So I need a shoulder to cry on!! Maybe just a lot of beer!!

Spent about 4 hours under 88 trying to remove one of the rear levelers so I could get at the fuel tank straps. Every bolt and screw is so corroded they will not loosen, even after a can of Master Blaster. Sprayed them about a week ago, and again several times. Had to grind the heads off the pivot bolts and then grind off one side of the mounting bracket. I guess this coach being from the Savanna Ga. area really promoted rust. Not worried about the leveling system it is missing the pump and many of the hydraulic lines have been cut.

Still have not been able to get the mounting bracket off the frame, gonna have to get a nut splitter. They are only half inch bolts but I believe they are like grade 8 even the impact wrench will not loosen or break the little buggers. If the splitter works, will do that first on the other side.

Jim said Tere took their tank off, bless her heart, could use her here for sure!! This is a big tank, should measure it, it might be bigger than 60 gallons. It does not look like the 60 gallon replacement. This tank has sharp corners and a complete rectangle.

The reason for getting going on this project is that the electric fuel pump must be kaput! Can not get any flow from the tank. Went for a test ride and only got 2 blocks before it quit, had to keep pouring gas in carb to get back home. Took the new fuel filter off and left the line open, hit the starter,,, no flow at all!

Trying to find the tank fuel pump connector, without success, when it shows itself, will jump power to the pump and see if it pumps. Wiring diagram shows the oil pressure switch is the last contact inline, if that is the one below the pressure sending unit perhaps it could be jumped from there. Think the wires should run along the frame, rather than inside the coach, but they are not readily showing themselves.

Borrowed my friends volt meter to leave mine connected and not have to move it back and forth, dropped his on the hot manifold, now owe him a new volt meter!!!!

Another not so good day in 88ville.

Just remember, Duane. Some days you’re the dog, some days you’re the tree.

Once you tame the fuel system you will have much better reliability.

Go ahead, have good cry. I’ll have some Scotch and cry too

quote:

gonna have to get a nut splitter

Sometimes the propane torch from the plumbing projects comes in handy on the Barth. Give it 60 seconds of blue flame and that helps to persuade the corrosion to loosen its grip.
Matt

quote:

Can not get any flow from the tank.

Similar things happened to me. There is a short rubber hose inside the tank that connects the electric fuel pump to the metal fuel tube. It got loose.

https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...061/m/7263975367/p/2

What happened for me was that the rig ran, when the fuel tank was over half full. In that case, the mechanical pump on the 454 was drawing fuel from the tank, albeit poorly. The thing would act like it was sometimes running out of gas, until when it was running out of gas at half a tank.

Good luck!
Matt

Steve can't Duane put a fuel pump in line and forget the one in the tank?

Yes, Tom and thanks for the thought. That is the easy way out, and sure considered it. Opted to do it the hard way. To use an inline pump, should remove the regulator and still have the sock in the tank to worry about! Pulling through all that stuff might be real hard on an inline pump.

So rain yesterday and Tuesday was lawn day, days off!!

Found the pump and fuel gauge electrical connector. Jumped the pump to the battery, no fuel flow, assume it is a dead dog. A few hours of work and got the drivers side leveler off. A bit more work to finish the passenger side and should be able to get at the fuel tank straps. Hope that the bolts holding the tank are not as tough to remove as were the levelers'. Been spraying them with Master Blaster! Six bolts to the frame and four for the straps.

Might be able to drop the tank tomorrow if it does not rain to much. Supposed to rain on and off for the next week.

Call it a OK day!!

quote:

Originally posted by Duane88:
Yes, Tom and thanks for the thought. That is the easy way out, and sure considered it. Opted to do it the hard way. To use an inline pump, should remove the regulator and still have the sock in the tank to worry about! Pulling through all that stuff might be real hard on an inline pump.

That was a real concern for my system. Mine started out as a recirculating system. The intank pumps had screens to plug (they did) and the rubber coupler between pump and top outlet that can fail (mine did). From those pumps we went to the fuel tank selector valve, a frame mounted Holley regulator, a frame mounted filter, to the mechanical fuel pump and return back to the tank. There was another line from the mechanical fuel pump to the carb. There was a small filter in the carb (it plugged too)

Fuel starvation was the issue when:
The intank pump failed, the pump coupler hose leaked, the intank filter sock plugged up, the fuel selector valve stuck, the regulator leaked, the mechanical pump leaked, or the carb filter plugged up.

I removed the mechanical pump and the regulator, installed a 4-6psi regulated frame electric pump. As Duane suggests, it is a hard pull for the frame pump through the old sock and tank pump. I removed the entire fuel pump assembly from one tank and put in a straight open suction pipe, the other I bypassed the pump by using a different tube already there. Since both of these were intentionally wide open to eliminate plugging, I installed a nice aftermarket cartridge fuel filter near each tank.

From there to the selector and the frame electric pump, then to the carburetor. There was an inline filter next to the carb. Even though the system was no longer recirculating it worked really well. Since the fuel never went to the hot engine fuel pump area, it never got hot enough to vapor lock.

When I went to the fuel injection system, all I had to do was install a higher pressure fuel pump and reconnect the fuel return line to the TBI.

Once I got rid of the tank sock filter, the pump and the connecter hose and went with straight pipes and big filters I never had any more fuel problems.

Good luck chasing your GM fuel demons.

Have Barth, will travel

Praise the Lord and pass the Ammunition, the ******* fuel tank is on wood blocks under the coach!!! All disconnected, need a furniture dolly to slide under it and jack the coach up another few inches, so it can be slid out from under.

Was not fun but, with a floor jack, jack stands, and wood blocks, also being a bit careful was able to lower it without incident. The levelers were by far the biggest problem getting the bolts off even with a powerful impact wrench was a real pain, had to grind some, split the nuts on some and a few came off with the impact. The bolts holding the tank and straps came off with the impact, been soaking them a week or so with Master Blaster. Less rusted and not as strong a fastener as the levelers had.

Tomorrow will take a look at the tanks' inside. Gonna cost a fortune to replace all the rubber fuel lines, vents, and filler tube. also the line to the generator, all are hard except the filler tube and that is soft!!

Will be interesting to find out about the fuel pump, curious what caused the failure. Wonder if anything more than a fuel pump will be necessary.

Lots of work but a good day!!

Steve brings up a good point, would going with a straight pipe (no in tank fuel pump) a high quality inline fuel pump and the cartridge filter be a better option. This option also eliminates the pressure regulator. If any future repair would be required it would all be out and with easy access. Never have to drop that ******* fuel tank again. Also gets rid of that inline filter that takes the fuel line down to 3/8 from a 1/2 inch. The wiring is already in place with a prime circuit and a oil pressure shut off. Presently runs the in tank fuel pump. Single tank so no fuel line switcher either. May be eliminate the mechanical fuel pump too. Will have to leave the fuel level sending unit in place.

Whatever shall I do????

quote:

Whatever shall I do????

Both answers have strong "positives". Steve has a good idea, the performance will be what you seek, and the maintainability of the situation seems straightforward. The GM engineers had a good idea, in that the the pressure pump is contained in the fuel tank, and a fault in the region of the pump means no fuel is spilled or leaking underneath.

The GM answer was good for 2 or 3 decades of performance. Parts availability is becoming an issue with our rigs. If you need to do work again in 10 or 15 years, which system do you want to be trying to find parts for?

Happy Wrenching!
Matt

What a mess!!! Got the tank out from under the coach, pulled the fuel sending unit, have pictures but not able to show them!!

The whole inside of the tank is a rusted mess, the sock is all but closed due to rust, the fuel in there looks like Blue Moon beer! all the tubes on the sending unit are a big rusted mess and the rubber connector to the fuel pump is all but disintegrated. This assembly has not functioned in years, if not decades. surprised it would even start. The mechanical fuel pump was defiantly doing all the work.

The inside of the tank is so bad, not sure it can be cleaned or saved, all kinds of baffles in there limiting access, everything visible is really rusted.

Gonna check for a new tank and sending unit, pretty much in a state of depression right now!!

Will let ya know how it goes!!!

Roppel Industries refurbishes gas tanks. They did the one on Old Blue. Fantastic results. Indiana, Ky, TN.

Put two beer kegs in series get about 400 miles per.

Well choices are few, can not find a 60 gallon tank similar to this one. Could replace with a 40 gallon tank. A new fuel sending unit for this tank in not available. The 40 gallon tank one is available.

So a 40 gallon set up, or take The Steve VW approach, clean the tank as well as possible, cobble up a straight pipe pick-up. The Holley Stealth carburetor electric fuel pump seems like a long lasting product. Get a Summit fuel filter. No regulator, Holley does not need it. Think the mechanical fuel pump will stay, can always remove it later if a problem occurs. Replace all the rubber fill, vent, generator and fuel lines. Should be able to reuse the existing fuel pump electrical circuit.

Favor the Steve approach.

Gotta figure out how to dispose of the cruddy gas and tank cleaning residue. Assume it is considered hazardous. I guess vinegar is a good cleaner after a wash with Dawn dish soap. Would send the tank to Jim's cleaner if not so far away does not seem to be anyone local.

Did the math on this tank and it is actually an 80 gallon tank!

Better ideas accepted!!!!

I would try meratic acid instead of vinegar. Nothing to loose.