Gertrude our 1976 Sopru

[onetrackwonder]

Ok so been out in the shed again today between other jobs and have made a couple of discoveries in regards to the tank, when I drained it, which of course it had to have a full tank, the draining took me on and off 3 days, no need to rush these things but today I found some gunk blocking the outlet in the tank, looked like a bit of rubber and something else that I was later to discover was silicone, why do people continue to use this where fuel is involved, anyway if you look hard you may see it in there

https//i.imgur.com/fSOdGck.jpg?1[/img]]

The silicone on the sender o ring

https//i.imgur.com/4hekMSZ.jpg?1[/img]]

The rubbish that come off it, I suspect that they used the silicone not to seal it but to hold it there while it is installed, a smear of grease would have done the same thing and then dissolve with the fuel later

https//i.imgur.com/fVMttna.jpg?1[/img]]


The other thing that I discovered was that the fuel sender had been installed the wrong way around, the float was facing the rear of the car when it should be facing the passengers side and away from the fuel filler inlet, because of this on a low tank the float sat on the step in the side of the tank, and when full it hit the side of the tank about half way up, this would explain why when I filled the car the gauge only ever went half way on the scale and stay there for ages and then drop away fast, looking at the invoices that the previous owner had given me when we purchased her a well known VW centre in Melbourne had installed the sender not that long before we bought the bus so that is a bit disappointing, however when installed the right way everything should work as normal so it was well worth pulling the tank, which is in surprisingly good condition for its age, cheers Greg

Sitting on the step

https//i.imgur.com/fRhNZPf.jpg?2[/img]]

Stuck against the side

https//i.imgur.com/h3NXCcK.jpg?1[/img]]
 

Last edited: Nov 7, 2019

onetrackwonder, Nov 7, 2019

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That is interesting info to know onetrackwonder about the gauge reading as my Ute has similar reading so might have to check mine one day. It doesn't go to full mark quickly moves to half way and takes ages to slowly move to the lower mark.
 

72 Kombi 8 Seater Microbus
72 Double Cab Ute
76 Single Cab Ute

Wayne murray, Nov 7, 2019

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onetrackwonder said: ↑

but today I found some gunk blocking the outlet in the tank, looked like a bit of rubber and something else that I was later to discover was silicone,

The same silicone that blocked your main jet?
 

Barry, Nov 7, 2019

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No Barry that was definitely rubber which had come from a fuel line somewhere on the engine side of the filter, the silicone hadn't made it to the filter and when I changed the filter in Mallacoota it was also spotless, when I drained the tank I done that through the filter and that too is spotless, the good thing about this is that I have learnt heaps about the bus and its history and I am only seeing this as a minor speed hump and nothing negative as everything I have looked at has been good, cheers Greg
https//i.imgur.com/jCUtX0I.jpg[/img]]
 

onetrackwonder, Nov 7, 2019

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So onetrackwonder I'm impressed with the photos of inside the tank with sender fitted & the only way my head can understand is you've stuck a camera down the inlet side of tank. Do I get a pass or a fail? If it's a fail how the heck did you get the photos.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/

David H, Nov 7, 2019

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Dave I stood the tank on its end and I had one of those headlamp/torches on the side of the inlet looking down the fuel filler hole and I eased the corner of the iPhone into the hole until it looked ok and snapped away, took a few goes to get what I wanted, cheers Greg
 

onetrackwonder, Nov 7, 2019

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onetrackwonder said: ↑

Dave I stood the tank on its end and I had one of those headlamp/torches on the side of the inlet looking down the fuel filler hole and I eased the corner of the iPhone into the hole until it looked ok and snapped away, took a few goes to get what I wanted, cheers Greg

Brave. Given the 'joy' I had today with my new gas bottle cover I'd have dropped the phone into the tank.
Good insight tho' for the direction of the sender.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/

David H, Nov 7, 2019R