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Gas Tank Problems

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10-31-2006, 03:21 PM
Dave Bowers
Gas Tank Problems
I think I asked this some time before. But I have two 45 gal. tanks. When I try to fill the front one, sometimes it fills right up, but most of the time it immediatly starts to overflow on the ground. I have tried a number of things like filling the back one first, filling the front first etc. etc. I can not determine a pattern but sometimes if will fill OK but most times not. There rear is always just fine.


10-31-2006, 03:36 PM
Danny Z
Hey Dave, Seems like I remember this topic from a while back, but I don't remember the specifics. Does the overflow come back out of the filler tube? As in not enough air escaping to allow the fuel to enter? If this is the case I found that by shoving the nozzle as far in and down into the filler neck as possible, then starting slowly until the fuel is flowing, I can fill up with little problem. I used to try holding the nozzle up higher in the tube thinking it would stay out of splash and keep pumping, but I was totally wrong.
If it's overflowing from somewhere else I think you have a real problem and I don't have any real answers for you.


79 Barth Classic
10-31-2006, 03:49 PM
Lee
I think Danny is on to it...maybe something about having sufficient air circulation. In my case, both tanks will cause the nozzle to trip if I attempt normal fueling.....

I now hold the pump nozzle in the 12 o'clock position, but upside down from normal positioning...A s-l-o-w squeeze gets things going, and once flowing at full gpm, I seldom have problems.....Can't explain the physics...I just know it works for me.....

Biggest headache locally are the pumps that shut-off at $50.00, requiring a whole new purchasing cycle. That's six re-sets to fill up two empty tanks! Then again, buck fifty gas would solve that problem wouldn't it?
10-31-2006, 04:05 PM
Danny Z
For a while there I couldn't fill up the Tacoma mini pick-em-up for 50 bucks. Found out on the Dega trip that most stations have an over-ride to accomodate RV's. You just have to go in and ask.


79 Barth Classic
10-31-2006, 04:15 PM
Dave Bowers
I think you guys are right, because sometimes I am successful and then sometimes it just pours out on the groud out the overflow. At one time it seemed that if I directed the stream to the rear of the filler tube I was successful and then that didn't seem to work anymore. One thing I was going to try but haven't just was to start with a drizzle. And then slowly get it going.


10-31-2006, 05:03 PM
Danny Z
OK we're getting close. I still want to know what you mean by out the overflow. Just gushing back from the filler tube or flowing out somewhere else? If it's coming back out the filler tube then we have a somewhat solution. Stick the nozzle as far in and down as it will go and start slowly, squeezing harder until it flows and you can put it on auto, when available. I don't do this often, and when I do it's on slow and easy. I feel safer with the nozzle in my hand while I'm watching it.


79 Barth Classic
11-01-2006, 12:05 AM
jakeofmi
Dave et all:
We designed all Filler Necks to accept 12 gals
per min., and we tested them on all Truck models. My 1985 Barth has two tanks, the rear tank uses the Chevrolet-released Filler Neck,
and the front tank uses an aftermarket Filler Neck. I have removed the front aftermarket tank and Filler Neck, because the tank was leaking, so, I don't really have any experience with the aftermarket Filler Neck. But, check the routing of the Filler Hose for any kinks or collapsing of the Hose. The size of the designed Filler Hose is large enough to allow the passage of gas down the hose and passage of the air being displaced from the tank back up the hose and out the two holes in the neck at
a rate of 12 gpm. The Filler Neck placement was left up to the coach builder, but we gave him instructions to be sure not to kink or collapse the hose when moounting it.

Jake Jacobson
11-01-2006, 01:27 AM
Relative
Hmmmmmmmm. Does Dave only fill his tanks in October? Dang! I want that kind of mileage! Check last October for the previous episode of "My gas tanks are driving me CRAZY!!!..."

Mike
11-01-2006, 11:05 AM
Jim and Tere
I have a similar problem on my 85 Regal. The rear tank was part of the chasis delivered by Chevrolet to Barth. It's a 40 gallon tank and fills quite nicely with no problems. The front tank was installed by Barth. I have to fill it slowly and not all the way to the top because the overflow pipe instead of being in the filler neck, is somewhere on the top of the tank, and doesn't seem to work at all. It might be kinked or stopped up. I haven't dropped the tank because I can deal with it by only filling it half or 3/4 full. Anyone have similar problems?


Jim and TereJim and Tere

1985 Regal
29' Chevy 454 P32
8411 3172 29FP3B
Gear Vendor 6 Speed Tranny
11-02-2006, 11:52 AM
Lee
Minor thread drift, but kind of interesting:

My coach ('78-24') has two 50 gal. tanks, located directly across the frame rails from each other, and it appears that the chassis may have been built with NO fuel tanks from GM....

Among the build-out papers is a two page GM publication with several graphics, showing that they used the windshield washer resevoir as a temporary fuel tank....Concise instructions were included about how to replumb everything once permanent fuel tanks were installed.....Apparantly, this allowed for a self-propelled chassis off the assembly line, shipping, yard spotting, etc until the coach manufacturer did their thing on the fuel system.

Maybe jakeofmi could tell us more.....
11-02-2006, 01:38 PM
jakeofmi
Lee:
Chevrolet used a side-mounted 50-gallon fuel tank from 1971 thru 1976 P32 models. In 1977, we changed to a 40-gallon fuel tank mounted between the frame rails and behind the rear axle. The coach builders often put a 2nd 50-gallon fuel tank on the other side of the coach to give them a 100-gallon capacity. If the tank is of a stamped configuration, the tank was supplied by Chevrolet. If the tank is a welded aluminum or steel tank, it's an aftermarker tank.

Incidently, in 1977, I designed a 100-gal tank to fit between the rails, but we had to abandon this design, because the tank extended below the
ramp angle allowed when departing a driveway ramp. The interesting thing is that I saw the same tank design on a 1998 MH chassis at the GM Proving Grounds, when I was working on a different project. They had reduced the size to 75 gallons, and put a ramp clearance flat on the bottom rear of the tank.

Jake Jacobson
11-02-2006, 02:05 PM
bill h
quote:
Originally posted by Relative:
Hmmmmmmmm. Does Dave only fill his tanks in October?


I always fill everything just before Election Day.


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84 30T PeeThirty-Something, 502 powered