Fuel tank selector valve is bad

Well, the fun continues. The valve went bad and I am looking at options.

1) Manual valves. 2 valves (supply and return). Not sure where to get them but I don't want to do the electric thing again.

2) Gravity feed transfer line between the tanks (just like the semi's). This is what I am leaning towards to eliminate the switch all together as I am a truck driver and familiar with the setup.

If I go with the transfer line it will have a valve on both ends just in case I need to remove a tank, etc. It would pull fuel from the front tank as it sits lower in the frame. The rear would feed the front thru the line between them and I would only need the front gauge to be hooked up.

Any ideas or comments. If I remember the fittings can't be galvanized as the fuel corrodes it. Am I correct. Any ideas for where to get parts, etc.

All ideas are welcome, especially simple no nonsence ones

Manual valves can be had from any marine or boat supply outfit. As for the gravity feed line, how will you modify the tanks to do this? They don't have a bottom feed like your semi does. Don't forget your fuel gauge attaches to the senders throught the FSV, so if you pull it, you will need to decide which tank your going to monitor, and hardwire it.

napa has a 6 port switching valve that is solenoid operated and I think it's like 30 clams and will work just fine but it will not make the connections for the senders. It's a one wire operation if I remember correctly. Actually has two wires but one is ground, so that when you energize it the solenoid fires switching to the other set of ports, then when you remove power it's spring loaded so it flips back. Used one when I had an aux tank in the bed - worked just fine.

That sounds really cool, I was thinking of doing the gravity feed line, but the mech. one is still better than the ele. switch. I am really nervous that mine will go out. I believe i read in the owners man. that if it is galvanized the diesel will corrode it.....not sure for sure but I am pretty sure.

both my tanks are connected. two 3/4 elbows on the bottom of each tank brazed in and same on the top for vents. used areoquip hydraulic hose. my fuel is drawn from the fwd tank and also returned there. The PO did this but I would have preferred to return the fuel to the rear tank. but it runs fine so im not going to mess with it. my fuel gauge doesnt work right now so i am going to get around to finding out how to wire it up.

Agnem: I was going to plumb in a bottom feed line. As far as the gauge I would still have to do this even with manual valves, correct. . I thought about wiring it so that the switch on the dash would only work which sending unit it checks, but if I had a gravity feed I would only need to monitor the tank the fuel was pulled from. Thanks for the idea where to look for the manual valves, I would not have thought about a marine or boat supply.

I am just looking into options now as the switch currently pulls off of the rear tank but the switch changes tanks as to where it returns the fuel (i.e, pull from rear return to front. A great way to transfer fuel, but it won't run long like this. )

the front tank sits lower so gravity feed will keep it full. so you will want to draw off of it. to me it would make more since to return to the rear, but mine returns to the front and even with an ele pump I have no problems.

Mat J: Thanks for the input. I figured with the right size line it should keep up with demand. How is the fuel line between the tanks routed and where is the connection located on each tank?