Changed the fuel system..all of it

[ohioworker]

I was having problems with the steel tank and didn’t really like the old system, so I mounted a 100gal aluminum tank in the bed. 1/2” line with shutoff valve leads to a easy access 10 micron primary filter with water separator then airtex 8131 inline pump. 3/8” line down the driver side rail to the boost pump (the factory fuel line from the primary to the pump, in my mind was a bad design, running along the bottom of the frame like that, mine was half mashed) I fabbed up the bracket for the secondary from 5” c channel with just 1, 2 micron filter. Before and after pressure gauges.(changing gauges from 60 to 100 psi they sent the wrong ones) bleeder valve tied into return. I didn’t install a fuel bypass because I don’t think it needs it. Maybe I’m wrong but unless my filter is completely clogged I can’t see pressure spiking enough to hurt a seal when shutting down at idle and only 25 psi on the line.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Not bad. I'm not a fan of the steel fuel tanks either, I've got an aluminum to put on my truck eventually too.

 

[rustystud]

Not bad. I'm not a fan of the steel fuel tanks either, I've got an aluminum to put on my truck eventually too.

I just wish I could find a nice stainless steel tank near me ! No more rust issues.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Why stainless over aluminum? I never thought to look for stainless.

 

[ohioworker]

I was gonna go for an A3 tank but couldn’t find one local. I thought about stainless too but Most of the tanks I found from bigger trucks were aluminum. I think mine was from a peterbuilt.

 

[rustystud]

Why stainless over aluminum? I never thought to look for stainless.

Stainless steel can take a "hit" and still work fine. An aluminum tank will crack when hit. Then start leaking.
That is why the newer 5 tons went to stainless steel I'm sure. Our low floor buses went to stainless steel tanks over a decade ago due to this very issue. The tanks are mounted low under the frame, and can get hit when drivers go over sidewalk curbs.
I can tell you, stopping a leaking bus fuel tank so you can tow it back to the bus barn (which holds over 300 gallons !) is a royal pain ! Since the transit must meet all Environmental laws regarding leaking fuel and oils, all the fuel had to be cleaned up by the repair crew !
I've spent hours going down city blocks cleaning up spilt fuel with "Kitty Litter" and a shovel and broom.

 

[porkysplace]

Stainless steel can take a "hit" and still work fine. An aluminum tank will crack when hit. Then start leaking.
That is why the newer 5 tons went to stainless steel I'm sure. Our low floor buses went to stainless steel tanks over a decade ago due to this very issue. The tanks are mounted low under the frame, and can get hit when drivers go over sidewalk curbs.
I can tell you, stopping a leaking bus fuel tank so you can tow it back to the bus barn (which holds over 300 gallons !) is a royal pain ! Since the transit must meet all Environmental laws regarding leaking fuel and oils, all the fuel had to be cleaned up by the repair crew !
I've spent hours going down city blocks cleaning up spilt fuel with "Kitty Litter" and a shovel and broom.

They call in a Haz-Mat company and pump leaking tanks here ,before they allow them be moved . Hard to believe anywhere on the left coast would allow a vehicle with a fuel leak to be moved with fuel in it.

 

[rustystud]

They call in a Haz-Mat company and pump leaking tanks here ,before they allow them be moved . Hard to believe anywhere on the left coast would allow a vehicle with a fuel leak to be moved with fuel in it.

The transit department has it's own "Haz-Mat" unit for bus spills out here. We are required to clean-up the "major" spill before removing the bus. Then they come in with road sweepers and such. The spill must be contained though before the bus is allowed to be moved.
So you see the bus is not leaking when it is moved as I said before. Why would you believe otherwise ? Didn't I say we had to clean-up the mess ?
Also the "right" coast is not right at all. How Liberal is the state of New York, or Vermont, or any of them actually. Really they actually elected Socialists to the congress !

 

[porkysplace]

The transit department has it's own "Haz-Mat" unit for bus spills out here. We are required to clean-up the "major" spill before removing the bus. Then they come in with road sweepers and such. The spill must be contained though before the bus is allowed to be moved.
So you see the bus is not leaking when it is moved as I said before. Why would you believe otherwise ? Didn't I say we had to clean-up the mess ?
Also the "right" coast is not right at all. How Liberal is the state of New York, or Vermont, or any of them actually. Really they actually elected Socialists to the congress !

You said stopping leaking fuel , which means there is still fuel in the tank and can leak , here they pump them so there is no chance of leaking.

 

[rustystud]

You said stopping leaking fuel , which means there is still fuel in the tank and can leak , here they pump them so there is no chance of leaking.

If the tank had a leak that could not be safely patched on the road it would be drained. But dealing with 300 gallons of diesel is not an easy thing to do on the road. What does it matter if the fuel is no longer leaking ? The bus can be safely towed to the barn and dealt with there. Why waste tax payers money draining a tank when you don't have to ?
We had this "sticky" patch we could apply to the tank that would stop most leaks. But now like I mentioned earlier all our tanks are made from Stainless Steel and I have not seen a leaking one on the road since.
A much better use of the tax payers money if I do say so myself.