Restoration Fuel tanks

[martyn williams]

Over the years is surprising how many fuel related problems crop up on old machines.
To eliminate this problem I carry out the following tasks.
Any machine I have owned,the first thing is to drain the fuel tank,remove it if possible and give it a good pressure wash.Whilst the tank is out,I check the fuel tap.Some have a filter built into it.These are usually partly blocked.Also give the machine a new set of fuel filters,renewing the filter seals.Check all connections for tightness,pipework condition.rusty or flat pipes restricting fuel flow.
On a couple of my machines,there is no tap filter fitted so I have extended the pipe that fits internally by about two inches.As oil floats on water the inlet pipe would be above contaminated fuel.Condensation in tanks can be a problem,its surprising how it builds up over time if the tank is not alway full.I fill the tank with clean fuel.Diesel degrades over the years,old diesel smells like varnish.
Some fuel injection pumps have filters fitted.These are often forgotten.
Finally,some injection pumps have oil lubrication.They have a plug on the side of the pump to top up the oil,this lubricates the internals of the pump.If run dry,the pump wears and will eventually fail
Photo shows a neglected fuel filter I found during restoration on my D4 ,
Martyn