How do you know when the fuel tank is full?

[SmallChange]

Enough with the lifting and pouring 2 gallon cans through a big funnel. I need something easier on my back. I have a 7.4 gallon tank whose fill port is chest high, above the 3 pt.

I think a hand-crank pump on a small tank would be perfectly convenient and reasonable, except for one question: how do I know how full the tank is?

Do I keep stopping and looking in there with a flashlight? Do simple hand-powered pumps and nozzles have automatic shutoffs? Do I count the turns? Is there some gadget I can stick in there to signal when fuel is near the top of the tank? Or once you get the hang of it, is it very little trouble to get it right?

The barn doesn't need to stink of diesel fuel. I work in there!

 

[fried1765]

Enough with the lifting and pouring 2 gallon cans through a big funnel. I need something easier on my back. I have a 7.4 gallon tank whose fill port is chest high, above the 3 pt.

I think a hand-crank pump on a small tank would be perfectly convenient and reasonable, except for one question: how do I know how full the tank is?

Do I keep stopping and looking in there with a flashlight? Do simple hand-powered pumps and nozzles have automatic shutoffs? Do I count the turns? Is there some gadget I can stick in there to signal when fuel is near the top of the tank? Or once you get the hang of it, is it very little trouble to get it right?

The barn doesn't need to stink of diesel fuel. I work in there!

"The barn doesn't need to stink of diesel fuel"

Yup!
Fueling outside is best with diesel, safer with gas.
I lost my entire house, from my teen age son filling gas in the garage.

 

[s219]

I just turn the key so that the tractor's fuel gauge powers on and watch that as I pump. Keep in mind the gauge will lag behind reality by a few seconds, so I slow down as I get near full.

 

[4get gto]

Something like this could be an option..

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TERA-PUMP-4AA-Battery-Powered-Fuel-Transfer-Pump-TRFA01/301447718

There are many types of these out there so look around..

 

[Texasmark]

I fill with a 12v pump (TSC cheapest) from 55 gallon barrels. Before I bought the electric pump I had a hand operated (crank handle operated) pump that mounted on the drums like the electric and found it to be inconvenient as you had to be standing at the drum to operate it and couldn't be looking down into your tractor's fill port simultaneously like is required on the 2400. Its port is on top of the engine cowl with a flip cover over the screw on fill cap. A small tube connects the fill port to the tank and being such, you have to apply fuel at a slow rate and be on your toes to shut it off when fluid unexpectedly emerges.

On my small engines, I quit the hassle of 5 gallon containers and started using 2 gallon containers which are easy to fill at the filling station and are easy to handle by hand. If I didn't have the electric pump for tractors, It would be the hand pump for all but the 2400.....which, as an additional handicap in not over filling, the gauge is slow to respond to tank fluid level so it isn't a resource for filling like it is on the other tractors.

 

[MossRoad]

When I used to fuel aircraft over the wing our fuel trucks did not have automatic shut offs. We stuck a finger in the hole with the nozzle. When your finger gets wet or cold, you stop.

 

[WranglerX]

I personally like these because they stop flowing when fuel reaches spout.... But then my fuel filler is just a little above waist height and can can rest of fender...

Dale

 

[groundcover]

When your feet get wet STOP !

 

[Diggin It]

When your feet get wet STOP !

That goes for the middle of the night too when you don't turn the lights on ....


:shocked:

 

[groundcover]

True that !

 

[tradosaurus]

Other threads that talk about the best fueling system. I have an 11 gal tank and I use an inexpensive battery powered pump. I put the 5 gal gas can on top of an inverted 5 gal bucket and then fuel from there.
I stand in the footwell area of the tractor and listen for the tank to get full. I haven't overfilled yet and have run through about 10 containers of diesel so far.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072MK7CSJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Industrial Toys]

I bet all those guys that stuck their fingers in there got cancer of the finger.

Not nice to have fuel oil spills inside. Stinks forever, but now you know how mother nature feels when you spill it outside.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Enough with the lifting and pouring 2 gallon cans through a big funnel. I need something easier on my back. I have a 7.4 gallon tank whose fill port is chest high, above the 3 pt.

I think a hand-crank pump on a small tank would be perfectly convenient and reasonable, except for one question: how do I know how full the tank is?

Do I keep stopping and looking in there with a flashlight? Do simple hand-powered pumps and nozzles have automatic shutoffs? Do I count the turns? Is there some gadget I can stick in there to signal when fuel is near the top of the tank? Or once you get the hang of it, is it very little trouble to get it right?

The barn doesn't need to stink of diesel fuel. I work in there!

How about establishing by experiment, a correlation between your fuel gauge and how much you need to fill it back up.

Then siphon or pump in a gallon less using one of the convenient setups available on Amazon.​

Then, if you really need a full load, use a 1 gallon can to top off manually. :confused3:​

 

[TheMan419]

Other threads that talk about the best fueling system. I have an 11 gal tank and I use an inexpensive battery powered pump. I put the 5 gal gas can on top of an inverted 5 gal bucket and then fuel from there.
I stand in the footwell area of the tractor and listen for the tank to get full. I haven't overfilled yet and have run through about 10 containers of diesel so far.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072MK7CSJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use the HF version of this pump. Paid like $8 for it. I set the 5 gal can on the hood and fill away. So I can see the fill port. Great on the back as well.

 

[oosik]

Man - do I ever hear what you are saying. My fill port is above the 3-point arms also. I fill up EVERY time I use the tractor. Keeps the tank full - less condensation - less time holding my 5 gallon Jerry cans "up high". I just fill until I hear the sound of the diesel fuel coming back up the fill pipe.

However - my time is coming. The Jerry cans are not getting any lighter. I dread going to some type of fuel delivery system. I've done my fills the same way for 38 years now and never even once had any problems with water in the fuel. Every fuel delivery system I've seen draws the fuel from the bottom of the container. I'm very careful and the last pint or so in the Jerry can goes into a separate container. For other uses. No water - no condensation.

 

[WranglerX]

Probably best solution would be the style that fits in PU bed, and you can fill at local "diesel o-rama & stuff" and then pump into tractor at tractors site, many have auto click off valves on hose.... But we being cheap tractor owners and liking to make things more complicated probably will not consider this...

Dale

 

[PILOON]

When I used to fuel aircraft over the wing our fuel trucks did not have automatic shut offs. We stuck a finger in the hole with the nozzle. When your finger gets wet or cold, you stop.

LOL, I also did that when filling my Cessna!

 

[PILOON]

That goes for the middle of the night too when you don't turn the lights on ....


:shocked:

LOL, almost wet my drawers over that one!
________________________________________________________________________________________

I located on a china website a small 12 volt pump that fits into the filler necks of most 5 gal fuel cans.
Comes complete with DC power cord an, switch and battery clips and even spare impellor.
A screen filters and crud B4 it gets pumped.
For shipping reasons no filler hose is included but it is 5/8" and easy to find locally. I used heater hose as it is designed for oily 'under hood' environments as well remains flexible in cold.
Price is in the $10-12 range.

Basically a modified boating bilge pump and comes with the caution to NEVER pump gasoline.
Works so well I ordered a spare 'just in case'.

Sorry that I can't find the link but a search should find it on AliBabba

Not the fastest but for fuelling CUTs ideal as it takes me all of 2-3 mins to fill mine.
I even wired a dedicated power outlet for convenience.

 

[SmallChange]

When your feet get wet STOP !

I did. That's why I'm looking for something better.

 

[RjCorazza]

Life is too short. I use a truck mounted transfer tank with an auto shutoff nozzle. No lifting, no overfilling, and the fuel gets an additional run through a filter.