Adding filter to my portable diesel fuel tank

[petebert]

This is the fuel tank I use to fill the tractors.

I'd like to hardline in a filter with water trap like this.

I currently use a portable 12v pump to get the fuel, has a 3/4" rubber line that I drop in through the fill neck. When I'm done with the pump I put it in a plastic tote and put it away. I'd prefer not to buy a permanently attached pump because of how much they cost and I already have a working pump.

There's a 3/8" threaded hole in the bottom of the tank, previous owner gravity fed through that. Here's a picture of the top, the plugged hole is 1/2" and has a pickup tube down to what appears to be about 1" from the bottom of the tank. I'm thinking pipe my filter into that hole and then add a shutoff valve and barbed fitting on the other side of the filter. Whenever I need to use it I put my rubber line over the barbed fitting, done I pull it off and put it away like normal. Any thoughts on this. Any ideas of other ways to do it?

 

[RjCorazza]

Your plan to take the fuel from the top (with pickup tube) seems like the way to go. I personally would not take fuel from a bottom drain, even if filtered with a water block filter.
I know you don't want the expense of a dedicated pump, but it seems a shame to have such a cool fueling rig without a mounted and filtered pump setup.

Also, I have used the filter you pictured. You can get standard particle cartridges or the water block cartridges. I never noted water settling in mine, but it should separate water. I switched to the Goldenrod spin on water block filter for ease of changing and durability.

 

[petebert]

Yeah maybe I'll price out fuel pumps and re-evaluate. Would be nice to have it completely ready to go at anytime and save a little bit of hassle.

Here's a picture of it in action because my Case doesn't have a working fuel sender.

 

[LouNY]

A filter will work much better on the pressure side of your pump,
you would have difficulty getting a pump to prime when lifting thru a filter.

 

[Bayfisher]

if u lift fuel thru the top and use a pump u will need a check valve to stay primed,
ideally it would be plumbed filter first then pump then chk valve, that way the sys stays primed.

 

[nyone]

I have a goldenrod on the pressure side of my hand pump. There nice filter housings, clear enough that you can see the quality of fuel too.

Napa does carry those filters.

 

[petebert]

I've decided I'd like to go with a permanent pump. First problem I found is that they seem to want to come with a 1" threaded male base. I've got a 1" hole but it's also male for the fill neck. There's also the hole under the flat plate but it's not threaded. I found this "roughneck" brand one. It looks like I can unthread their mount and put my own pipe fittings on.

 

[mini14]

I'd rather double up the filtering with a primary water seperator and a secondary 2mic polishing filter. And pull from the bottom assuring constantly clean tank

 

[90cummins]

With a portable outdoor tank the golden rod waterblock is essential.
My indoor tank has a water/block then a 10 micron spin on filter followed by a 2 micron filter.
Drawing from the bottom is not recommended.
If you have no choice then the end of rank that is tapped should be high to avoid any water.
If there is a tap on both tank ends a valve at the lowest point would allow you to drain any water off bottom of tank before it gets picked up by your pump.
If a good slug of water hits the water block flow stops and there you set.

90cummins

 

[Texasmark]

I bought the cheapest DC pump TSC sells and added that exact filter at the outlet of the pump with it in an upright position as shown in your picture. It never happens as I am careful with the quality of my diesel, but If I were to have sucked up water from the tank it could be seen at the bottom of the filter and drained out with the pet cock.

On the water absorbing filter, read the directions in the box which state that is an absorbent filtration system, not a molecular blocking system, and the filter has to be changed periodically when it gets full of water......nothing tells you this...you just have to change it on a regular basis or when you think it might be full. Running three hundred gallons or so per year of clean diesel, in sealed tanks, and never seeing water in the filter, nor in the bottom of my storage tanks at fill up time, I don't get very excited that it's time to change the filter. I use ｾ" hoses so I just neck down the 1" fittings on the pump and filter.