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Hi guys, The 45 gallon military surplus saddle barrel type gas tank is now functional that I added to the frame rail of Ethyl The tool truck. Its a nice tank that is mounted properly. Everything is fine except how I go about filling it with fuel. It has a 4-1/4" fuel fill opening that has threads to accept the large brass screw on cover that seals it up. see the pictures. That all works fine with the exception of having to stand there and hold the gas nozzle while pulling back the shut off part of the gas nozzle while on my knees because the fill area diameter is way larger than the gas nozzle and positioned low under the cargo box.
I want to somehow add/fit/find a typical sized gas fill neck that will accept the gas nozzle and allow it to fit so it fills the tank by itself without me having to hold in place and put force on the nozzle shutoff mechanism to make sure pressure is on it so it will keep filling. You know just stand there while the 45 gallons fills by it self....please help me get off of my knees. Gas fill neck covered 4-1/4" in diameter This 4-1/4" hole is too large to have a typical gas nozzle fit against it to push back the "keep on filling mechanism" view of the threads for the cap. California emission compliant spring loaded 3" vapor seal nozzle. My opening is 4-1/4" so there is nothing to push the seal against to engage the flow of gasoline. Currently I am pulling the seal back while pulling the trigger
Last edited by mytoolman; May 10, 2021 at 02:09 PM.
Reason: Add a picture of California Compliant Gas pump nozzle
Are the nozzles different in California ? I think there isn't any thing that keeps it flowing on our nozzles, it just shuts off when it senses fuel, like on a gas can you're filling. Yep yours looks like the fill on some diesel equipment I remember filling years ago. Is there room you could thread on a tube that goes up above your tank with a regular type gas cap on it, and stick the nozzle in there?
Have you inspected other trucks with similar sized openings?
The only thing I got is to make an insert that goes in the opening (weld, super glue, JB Weld,?) with an opening larger than the fuel nozzle. Recess it as far down into to filler as to allow the nozzle to sense the fill point in the tank. That or make another cap with a hole that screws on to the fill hole. That would be messy as you’d have to clean and store it after each use and the nozzle may not reach far enough into the tank for auto shutoff.
Make sure when fueling you keep the nozzle in contact with the tank at all times. There is a risk of static spark if not. In my opinion, fueling is not a time to be doing anything but maintaining close attention to what you are doing the entire time. I say do like you are supposed to do and baby sit your fill times
That's a Diesel fuel tank. The fill opening is huge, because the static explosion problem that Kevin mentioned isn't an issue with Diesel. It's very dangerous to use that for gasoline, with that large opening. Listen to what Kevin said when filling. The real answer is to weld the opening shut. Then bore a smaller hole, and weld in a neck from a similar gasoline tank.
Chuck
Very possible what he is talking about is the vapor casing around the nozzle that I have seen in big city areas? It is really a pain to use them on my Harleys too. The fuel won't flow unless you push up on the flexible seal. I imagine California requires them. The larger opening would not trigger the fuel flow. I agree that static would be an issue with filling with gas. A smaller opening would fix either issue.
That's odd about the opening size being related to vapors. My John Deere mower is gas and the cap and opening are over 3 inches across as are the JD Gators at work. I would do as Chuck 48-50 suggested and have new neck attached to the lid.
Are the nozzles different in California ? I think there isn't any thing that keeps it flowing on our nozzles, it just shuts off when it senses fuel, like on a gas can you're filling. Yep yours looks like the fill on some diesel equipment I remember filling years ago. Is there room you could thread on a tube that goes up above your tank with a regular type gas cap on it, and stick the nozzle in there?
California Vapor (spring Loaded) Seal Gas pump nozzle.
Of course California is different. There is a 3 inch diameter spring loaded seal contraption at the end of California Compliant Gas pump nozzles that when making contact with the CORRECT size of gas tank neck can be set to function by pushing that vapor contraption seal against the gas tank neck. The vapor seal will depress and theni lock in place until the tank is full. They are finlike and shut off the gas flow even with everything correct. When they click off you just reset them and give it a go again with the right neck.... If your neck opening is 4-1/4 diameter like mine is there is nothing to push that vapor seal contraption against to put pressure on the spring and to have switch click into operational mode....I use My left hand to pull back on that seal mechanism while my right hand pulls the trigger. This is done while I am on my knees. I believed when I bought this gasoline capable tank(military surplus was designed to hold a variety of fuels so they said) I could purchase some kind of adapter to make it work. Oh well so much for my belief..I will order another screw on cover. I will fashion a regular neck on it and screw it in place on the tank.
Very possible what he is talking about is the vapor casing around the nozzle that I have seen in big city areas? It is really a pain to use them on my Harleys too. The fuel won't flow unless you push up on the flexible seal. I imagine California requires them. The larger opening would not trigger the fuel flow. I agree that static would be an issue with filling with gas. A smaller opening would fix either issue.
spring loaded Vapor seal 3" in diameter my gas tank opening is 4-1/4" in diameter
That's a Diesel fuel tank. The fill opening is huge, because the static explosion problem that Kevin mentioned isn't an issue with Diesel. It's very dangerous to use that for gasoline, with that large opening. Listen to what Kevin said when filling. The real answer is to weld the opening shut. Then bore a smaller hole, and weld in a neck from a similar gasoline tank.
Chuck
Thank you Chuck. When I purchased this tank off of Ebay it was listed as multiple Fuel type capable military surplus. I obviously did not ask the correct questions when I purchased it 6 years ago. I only now have plumed it and got it to function as anything more than the ornament.Its been just hanging on the frame rails. Originally I believed that there was a screw in adapter to reduce the neck size down to accept the typical California Compliant Vapor Seal gasoline nozzles I would be filling this tank with.
Chuck, Do you see any issue with me buying another cap like it currently has and boring a hole in it to have a standard gasoline neck welded in place?
I would never leave a gas pump operational without being there to monitor it. Its a bit much though to get on my knees, pull back on the spring loaded vapor seal to hold pressure on it so that the fuel flow switch is engaged while pulling the trigger for the time it takes to fill a 45 gallon tank.like Im forced to do currently. Ill gladly stand by while all this does its thing by itself with me upright. As always your help and tutelage is greatly appreciated.
Make sure when fueling you keep the nozzle in contact with the tank at all times. There is a risk of static spark if not. In my opinion, fueling is not a time to be doing anything but maintaining close attention to what you are doing the entire time. I say do like you are supposed to do and baby sit your fill times
Kevin thanks. I always monitor my gas fill ups even if the thing will filI once set properly by itself. I will make sure to have at least a portion of the Vapor Seal touching the gas tank fill hole. It helps me to do that anyway. There is enough tension on the vapor seal spring to make it just uncomfortable to manually pull back that vapor seal to engage the flow switch without pressing the seal against something like the lip of the hole so that is what I have been doing along with holding that seal also....its a bit of a challenging for my back to do all of this in the positions that are necessary to accomplish it all currently. Do you see any issue with me fashioning a neck that will thread into this tank that has the proper diameter to take a Vapor seal type gas pump nozzle? I am thinking there must be a flange that will thread into this hole that will reduce the hole size down and I can add a typical gas tank filler neck to it...If need be Ill buy another cap and make a filler neck become a part of it.
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