Tapping in to fuel line?

[DIRTROAD NOMADIC]

I have a diesel heater that I want to use. Can I put a tee inline to feed the heater. How much pressure is the fuel system and can I use a check valve or two to stop from pulling air .heater has it's own fuel pump. Where should I put the tee.? Between the tank and tank valve switch? Wondering if anyone has tried to tap fuel ?

 

[Clb]

First proofread
Second Articulate your thoughts better
Third welcome
Put your rigs specs in your sig line so we know what we are working with.ok?

 

[DIRTROAD NOMADIC]

It's a 1991 ford e-250 van,7.3 idi non turbo, dual fuel tanks . I want to tap into diesel fuel somewhere on the fuel system without having to drop the fuel tank. Trying not to lose prime with engine running, diesel heater will be running only with engine off. Heater has its own pump inline. Is there a way to do this?

 

[Ky85]

I think there's a tech on this, in line fuel heater

 

[TNBrett]

If you’re still using the factory mechanical lift pump, I think I would try putting a tee just before that. I would use a check valve on both outlets of that tee. That part of the fuel system would be under suction. You could tie in somewhere else, say just after the FSV, depending on where you’re mounting the heater. But, the rubber hose at the lift pump is an easy place to make your connections. Bear in mind that the fuel is unfiltered at this point, so you’ll want to have some sort of filter feeding your heater.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cre1992]

I think I understand more of what Dirtroad is trying to say. He has a camper van of sorts and wants to install a auxiliary diesel heater like a webasto or a chinese copy off of amazon to heat up the van while it is not running. Not a fuel heater. That being said, I have been trying to figure that out myself Dirtroad. I have an idi ambulance that I am turning into a offroad camper of sorts. I believe the van might have an aux port up on the sending unit on top of the tank which would eliminate having to T into the fuel line. I could very well be wrong. But I think you would be better off pulling from the tank directly than "T"ing into the fuel line going the engine driven pump. I still plan on picking one up eventually, but I picked up a brand new Propex heater for real cheap, so that will be going in my truck first.

I have read a lot on those units, and even though they have their own fuel pumps, it seems most people recommend keeping the fuel line from the tank to the pump to the heater as short as possible.

 

[Farmer Rock]

Being that the heater has it's own lift pump, I don't really see a problem with the setup, although you will have to add a fuel filter before the heater's lift pump like @TNBrett suggested.





Rock

 

[Cubey]

If you have dual tanks, I recommend using one tank for your heater and one for the IDI. Then you don't even have to worry about it. You also won't risk draining the tank you need to drive on.

Nice high top van btw. I kind of wish I had an IDI high top van like that. (Or even a gasser) The 8mpg of my RV is rough. Yeah I have the F250 too but I dislike the living space being separate from the cab. The F250 advantage is the higher ground clearance (it's up so high it almost looks 4wd) for better light off road camping but yeah. It's $500 in fuel away from where I am right now, or I'd go swap over to it for the summer.

 

[nj_m715]

I installed one last year in my OBS. I wanted to make the minimal alterations in the fuel system as possible and didn't want to end up on the side of the road from screwing around with my factory fuel lines.
I decided to install a pick up in the sending unit of the front tank. the sender can be removed without dropping the tank. I pulled it, drilled hole and soldered in a piece of steel brake line. I left it a couple inches from the bottom so the heater will never drain the tank.

I ended up with a great setup. it uses about 1/2 gal in 12 hrs on low and provides enough heat to keep the topper shell comfortable
no refueling to mess with, as long as the front tank isn't empty.

I strongly recommend ditching the stock fuel pump mount. it transfers a lot of noise.
there's a few vids on YT search for "how to silence diesel heater fuel pump"

I wrapped the pump in piece of foam from an army sleeping pad and hung it with zip ties.
I might have some pics somewhere.

 

[nj_m715]

https://ibb.co/613mF17

https://ibb.co/mqSs44N

 

[TNBrett]

https://ibb.co/613mF17

https://ibb.co/mqSs44N

I think I like this idea better than what I suggested.

 

[DIRTROAD NOMADIC]

Thanks for the feedback, it's been very helpful, yes it's a China knockoff aux heater. Don't want to hassle with the small tank that comes with the kit. Going to pull from rear tank .

 

[DIRTROAD NOMADIC]

Ok,after a little more research I found a kit that taps into the fuel tank without dropping the tank.comes with a seal and pickup line. Drill 3 screw holes and your done. Found it on Ebay. Made for a wabash auxiliary heater .Thanks for all the feedback. Problem solved.

 

[WAID]

If you have dual tanks, I recommend using one tank for your heater and one for the IDI. Then you don't even have to worry about it. You also won't risk draining the tank you need to drive on.

Nice high top van btw. I kind of wish I had an IDI high top van like that. (Or even a gasser) The 8mpg of my RV is rough. Yeah I have the F250 too but I dislike the living space being separate from the cab. The F250 advantage is the higher ground clearance (it's up so high it almost looks 4wd) for better light off road camping but yeah. It's $500 in fuel away from where I am right now, or I'd go swap over to it for the summer.

Not to go too far off topic, but I'm not sure you'd do much better with a gas hightop van. Buddies got an '87 Okanogan class B with a 351w and a C6 and 8-9 mpg is all he really gets. Granted its a pretty big hightop. He was down a tank for a while and his range between gas stations was a bit tight a couple of times.

 

[Cubey]

Not to go too far off topic, but I'm not sure you'd do much better with a gas hightop van. Buddies got an '87 Okanogan class B with a 351w and a C6 and 8-9 mpg is all he really gets. Granted its a pretty big hightop. He was down a tank for a while and his range between gas stations was a bit tight a couple of times.

I had a 78 Dodge class B I long regret selling and it got about 9.

Course, my huge class C IDI gets ~8 and it's way bigger. Yeah fuel costs a bit more but per mile it's still cheaper than a big gas class C.

If I want 10 city/14 hwy mpg, I can go back in my tiny truck camper. It's quite a bit smaller though.

The two side by side for comparison of the living spaces. Quite a huge difference. I have 10x the space for 16 cents more per mile (based on $3/gal, 38c per mile @ 7.9 mpg, vs 22c per mile @ 13.5mpg average)

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