Fuel System Install

Time to install the fuel tank, pump, fuel level sensor, fuel filter and bypass and the fuel lines. I had purchased a Tanks Inc 17 gal fuel tank with a the parts to do the install. As per my luck lately with parts they included the wrong in tank reinforcing ring which is used to sandwich the plastic tank material between the pump cover and the reinforcing ring. They sent me the ring that is used on tanks without steel mounting inserts installed. After a few calls and a couple of weeks I finally got all the right pieces…

The project required that I cut a 4 1/2″ hole in the top of the tank… not a problem if you have a 4 1/2″ hole saw, which I didn’t… quick trip over to Ace the Handy Hardware Place and I was $50 lighter but had a new hole cutter! The pump assembly was straightforward as was the install of it into the tank along with the fuel level sensor.

I chose to mount the fuel filter/return on the rear cross brace behind the rear axle. This allows for easy access for future repairs and a short run to the tank. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a good way to route the 3/8″ rubber fuel line that was included in the kit, but could not find a good way to do it. My main concern was keeping the fuel line away from the exhaust system, and with all of the other lines I have running around on the frame there really was not a good way to do it, so I used 3/8″ aluminum fuel line for all of the tight runs near the exhaust system. I did have to notch the left rear air bag mount to allow the fuel hose to sit low enough to avoid rubbing on the body…

I ordered from Amazon some Earls 3/8″ polished aluminum line clamps that matched the ones I used on the 3/8″ air lines. They were here in 2 days, however they were 5/16″ clamps. I requested a return and got a label right away, however I had to pay the return shipping on the wrong parts, I was only a couple of bucks but the principle of it pissed me off… So, figuring that the guy pulling parts reached into the wrong bin, I reordered and sure enough in two days I had another set of 5/16″ clamps… needless to say I went through the roof, and after calming down, I requested another return along with a blistering letter of complaint. After several days I hear back from the company that was supplying the parts – the problem was that the P/N referenced for the 3/8″ clamps was in fact the one that was tied to the 5/16″ versions. The company asked me not to order anything more until they could straighten out their website… in a good effort to make things right with me they gave me my second refund and told me to keep the 5/16″ clamps and not send them back… almost two weeks of dithering around because some low level coder inserted the wrong P/N.

The other challenging bit was the Twist Loc hose ends. The instructions said lube up the fitting and push it on… right… I am fairly strong and it took me almost 3 hrs of fussing to get one end on. My friend Toby Ratzlaff lent me this slick little tool that makes installing the hose ends a piece of cake! I had the job finished in under a half hour! Having the right tool sure makes things easy, and having the right friends with the right tools that will lend them to me is priceless!