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(Ferret) fuel tank woes


Aussie

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Ferrets seem to be topical at the moment so thought I'd run this past you.

One of the Ferrets became incontinent - leaking radiator so re-cored that. Now can't get fuel from the tank. Both fuel lines blocked and only able to clear one of them with the compressor, so now emptying the tank to get both lines off and unblock'em.

My question - and I'm not expecting any easy solution but you never know - is how to get whatever crud is in the bottom of the tank out without removing the tank (and doing the job properly, I hear you say!). Is there something I can put in the tank for a while and then drain it out? I thought off putting a compressor hose into the tank to blow stuff around and hopefully loosen most of the dross but even that would work better if there was some sort of solution in the tank to swill around.

I vaguely remember a petrol tank reconditioning item - might have been POR8 but really can't recall - that included something to clean the tank first.....?

Cheers

James

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I had to remove the fuel tank on a Ferret we had - wasn't too bad to do in the end, certainly helps to have someone outside the vehicle to pass you tools! Ours was such a state it had to be cut open and shot blasted. I then coated it with POR15 (which comes with a cleaning solution) to prevent future issues. Unfortunately there is no easy way to clean the tank out.

 

What you can do is remove and clean up the banjo bolts in the bottom of the tank sides, which can be accessed through the belly plates. They are known to accumulate crud, and can be modified to pick up fuel at a slightly higher level by the addition of a short length of pipe. This helps prevent some of the tank crud being sucked into the fuel lines.

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Lovely pictures! So I think I should try taking the tank out and doing the job properly.

But... don't have EMERs that show how to do it, so any help is appreciated.

I understand how it needs to come forward through the fighting compartment - no problem since it's a Mk1.

I'm not sure how many fixing bolts I should be looking for. Can see one on both front corners but suspect there might be more?

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Worked it out. Just 2 bolts at each front corner. Fair bit of mucking about to get stuff out of the way but have it in the fighting compartment. Now waiting for some young muscles to help lift it out and then I'll give it the POR 15 treatment. Certainly looks (and smells) pretty evil at present, so I'm glad that I "bit the bullet"!

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I have taken the tank out on all the ferrets I have had 5 in total. the worst one had a tar like gunge all the way up the pipes and took a lot of time and air pressure to unblock it. I thought it may only have about a couple of gallons in it. It was a mad rush to find more cans it finished up with 2.5 jerrycans and tons all over me and the floor.It really irritated the skin like burning.The tank will go through the turret and is not that heavy but needs a little jiggling.once out a good clean and soak with thinners hot soapy water then jet wash final petrol wash.

Laurence

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Know what you mean about the stink!

Took off a banjo bolt - completely blocked of course. Re the mod to increase the height of the petrol pickup, do I just jam a bit of metal pipe in the opening or should it be fixed somehow (solder, etc?). I'm thinking it might vibrate out if it isn't stuck securely.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129264&stc=1

 

Interestingly (surprise surprise) the fuel gauge sender is stuck on "half full". Plan to soak it +/- dismantle to try to free it up, but is it more likely to be knackered?

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129265&stc=1

Pipe 1.jpg

Sender 1.jpg

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Our sender unit un-seized after a god soaking and some careful cleaning and moving about (they're quite delicate). Not that it made much difference to the accuracy of the gauge....

 

There is aright up on the banjo bolt modification here, about 3/4 of the way down the page - http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/useful_info.htm

 

Vince

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A mod of the mod!

Couldn't find brass tube so bought a couple of joiners:

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129276&stc=1

 

Very light run with the lathe to trim the threads down enough for a tight fit, then hit them in with a hammer. Didn't solder or braze because they're so firmly in that I don't reckon they'll ever budge.

 

Et voila!

Edited: Not so smart after all! The hole in the tank steps in, so you need a straight tube to fit it in. Trimmed the fitting on the lathe. Think I'll put a thin bead of JB Weld but they're hammered in a tight so probably don't need it.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129469&stc=1

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129277&stc=1

Mod 1.jpg

Mod 2.jpg

Mod 3.jpg

Edited by Aussie
I wasn't as smart as I thought
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Oh dear. Sent the fuel tank off for cleaning and they've broken 3 of the 4 mounting brackets. These consist of two metal plates separated by a rubber bush that is glued on, and those have become unstuck.

 

Does anyone know if the rubber bush can somehow be glued back on, and if so, with what (or by whom)?

 

I might be able to source some if all else fails, but not sure if they're the correct hands.

 

Or any other suggestions for alternative way to mount the tank - I must say I'm not entirely sure that resilient rubber mountings are really necessary, given the small amount of driving done. Thought of putting a bolt through to hold the pieces together and maybe that would work?

 

Thanks

James

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Superglue...Bostik, Evostik breakdown with age. They were probably vulcanised on.

Diana

 

Oh dear. Sent the fuel tank off for cleaning and they've broken 3 of the 4 mounting brackets. These consist of two metal plates separated by a rubber bush that is glued on, and those have become unstuck.

 

Does anyone know if the rubber bush can somehow be glued back on, and if so, with what (or by whom)?

 

I might be able to source some if all else fails, but not sure if they're the correct hands.

 

Or any other suggestions for alternative way to mount the tank - I must say I'm not entirely sure that resilient rubber mountings are really necessary, given the small amount of driving done. Thought of putting a bolt through to hold the pieces together and maybe that would work?

 

Thanks

James

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  • 10 months later...
On 9/15/2017 at 8:25 AM, Aussie said:

A mod of the mod!

Couldn't find brass tube so bought a couple of joiners:

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129276&stc=1

 

Very light run with the lathe to trim the threads down enough for a tight fit, then hit them in with a hammer. Didn't solder or braze because they're so firmly in that I don't reckon they'll ever budge.

 

Et voila!

Edited: Not so smart after all! The hole in the tank steps in, so you need a straight tube to fit it in. Trimmed the fitting on the lathe. Think I'll put a thin bead of JB Weld but they're hammered in a tight so probably don't need it.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129469&stc=1

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=129277&stc=1

Mod 1.jpg

Mod 2.jpg

Mod 3.jpg

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for that correction! Looks like I am going to have to pull the tank as the broken part is just not budging. So turret off... does anyone know what it (the turret) weighs?? Would a farm tractor bucket be able to lift it?

Edited by Peter Garwood
clarification
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On ‎9‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 9:58 AM, Aussie said:

Hello, I am pulling the tank. Turret out the way. Did you remove all the electrical kit on the RHS (when looking at tank inside of the fighting compartment) of the compartment. I am considering changing to electrical fuel pump but will double check the existing mechanical pump. Was there anything particularly problematic about the removal? Thanks Peter

 

 

 

Worked it out. Just 2 bolts at each front corner. Fair bit of mucking about to get stuff out of the way but have it in the fighting compartment. Now waiting for some young muscles to help lift it out and then I'll give it the POR 15 treatment. Certainly looks (and smells) pretty evil at present, so I'm glad that I "bit the bullet"!

 

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