Is there a filter inside the fuel tank on the pick up tube on the 1948 75 serie?

[Fisher]

I have not seen inside the tank yet, but I would like to seal the tank. Does anyone know if there is a filter inside the tank on the pick up tube?
Also can the pick up tube be removed or is it permanently fixed in place?

-fisher

[Bill Ingler #7799]

There is no filter on the end of the pick up tube. The pick up tube lays on the bottom of the tank. The pickup tube is soder to the outlet connection, so you need to remove the outlet connection to get to the pickup tube. If your are thinking of sealing the tank just remember to give the outlet connection a shot of air after sealing the tank to insure that there is no sealant blocking the pickup tube.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Just don't give it too much of a blast that could disturb the coating on the tank around the pick-up tube though.

Bruce.

[fisher]

Does this mean the pick up tube is removable? Do you know if the pick up tube opening is horizontal with the bottom or does it point down? I did remove the compresson fitting that holds the steel fuel line on to the tank. i could see what looked like the end of a tube inside, and it possibly was flaired but I could not be certain. I am not one to try to remove something that I am not sure it can be removed. I have destroyed a few things in the past in my attempts to fix  them....learned a few lessons.
I should get the tank back from the stripper in a couple days.

-fisher

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Fisher,

No, the pickup wouldn't be removeable, unless you unsolder it, etc.

Bruce.

[Bill Ingler #7799]

From what I remember from looking inside the tank several years ago, the tube lays flat on the bottom of the tank. There is an old saying that if it an`t broke do`nt try to fix it. When you get the tank back from the strippers, you should be able with a flash light to look down in the tank where the fuel sender is located. By strippers to you mean they will strip both the outside as well as the inside of the tank? I have gone two ways in trying to clean a tank and sealing, which really was not very successful. Stripping the outside of the tank and then taking it to metal cleaner were the tank was chemically dipped. This showed tiny pin holes in the bottom of the tank. I attempted to seal the tank with sealant which due to the poor metal never was a success. So the last two tanks I sent to Gas Tank Renu in CA. If the pick up tube is open and clear when you get the tank back and the inside of the tank looks fairly clean, why would you want to remove the pick up tube? Also make sure while you have the tank out that the drain plug can be removed. Maybe in the future in might need to drain the tank. Enjoy

[fisher]

Yes, the tank was taken to a stripper that will dip the tank to clean the inside as well. The previous owner had used a sealant approx 20 years ago. There was rust crustys inside the sank surface and in the fuel filter. I intend on using por 15 to seal the tank. Had I heard of the Tank Renu people, I could have dropped it off there.
 I do not need to remove the pick up tube, it is just I wanted to make sure it gets properly seal and not sealed up

Thanks for your help.
-fisher

[Nasser Almasary]

Hi Guys:
  I think I'll add my 2 cents here. I oppened my gas tank (1947) and removed the pick up tube as well by unsoldering it. what I found, and you could find too, is the pick up tube has pits and holes about the level if the tank if its half full. These holes would prevent the pump from sucking gas if you have less than half tank full. I agree with Bill to not remove the pick up tube, but how can someone make sure that it is not pitted or perforated? Look at the attached pictures to see how the pick up tube is situated in the tank, you'll notice that I added a filter (not original) to the pick up tube, would I regret it, I dont know? I only allowed 2 pictures so if you need more email me.

[Nasser Almasary]

Here are two more pix:

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Hello everyone,
I had my 54 tank sealed etc. and the pick up tube on that was a pipe with a flared end and it just slid out of the fitting that is soldered into the tank. There was a small fitting that went between the pipe in the tank and the pipe that went along the frame rail, the fitting was a small round thing that was sandwiched between the two pieces of flared pipe. I don't know if it was different on 48 Cads. I had my tank dipped in lead to seal it. Also my tank didn't have the baffle that is shown in the preceeding photos, I don't know why that is because a baffle is a good idea.
Phil 

[fisher]

Great help! Thanks!
Testing that pick up tube for holes will be a challenge. Fishing line, vacuum cleaner, rubber plug..... vacuum tester. What would MacGyver do?

My parts catalog goes up to 1949 and does not show a seperate (removable) pick up tube or fitting in between the pick up tube and the fuel line. Apparently your 55 has a removable pick up. Does anyone have a parts catalog for 1950 - 54 that might confirm it is removable vs, being soldered in, and for which years?

Great pics, they really help. Thanks for posting.

-fisher

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Now, that's what I call a great series of photos.

Thanks for posting them nasser.

Bruce.

[Nasser Almasary]

Bruce, you are welcome, and thank you for all your contributions in this forum, very educative to me.
Fisher, I bet the farm and my cow that the fiting is soldered to the tank in your 48. but you dont need to unsolder it to test it. What you can do is to have your tank filled with water (or gas if the tank is still on the car) just enough to submerge the tip of the tube, then find a way so that you could blow with your mouth (dont inhale just blow) in the inlet/fitting. Try to blow enough pressure to not hear a gurgling sound and hold that presure, with your mouth blowing, now, if you feel that your mouth is loosing presure you can now know that there is/are holes in the pick up tube (that is what Macgiver would do). Then, unsoldering is a must.
  If you look closelly at the pictures above, you'll notice that there is brazing done to the fitting, this is not original, I decided to do that by putting two spots of brazing before sealing the area with solder. Be very carefull dealing with gas tanks, even the least amount of vapor could make a very big fireworks with a bang that that'll wakeup your naigbour. If you want to desolder yourself, I would stand the tank upright on the corner oppesit of the location of the fitting and fill the tank with water, then desolder with a very soft and small flame between the tank shell and the fitting and it'll come out once you wire brush the solder. Goodluck, and be very very carefull. Regards.

[fisher]

Tank is clean, I can see the end of the pick up tube and it is open without a filter on it. That question is answered. No sign of corrosion on the tube. I can only see the bottom half of the tube, the top half passes through a baffle and I cannot see if it is solid up there.
The drain plug is strange. Has a cross but nothing to grip on to. No sign of any way to remove it. Can anyone tell what it is?
-fisher

[mario]

"The drain plug is strange. Has a cross but nothing to grip on to. No sign of any way to remove it. Can anyone tell what it is?"

it looks to me like some type of heli-coil. maybe someone cross threaded the original bung so they used a threaded insert for a repair. if you break out the "cross like legs" it looks like you have a 3/8' square drive, or maybe a 1/2" square drive hole. good luck.
ciao,
mario

[Glen]

"The drain plug is strange. Has a cross but nothing to grip on to. No sign of any way to remove it. Can anyone tell what it is?"

it looks to me like some type of heli-coil. maybe someone cross threaded the original bung so they used a threaded insert for a repair. if you break out the "cross like legs" it looks like you have a 3/8' square drive, or maybe a 1/2" square drive hole. good luck.
ciao,
mario

I don’t see it that way.  It looks more like a spring loaded valve, but I can not figure out how that would work. 

Glen

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Looks to me like some sort of temporary plug shoved in there to block off the outlet.

The proper plug is usually a simple threaded lump of steel with a 1/4" square on the end of it.

But, I have been known to be wrong.

Bruce.

[fisher]

Thanks for the input on this.
I snapped off the cross legs, and they snapped instead of bent. Must have been hardened steel. Inside it is smooth, flat bottom and without any flat surfaces on the insides. There is no way to put a drive on it to remove it.The inside is not corroded like the out side is.
  It looks like there may be a helicoil in there also, I can barely see what looks like a coarse thread piece. I will leave this alone forever, no drain plug for me.

I was looking for a sealant at the local parts store for the sender install. All I can find are gas resistant ones. I do not want this thing to leak.
Is there a gasoline proof sealant available?

Which brand and type would you guys  recommend?

-fisher

[Bill Ingler #7799]

I use Permatex Non-Hardening sealant. Don`t forget to install a gasket between the tank and the sender using sealant on both sides of the gasket. I also use a pipe thread compound containing teflon on the male outlet fitting of the fuel line to the tank