Can I Fish Around In My Fuel Tank?

[jimainiac]

I just accidentally dropped the lower half of a two piece plastic funnel in my fuel tank. The tractor is a Kubota L3830 and it's a plastic eleven gallon tank mounted in front of the dashboard. I'd like to fish around for it with a grabber tool. It's flexible with little fingers that open up when you push the button. I'm just worried about possibly getting tangled up in the fuel gauge sending unit. I have both the shop manual and the parts manual, and neither one makes any mention about a sending unit, but the tractor has a fuel gauge, so there must be something in there. If there was danger of damaging any parts in the tank, I guess I'd opt for just leaving the funnel piece in there.
How's this for an oddball question?

 

[k0ua]

Not that oddball of a question. I have heard of a lot of guys on here "going fishing".. a lot of them don't have much luck.. Of course there is a float and sending unit. You can remove it first. It should just be a few screws. Or you can leave the piece of plastic in it and likely wont cause any harm.

James K0UA

 

[murphy1244]

Happy fishing

 

[jimainiac]

kOua, thanks for the vote of confidence. I popped the hood and I saw the top of the sending unit on the top of the tank. Doesn't look like too big of a deal to unscrew it and pull it out, then maybe I can use a coat hanger with a small hook on the end, without worrying about getting tangled in the float mechanism. I think that would be the only obstruction in the tank. (I hope.)
You're probably right that it most likely wouldn't bother if it stayed in there, it's just the dog-gone point of the thing. Being plastic, I wonder if it's floating or it went to the bottom?
No matter how much I screw up, I try to stay positive and look at these accidents as learning experiences. It'll be interesting to see what the fuel gauge sending unit looks like. Just hope I can get it out without having to remove the hood.

 

[groundcover]

Not sure I would eat the fish ! :laughing:

 

[k0ua]

From what I remember the guys have reported the little polyethylene extensions for the fuel cans (the most reported item dropped in the tank) have all fell to the bottom. I will happily report I have no real experience with "fishing" around in the fuel tank, but I have read about a lot of guys doing so!

James K0UA

 

[murphy1244]

From what I remember the guys have reported the little polyethylene extensions for the fuel cans (the most reported item dropped in the tank) have all fell to the bottom. I will happily report I have no real experience with "fishing" around in the fuel tank, but I have read about a lot of guys doing so!

James K0UA

You ain't owned a tractor till you go spoat fishing.

 

[k0ua]

You ain't owned a tractor till you go spoat fishing.

I took one look at that stupid extension spout and said to myself " well that stupid thing is liable to fall off into the tank" I have several brand new ones laying around in the garage.

 

[jimainiac]

My first plan is to put some diesel in a pan or bucket and see if the other part of the funnel floats or not. That should give me an indication of where to start the fishing expedition, top or bottom.
I looked again in the service and parts manuals, this time in the electrical section, and found a picture of the fuel sending unit off the tractor, being tested. The photograph is so bad I can't tell the exact shape of the unit, to know what to keep away from. The Kubota manuals really leave a lot to be desired, but that's a whole other discussion. (After fishing season ends).

 

[Dutch445]

We have fished a lot of tanks, and it's amazing at what ends up in them. Most of the ones we see
are able to get in the way of fuel flow and it causes a low fuel flow problem at the engine so we have
to go fishing. Recently we pulled a large piece of stone out of a 100 series mower, and before that was
a plastic piece of a fuel can that had sunk and was interfering with fuel flow out of the tank. It's always
an adventure! The small lawn tractors are usually done by removing the tank, but in most of the compacts
it's not so easy, so flashlight and grabber, or coat hanger, whatever works! If you have access to the sending
unit and it's easily removed, you can usually gain a lot more visibility into the tank than thru just the filler neck/hole

as with any fishing trip, pics are a must or we won't believe ya!