TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:14 pm

I picked up my new tank today and placed it in the car. The pick up tube (For lack of a better term) on the bottom of the tank is quite high with the tank on the angle that it sits on (the original tank was the same, just never noticed). I'm taking a wild guess and going to say I'll bet 1/8th of the tank is useless, maybe more.
I think I'm going to weld in a new bung lower in the tank. Agree? disagree?
This surly must be a common problem.

Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:25 pm

Agree...I've brazed in a new outlet tube like you're thinking of doing.

Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:41 pm

When putting new bung in for tank outlet, take care selecting new location, the tie rods for steering are pretty close to bottom of tank at tanks lowest point.

Dale

Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:05 pm

Dale M. wrote: When putting new bung in for tank outlet, take care selecting new location, the tie rods for steering are pretty close to bottom of tank at tanks lowest point.

Dale

X2.......and I need to do it to..... :roll:

Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:21 pm

This is a common problem that most of us have to deal with. Good luck with the modification.

Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:00 pm

one thing to think about if you have not. Is to get the largest tank you can. I was a dummy and got a new tank. they asked what year. I sad 59. thinking the pan is a 59. well that was a 6 gal tank. I could have went with a 11 gal tank..

Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:24 am

I tested the fuel capacity of my 10 gallon tank this past fall. Even though the fuel pickup in the bottom of the tank doesn't look to be in the optimal location, I was able to use 9.6 gallons of fuel from the tank. That's a range of 307 miles, which is much longer then I intend on sitting in the seat. My buggy is an original MANX, the possibility exsists that the tank in your buggy may be mounted at a different angle.

Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:41 am

Was the original position of the fuel pickup designed to allow any crud to accumulate in the lower area and not plug up the screen, filter,etc.?

Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:45 am

Quote: When putting new bung in for tank outlet, take care selecting new location, the tie rods for steering are pretty close to bottom of tank at tanks lowest point.
Geesh, I would have over looked that. Thanks Dale! I am putting the tie rod relocation kit in as well so this "might" help clearance wise. But I will keep an eye on it.

Quote: one thing to think about if you have not. Is to get the largest tank you can. I was a dummy and got a new tank. they asked what year. I sad 59. thinking the pan is a 59. well that was a 6 gal tank. I could have went with a 11 gal tank..
Another good point. The tank I have is for a 68-78 so I believe this is the larger one. Some mods need to be done to one corner from the looks of it so that is the biggest I can go.

As always thanks for the feed back guys. 8)

Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:03 am

Move the vent too!! Jerry has some good pics of how he does it. Jerry???
Your turn :lol: :lol:

Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:18 am

I didn't think a vent was required as my existing tank didn't have one...... but it was leaking so bad, I guess that is why. :lol:

I am interested in seeing the venting..............

Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:24 am

Plug the vent and use a vented cap, it's the highest point in the tank. I vented my own cap, no problems. :D

Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:02 pm

I had a buggy that had a vented cap that sat above the hood. Full tank + hot sun = gas running all over the hood and screwing up the paint :x . If you vent the cap, make sure it's below the hood.

Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:24 pm

I vented tank with its own vent off filler neck and ran a tube to below pan level.. I auto cross race a bit and don't want fuel slosh on paint on hood or washing over tank top and into passenger compartment....

Dale

Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:29 pm

This is the way I have been venting the fuel tanks and it has been working very well.

Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:35 pm

You would have to roll it 2 times before you got any gas out of there :lol:
Looks good.

Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:02 pm

Glasser
I had wondered the same thing when I looked at the fuel outlet position. And like lostinbaja said, you will use most of the gas in tank. The reason IMO is that the forward motion of buggy pushes gas to the back of tank and the original outlet is in the best position to use gas in tank. The .4 gallon might be the gas below the pickup tube which sticks up about an inch.

Lostinbaja
Nice clean job all around with the vent and wiring!!

Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:26 pm

I'm leaving the vent where it is, but extending the tubing
up to the highest point. I also plan to use a one way vent
valve like they use on dirtbikes.

Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:54 am

Fellas;

Just a thought: how about a second outlet at the bottom of the tank with a shut-off valve. Equates to a reserve of x gallons.

Also, the outside diameter of this valve is approximately 7/16" and is barbed to maintain a tight fit when pushed into the end of 8AN stainless braided hose or into 3/8" ID rubber fuel hose. Must be installed in a vent line with the open end facing up. Around $12.00.

Iverson

Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:14 am

Ican remember one of my first trips to Home Depot in the buggy.....nervous as hell, but I left it in the parking lot. Ten minutes later I hear " Kerk....will the owner of a red dune buggy come to the parking lot immediately....Kerk...will the owner of a red dune buggy come to the parking lot immediately." My heart sank....I just knew that someone had hit it or it was on fire....something...

I got to the car to see about 20 people gathered around the car...just looking....now my heart was really racing......they were all looking the the front hood. I thought awe shit!!!! Somebody hit it......NOPE....just the gas tank spewing gas at a steady rate. The heat had pushed gas through the stock vent line....even though I had looped the vent line high. I popped the gas cap and it stopped...Course I had still those twenty people looking at me..so I said" damn racing fuel,,,does it every time...must be the nitro" They all laughed!! I quickly drove away...embarrassed as hell.....maybe 80 miles on the car.

At home, I plugged the vent line and drilled a small hole in my cap...No problems after that.