No-Spill fueling ideas needed

[number9L]

Ive got a white plastic 55g drum that I use for fuel. When empty I haul it to the gas station and put about 25g in it and use the tractor to unload and carry it to the tack barn I keep it in.

In the drum I use a harbor freight hand (crank) pump with a 1" by 6' full hose. I just pull the tractor into the barn, put the hose in the tank and crank the pump. Problem is, I cat stand at the crank and reach the tank, let alone see down in it. The fuel tank being black doesn't make things any easier either. I've got to pump, check tank, pump little more and repeat. I've only filled the tractor 3 times since owning it, but I can already see this setup sucks.

I need ideas for making some type of indicator device I could attach to the end of the hose and stick down in the tank that would show when the tank is full. Like day some type of stick that would float on the fuel and raise up as the level gets higher. Then I could mark the "full" position on it. I know how/what I want to do, just can't think of what components to use to make it happen.

Any ideas some of you may have would be great.

...

 

[emitchell]

maybe one of those little Styrofoam fishing bobbers with a stick through it and some weight on the bottom to make it stand up right?

 

[stuckmotor]

Can you park so you can see the fuel gauge on the tractor?

 

[Lou66]

you didn't say if it was gas or diesel,, but wouldn't make a lot of difference,, get a piece 36" bamboo they are anywhere from 3/8 to 1/4 thick,, you can get them at lowes or home depot,, put a small screw on the bottom end,, drop it in and mark it when it is full.. it will last several months at a time.. I think they come 12 or 18 teen to package.. I also use them for my tomatoes.. Lou

 

[KPark]

Maybe a monometer type of guage? could tee off from fuel filter with petcock and clear tubing. Not the most graceful of solutions, but. . .

 

[aczlan]

2 options that I have used with sucess:
1. Put the nozzle 2-3" down into the tank and listen for the sound of flowing fuel to go away, then stop pumping
2. Buy an auto stop nozzle (like this one for $40)

Aaron Z

 

[CNC Dan]

cork with a piece of coathanger wire stuck in it. Bend the wire into a tee to rest over the opening of the tank. Watch for the wire to start lifting as the cork starts to float.

OR

measure the fuel level with stick/ruler. Crank pump 10 turns, remeasure. Repeat. Figure out how many cranks of pump untill full. Crank pump that many turns.

 

[The kid]

Did you ever look at a public water reservior tank that had a indicator on the outside showing the internal contents level. Although it compromise a sealed container. It would be easy to make with fishing line or (weedeater line) a large float bobber and a small weight weighing less that the weighted floating bobber. A scale drawn on the side. Do you get the idea.

 

[creekbend]

maybe one of those little Styrofoam fishing bobbers with a stick through it and some weight on the bottom to make it stand up right?

I think you are referring to a "Popping Cork". I used them to fish for Seatrout and Redfish while in Florida.

 

[number9L]

Great ideas all guys. I bought some small (that I could find) fishing bobbers today to use for the indicator. Stripped a welding rod bare and bent it around a PVC pipe in about a 3/4 circle so it "snaps" onto the filler neck and lays down between the threads. Then I went out and filled the tractor but found the hose I've got running off the hand pump is too large to allow the bobbers to fit in the neck with the tube at the same time. I'm going to keep going with this and find something that is small enough diameter to work.

Hmmm......just had an idea....maybe get an extra fuel lid, drill a hole in it to stick the fill hose down in, and another small hole for the welding rod to stick through. Use some type of bobber on the bottom of the rod to raise the rod when the fuel level is right up at the bottom of the neck (or very close to it). 90 degree bend on both ends of the rod to keep the bobber from falling off and the rod from dropping down through the cap into the tank.

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