Tank Switching Valves

[dsltech83]

So, those of you that have had your valves die what have you done besides just replace it with another one- I work at a Dealership and don't want to pay for a new valve the prices for some things are crazy

 

[icanfixall]

Contact Midnite Rider. He has the info on modifiying these and they work far better than the oem units.... When he posts an upgrade take it to heart. He does his homework... No bs shooting from the hip saying " I heard this once about that and..."... He posts what works....

 

[subway]

yea midnight uses two 3way valves, one for the feed and one for the return. that way he can direct it where it needs to go one way or the other. an upgrade that i plan to do when it is necessary.

 

[jperecko]

Here is what I did on mine... old in progress pics and still needs a lot of cleaning up but you get the idea -

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The one port is blocked off for potential future addition of a third tank. The valves are located right next to the driver's seat and can be accessed while driving, just gotta lean down for a sec. This way you can choose front or back or even transfer between the 2... or potentially 3.

 

[Bill-W]

I like that idea a lot!!! What type of valves are those? Where can you get them?

 

[jperecko]

Fuel valves for marine applications. Do no remember the exact supplier but just look around and I am sure you can find similar. Get 3/8" or larger if possible - do not want to create any possible restrictions.

 

[subway]

midnight posted this link for his valves
https://www.flowline.net/default.as...Direction=&SearchKey=SK115343PM&CurrentPage=6

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> YOU GUYS ALREADY DONE ALL THE WORK <<<

I mounted my valves in exactly the same location as the ones pictured by Jpeckeroo; and, I am glad that he posted the pictures on account of I still ain't figured out how.


I use WeatherHead brand valves.

I also highly recommend you get the 4-position/3-tank valves, even if you only have two tanks.

They hardly cost anything more and having that third port leaves the option open for adding a third tank.

I also highly recommend the use of JIC fittings, in lieu of plain old hose-barbs.



The factory electric valve also switches the gauge from front to rear.

I accomplished the same with a simple SPDT toggle-switch, also poked through the floor-board, adjacent to the tank valves.

I oriented the toggle-switch fore and aft, such that flipping the switch forward gauges FRONT TANK and flipping aft gauges REAR TANK.


I gave the electric valves plenty of chances to prove their worthiness to me and I have the dead ones to prove it.


I have been running on the manual valves for probably 20-years and I would not switch back to the electric valve if a new one were provided free along with free steak dinners for life.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I forgot to add that their is such an animal as a double-stack manual valve that has the capability to switch both DRAW and RETURN at the same time.

I have tried these and they soon fail.

The shaft must rotate both ball-valves, is overly long to reach through both balls, and soon simply snaps in two from the strain.

Although neat in theory, I don't recommend them.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I used part #6747 in the link posted above = 1/4-NPT ports.

 

[jperecko]

Thanks for filling in the gaps

the barbs - yeah, not too crazy about those and will likely update down the road

also echo about the switch for the fuel gauge... mine is near the dash but there is nothing remotely stock about that on mine so your approach may be more elegant for most.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> FUEL LINES <<<

The factory fuel lines on my 1985 were a semi-rigid plastic with little plastic klik-couplers.

The 3/8" DRAW line was BLUE and the 5/16" RETURN was GREY.

I may have the colors backward.

What I did at first was to leave the plastic lines and clip off the plastic couplings.

Plain old fuel hose of the appropriate size is a perfect slip-fit over the plastic line; I recommend double clamps, as there is no "ridge".

I ran problem-free like that for years.

Recently, I carefully sliced away the plastic line from the couplers at the tank to find perfectly good hose-barbs made onto the couplers.

I clamped rubber fuel line straight onto the barbs and ran rubber all the way from tank to valves and from valves to engine.

 

[dsltech83]

Thanks for all the help guys I'll have to save up some cash for a couple valve so I can begin using my back tank

 

[RLDSL]

Do the switch as described ,you will not be sorry.manual valves wil never stick when cold and leave you in a jam or any of the other many failure modes associated with the electric jobs. Get the JIC fittings, if you don;t want expensive hose you can get real inexpensive pushlock hose with JIC fittings and do the whole fuel system for the priceof one steel braid hose. I'ts low pressure line so 3000 psi line is not needed

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Hmmm.... over 1 million miles in Ford trucks. I've Never had a FSV fail????