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MG TD TF 1500 - Fuel tank interior filter

Fitting new fuel tank and am wondering whether instead of fitting the in tank filter if an exterior inline filter would be just as suitable and easier to maintain. Seems likely to me. Comments please.
JK Mazgaj

I fitted a drain cock to the drain plug port, allows me to drain the tank quickly if I need to. It has a blanking plug, which I remove, add a barb that takes 13mm/1/2” hose to direct fuel into a container.

The in-tank filter is rather coarse compared to a modern in-line filter, between it and the filter in the pump most large particles are removed without affecting the pump.

An in-line filter should be after the pump, not before as the pump does not like it’s inlet blocked.

Having said that, I have a glass bodied re-usable filter prior to the FACET pump. I check it often, have found nothing in it yet.

For a TF a shut off valve prior to anything else is a worthwhile investment. One UK member, maybe Mike has fitted a tractor shutoff valve to the tank outlet.

Declan might be able to supply bits needed to either make a drain valve or a tank shutoff. I just added a 5/16” valve into the line from the tank to pump line on my TF.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

I can indeed. Here are photos of what it looks like.
Instead of the barb you can connect the fuel pipe directly. The 90° bend with plug is the drain facility or leave the barb or use a 90° barb and connect the fuel pipe, The barb would be the drain facility. There are many options and tastes differ. The drawin attached shows what I am referring to. I tested these ball valves in ethanol based fuel for 6 months before installing on my car in conjunction with my fuel gauge.

Regards
Declan




Declan Burns

I learned the hard way that the screen filter in the tank should be left in place. When I restored the TF I removed the screen filter as it looked nasty and never gave it a second thought. A year later I began to have fuel delivery issues that were perplexing. Sometimes the engine got fuel...sometimes not. I finally removed the fuel line from the tank and no fuel drained out. I then removed the fitting and the fuel drained from the tank. I have a picture of what I found on my pc someplace but I don't know where. What I found was a bumble bee had gotten into the tank at some point and was fully plugging the drain. With the screen in place that would not have happened. It would be most useful to stop any small object from cutting off all fuel flow be it a bee or some flake of rust or whatever. I wised up and put a screen back in the fitting.
L E D LaVerne

I agree with keeping the filter in the tank. My drain facility connects directly onto that filter. They are very expensive to buy for what they are so I make them up.
Regards
Declan

Declan Burns

Whilst I am going to fit a "homemade" in tank filter-but include a small standpipe. To me fitting a potential restriction which you are unable to easily monitor seems negative progress. I will obviously have to "regulate" the fuel gauge to account for the small standpipe.
JK Mazgaj

JK,
A short standpipe is not a bad idea at all.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Declan,

To be clear, what you fabricated with is an L-port 3 way valve, a diverter. It would be convenient for draining.

I'd be more inclined to replace the barb fitting with an elbow and a plug so it would serve as a shut off, and unscrew the plug in the rare need to drain but that's just my inclination.

I've installed likely what Peter mentioned as a "tractor shutoff valve," a sediment bowl assembly. The needle valve can be screwed in all the way for a positive shut off. There's a small stand pipe pulling in gas a couple of inches off the bottom for normal running with the valve out 2 turns, leaving about 2 gallons for "reserve" drawing the lowest fuel with the valve screwed out all the way. There is a screen strainer to block coarse settlings from the fuel system. The sediment bowl collects fine solids and a small quantity of water and can be quickly checked with a glance. Before I cleaned the tank and added the sediment bowl, we used to have very fine rust crapping up the carb so I stuck a rare earth magnet in the bowl, just in case. The bowl can be removed in a few seconds to empty it or to drain the tank.

The sediment bowl assembly feeds a Hardi pump as I enjoy that clicking sound and the amp gauge tells me when it is pumping, or NOT WWORKING! The other fitting on the bottom of the gas tank runs to a Facet pump used for a backup pump or to kick in the reserve with the flip of a switch.


JIM N

Buyer beware-

I took that image of a sediment bowl assembly from Amazon. In closing that webpage, there were quite a few complaints that the PLASTIC sediment bowls crack and leak. That's news to me as I've messed with them for around seven decades and all the bowls were glass. It could take some digging to find the REAL McCoy today, but the disclaimer "not compatible with fuels greater than 10% alcohol" is a dead giveaway to the plastic bowl.
JIM N

Jim,
That's the way it is in the photo. The 90° bend with a plug for drainage. The barb removed and the fuel pipe connected via an equal union as in the pdf.
There are so many options but that is personal taste. The main thing is the little L ported 3 way valve (diverter) as you say. It works really well.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

This thread was discussed between 10/01/2022 and 14/01/2022

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