Relocating Fuel Filler Point...Advice Needed

[Toyo Truck]

Hey guys,

I want to relocate the fuel filler in my hilux.
It is too close to the wheel and may get muched by a big ass 35" tyre real soon.

The tank inlet 2" has a bit of rubber flex pipe, that connects a length of metal pipe,
with the filler mouth and cap on the end of it. Thing is, about 2" from where the
filler opening is, there is another smaller pipe 20mm ID that comes out of the main
pipe and follows it down to another smaller inlet in the tank next to the larger inlet on it.

What is this pipe for? Is that just to make it easier to fill up so the fuel bowser doesn't
"click" as much??

Thing I need to know is,
1) to relocate the filler location, to the front underneath of the tray, do I just get some pipe
bent up to suit?? is there any problem making the filler pipe 1M longer? as long as it
still travels "Down-ward" toward the tank?

2) does this smaller pipe need to be just as long as the extension for the main filler pipe?
Or can I just get rid of this "other" smaller pipe??

Cheers,
Bart

Also, does anyone know where to get a fuel tank cleaned on the INSIDE??

[oldcorollas]

smaller pipe is for air to come out of tank when filling...
ie fuel goes down big pipe.. and the air comes backout little pipe, and the opening of little pipe should be just past where the filler nozzle goes to.. so it doesn7t splash out fuel...

maybe?

[Ben Wilson]

As usual - Oldcorollas is on the money, the smaller pipe is a breather. I'd be running it to the sam position relative to the cap or the thing will be a mongerel to fill.

POR-15 make a 'sloshable' tank sealer which should glue any grime in place inside the tank so it won't cause a problem..

[Negative Boost]

I cleaned my tank by taking out the pump, fuel level sender and what not and taking the filler pipe off it. Then i just used a high pressure gun and blasted the inside untill i was happy enough that it was clean. Then drained as much water as i could, let it dry in the sun for a little bit and then for the little bit of water still left in the tank i used a blowtorch on the outside to evaporate the rest of it.

[Toyo Truck]

Thanks boys,

Oldcorolla,
That's what I was thinking, just needed it confirmed by someone in the know.
OK, so that takes care of the "little" pipe.

Ben Wilson,
Mate there is not HEAPS of shit in there, just some, and I wanted to get it out while
I had the tank out, but the strainer is on the end of the pickup, and in good condition,
so the crap can't get too far.

Negative Boost,
I have a newer diesel tank (without big fark off dents in it) that I will fully clean out and
fit. I have refitted the original tank as I didn't want to contaminate the fuel lines with
water. But I will do your trick to the diesel tank...does the pressure washer get rust off??

Also, what do you boys think about the length of the filler pipe and shape of it?
Is there any preference here to make the thing easy to fill, and not tip fuel out when I
lean over on 45 deg angles??

Cheers,
Bart

[Negative Boost]

The pressure washer may get flakes of rust of the inside but becuase of the design on fuel tanks, you'd be hard pressed to actually pressure spray everywhere in there if ya know what i mean. If you spray directly at the rust and it dosnt come off, i'd say it wont be coming off.

I see no issues with extending the fuel filler pipe but im no engineer... Just make it as free-flowing as possible. The most annoying thing is a petrol pump always clicking off because its blocked or has a gay restrictive design. To stop fuel coming out when your 4wd'in, just get a cap that seals properly.

[Toyo Truck]

I have bought 3 different caps, but when all that fuel is sitting up against the cap,
they eventually start pissing (literally a constant piss stream LOL).

The tank is already hard to fill due to the flexpipe being slightly crushed due to the
location of the filler where it is now with a 2.5" body-lift. So extending it so nothing
touches will be alot better.

[30psi 4agte]

I cleaned my tank by taking out the pump, fuel level sender and what not and taking the filler pipe off it. Then i just used a high pressure gun and blasted the inside untill i was happy enough that it was clean. Then drained as much water as i could, let it dry in the sun for a little bit and then for the little bit of water still left in the tank i used a blowtorch on the outside to evaporate the rest of it.

I have basicly done the same also.......... except for the last part - I didnt have a oxy or blow torch at the time so i filled the tank with a little bit of petrol gave it a good shake so that the fuel mixed with any ( if any ) little bits of water and then tipped it out.
I then left it in the sun for a few hours.

TOYO : Is it worth changing the fill cap design all together if you are changing the pipe work ?

IE mabe go to a screw type cap, not those pissy std things that dont let you over tighten them by ratcheting but a propper say alloy cap ?

P.S 45deg sounds cool

[Toyo Truck]

45 deg FTW!

This is the type of thing I am talking about.
But this was taken ages ago, we are driving much bigger shit these days, and
sometimes I loose LITRES of fuel if hillclimbing for longer than 30 minutes on big angles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwuecA5V_Bk

Cheers,
Bart

[Kyosho]

Depends how annoying you'd find this, to if you'd do it,
But, I've seen fuel fillers on ute 4WD up through the middle of the tray, and had a bit of height.
Basically then, once the 4WD was on an angle, there was still no fuel sitting against the cap because of it's height from the tank.

The higher up vertically you can get the filler, the less fuel that can sit against the cap.
But, how often do you have shit floating in the back to hit it and break it? And how annoying will it be to climb in the tray each time...

Or even bring it up in the corner, so you can stand and fill it, and have a small box section around it protecting it.

[Toyo Truck]

Thats not a bad idea mate.
But I don't want ANY petrol inside the tray as I sleep in there sometimes.

Cheers,
Bart

[Kyosho]

Thats not a bad idea mate.
But I don't want ANY petrol inside the tray as I sleep in there sometimes.

Cheers,
Bart

How much room between ute tray and cab?
Could bring it up in there... It's protected by the cab and tray still.

[Negative Boost]

I like what 30psi said. Just go to a self serve wreckers, find a tank with a screw in cap and chop say the top 30cm off and work with that, surely that wont leak!!!

[30psi 4agte]

That vid is sik ....

Just thinking about this abit more now after seeing that..

Its not leaking out of the breather is it?

[Toyo Truck]

Thanks mate,

Fuel is definately leaking from cap, no doubt about that, you can see it.

Relocating the pipe to between the tray and the cab, and have it go up to
about halfway along the tray vertically is exactly what I was thinking,
Just wanted to check about workability of this setup if I moved it.

Also, if I bring the filler pipe up between the cab and the tray,
and it runs vertically up one of the supports,
It will be easier to fill with the pump, and the jerrys.
PLUS i wont get mud or muddy water entering into the leak where the fuel pisses
out. Plus getting the cap off when it is caked in 4" of clay sucks ass.

I am still cleaning crap off the TOP of my tank and underside of the tray from this
little escapade...Won a $20 bet for what its worth LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNshw6zBJck
So as you can see, keeping the tank inlet as high as possible is a must.
So is a V8, but my old 22R still does the trick!

Cheers,
Bart