Subject: RE: fuel tank filter
There was an excellent article about this in Austin-Healey Magazine within
the last few months (June issue?). I found if you remove the sending unit,
you can use a penlight and dental mirror to peek under the baffle to see the
end of the pickup tube. Mine had no visible filter. As a precaution to
ensure I had nothing clogged inside the tube, I followed a suggestion to
drill a 1/4" hole into the brass fitting, then ream with suitable wire. Tap
the hole, fit a brass bolt, and file to suit. This was done with an empty
tank on the bench.
Neal G.
61 BT7
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-healeys@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-healeys@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Dave & Marlene
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 11:48 PM
To: Ron Fine Esq.
Cc: Awgertoo@aol.com; Healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: fuel tank filter
Ron & Michael,
I think that different Healey car years have had different tank
entry fittings. Maybe replacement tanks varied also. In any event, the
original tank on my BN2 had a straight vertical (opening pointing up)
female fitting welded to the tank top. Same with a replacement Moss
tank. Neither had any sign of a filter/screen on the inside end. It may
have been one of their "better ideas" on later cars.
In the event that your tank does have a screen, & apparently some do,
there seem to be quite a few reports of folks plugging the screens with
sloshing compounds. You could try applying 150 psi air pressure to the
fitting. Filler cap removed of course. If it is plugged, the pressure
will either blow the dirt out of the screen, blow the screen off the
pipe, or still no air flow. If you achieve good air flow, it will work
again. If not, more extreme measures are required. Flush the tank
thoroughly to avoid a repeat. Obviously an external filter between tank
& pump is in order.
The few end of pipe screens that I have seen, were made of rather flimsy
molded Nylon or some type of plastic, & would easily fracture or blow
off if high pressure air was applied to a plugged screen. These were all
on removable pipe assemblies.
I agree that anyone that would design a non-accessible screen into a
tank wasn't thinking straight.
As others have said, the constantly running pump indicates the you
either have a pump suction side air leak, very restricted flow into the
pump, vapor lock, (the least likely) or leaking pump valves. Air bubbles
in gas could mean a suction side air leak, or vapor lock. A leak on the
pressure side that was large enough to cause such problems would be
readily obvious by the large puddle of fuel.
Dave Russell
BN2
Ron Fine Esq. wrote:
> Michael, my tank is out of my car but the 90 degree fitting at the
> tank looks like it is welded to the tank. I didn't want to mess with
> that weld. Any other suggestions? Ron
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