, I'm now considering coating the tank the issue, if I remember, is the filter on the fuel pickup. I'll be running a filter on the fuel line before the pump, so I don't need this filter. How do I remove it?

How much of what is shown in the photo do I remove? Or is the filter/screen internal to this item shown?

 

[Billm]

I wouldn't mess with coating it. Pour a cup or so of common engine oil in it and slosh it around to prevent further rusting until you use it then the gasoline will keep it from rusting further.
The oil will cause virtually no problems (a little smoke during the first tank, if that).
Bill

 

[drooartz]

Thanks, Bill. I was wondering about just leaving it as is.

 

[HAN8L1965]

Well I coated mine with a kit from Eastwood, not knowing about the internal filter. The tank looks great. I enede up punching a hole in the bottom of the filter and added an external filter between the pump and the tank . Works great but was concerned after the coating process.

mark

 

[regularman]

I could not even see mine in the midget and had to make a hole in the tank and a plate and gasket to go over the hole. I removed my filter and Red Koted the tank because I had some pin holes in it. The stuff seemed to work great. Its what the radiator shops use.

 

[mk2sprite]

That is a amazingly good view of it. mine was more of a screen like sock, I used a long rod and just punched a bunch of holes in it. Tank looks good, Maybe clean it out and then do the oil coat??
Mike

 

[Morris]

Drew,

It looks like the screen is already gone. There should be a screen around the plastic structure at the end of the pick up. Whatever you end up doing, make sure you run a filter before your fuel pump.

 

[drooartz]

Well there you go -- now I understand why I couldn't see the screen -- there isn't one. The tank was boiled out by a radiator shop once, so I wonder if the screen went away during that process.

I'll be running a filter between the tank and pump for certain. I figure I'll do a bit of a swish around with some acetone for a final cleaning, then an oil coating. I'm hoping the weather clears up a bit today so I can do some painting. The outside of the tank is ready for paint.

 

[Bayless]

If you put a filter before the pump, be sure you put it in a place where you can check it regularly. A clogged filter before the pump will quickly burn the pump out. If it can't suck, the contacts won't open and the solenoid stays energized indefinately or at least until you give up and turn the key off.

 

[Billm]

Not on an SU or Faucet pump, either of those will just continue but I agree with Bayless that a clogged filter before the pump could be a pain even if it is a good idea to have it there. Make it easy to get to.
Bill

 

[dklawson]

Regarding the filter before the pump... as suggested, use a translucent or transparent one. I would also suggest that it have a coarse element, not a fine one. The pump can handle small bits of trash, your goal should be to prevent boulders from getting sucked up. Put a fine filter on the discharge side, preferably right before the carbs.

I ran an electric Carter pump on our GT6 when it first went back on the road. I put a fine element, metal case fuel filter before the pump. After less than 200 miles the pump died because the filter became 100% plugged with silt. The electric Carter pump cooled itself with flowing fuel and promptly burned itself out when the filter plugged. It was an expensive lesson.

 

[drooartz]

Good to know. I did just buy one of the metal case filters for this application, but it's simple enough to return it and get a clear one.

On a side note, how hard is it to run 2 pumps? I'm thinking about a way to switch on a second pump if the first one dies some how (on a separate electrical circuit). Can the pumps just sit inline with each other? I don't know all that much about fuel pumps...

 

[theleisure]

Here's one way to do it...

 

[drooartz]

Thanks for the picture. Something like that could work.

 

[dklawson]

Dave DuBois (the SU pump guy) has information on his site about dual pumps. However, I think he suggests connecting them in series as opposed to the parallel set up shown above. Here's a link to a PDF on Dave's web site:
https://homepages.donobi.net/sufuelpumps/Fuel_Pumps/Back_up_Fuel_Pump.pdf

The coarse filter I use before my electric pumps is the type with the chrome ends, tubular glass body, and white plastic replaceable filter elements. A picture of one similar to mine is here:
https://www.ratsport.triumphshop.co.uk/ratsport/Images/partspics/fuelfilters/fuelfilterdismantled.jpg

Right before the carbs I use the old "VW" type inline fuel filter. They look like the JPG below. They are inexpensive on eBay.
https://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/images/129236.jpg

Theleisure, tell us about that clear fuel line in the pump picture. Where can it be bought and how does it hold up over time?

 

[drooartz]

Thanks!

 

[theleisure]

Hey Doug,

The photo of the dual pumps is from the Sprite Spot photo album of the Sprinzel Sebring Sprite so I'm not sure where the clear tubing in the photo is from. I can tell you that all of the scooters here in Key West have clear fuel lines so the stuff is available. When it's new it's nice and flexible like a black fuel hose but it gets pretty hard over time. When I switched carbs on my scooter a couple years ago I had to cut the line about an inch and a half back from where it connected to the old carb because the end would crack when tightened down. "Hold up over time" can be a relative term when discussing spridgets & scooters I guess.

 

[dklawson]

Thanks for the information on the fuel line. I did some poking around at some of the racing suppliers and eBay. I found a few different types of clear fuel tubing, even a couple with braid.

My father-in-law runs a Formula-Vee in vintage and he frequently decides NOT to add additional fuel between sessions. As a result, he's coasted into the paddock on several occasions. I've wanted to add a sight glass or similar to the fuel cell but nothing seemed quite acceptable. Perhaps a length of the clear fuel line ("T"ed to the line between the fuel cell and pump) would work with with a fuel filter on top for a vent. I'm not sure that would pass tech though.