I've been using Power Service Bio Kleen everytime I've added fuel since my initial problem. There's no way of cleaning the tank without removing it, which would be a REAL nightmare, and then cutting it in two. I might as well purchase a new tank if I do that. This is why I thought of changing out the OEM sediment bowl and replacing with a unit I could watch for "crap" in the bowl and change the internal element or remove the element and clean it.
Replace sediment bowl with inline filter
- Thread starter angelugs
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piper184
Platinum Member
My fuel tank had a 1/4" NPT fitting on the bottom of the tank. The original bowl had a threaded nipple on the top that screwed directly into the tank.
The replacement from Ranch Hand (second photo) also had the nipple on the top but I took the opportunity to use a couple of elbows to offset the fuel bowl to be a little more forward and a little lower for easier access. You can see where I removed the original fitting on the end of the hose and just used a regular hose barb to connect to the new bowl.
My parts manual lists the fuel tank as type II indicating that there was a revision somewhere before mine was built. It wouldn't surprise me a bit that they modified it to have SAE fittings to make it more acceptable to the US market. Most of the tapped fluid fittings in the block are SAE, not metric, although all the bolts are metric. This makes it really easy to work on the fuel, oil and coolant systems.
I can try to get some better photos tomorrow if you would like. Does your tank look like mine with the return fitting screwing into the front face? I can give you some pointers on getting the tank out from under the hood if you want. Provided your hood looks like mine. There were changes in hoods as well over the years. Post a picture or two of yours so we know if they are the same.
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Bob Rooks
Elite Member
Power Service Bio Kleen is a good reputable product. I use https://www.amazon.com/Biobor-HUMBU...&sprefix=Hum+Bug+detector,aps,117&sr=8-1&th=1 to check my bulk storage tank.
I don't understand why you can't clean your tank in situ. It can't be any worse than my dozer. I only had a 2-1/2" fill tube to work from. I was able to wiggle around a pressure washer wand, and used a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe adapted to a Shop-Vac hose. The heat gun was no problem - I used a piece of 1" metal tubing to blow the hot air to the bottom of the tank, but an afterthought told me I could just use a couple of magnet heaters. Haven't had any issues since.
piper184
Platinum Member
I just looked at the replacement bowl setups from Ranch Hand Supply and they show two different styles. You can see them here: Jinma Fuel Sediment Bowl
Also checked an online parts catalog and they list two different styles, one with a straight thread (metric) using a jam nut and seal and one with a tapered (NPT) thread. Both are still available and for less money than the after market replacement. I still would recommend the after market, as an upgrade.
Other after market replacement systems will probably require some kind of plumbing adapter and mounting bracket. I believe the metric fitting you have is referred to as a STOR BOSS fitting. If you look around a hydraulic fitting web site such as Clearwater or DIscount Hydraulics you can probably find an adapter or combination of adapters to get from what you have to what you will need for some of the other solutions.
The original setup on my tractor was: Tank - Sediment Bowl with screen - Lift pump - Secondary filter (NAPA Gold # 3195 at 10 Microns) - Injection Pump. As stated before the factory plastic bowl got cloudy and was leaking so I upgraded. The lift pump started leaking at the plunger seal which was just an o-ring. I couldn't keep it sealed so removed the lift pump and made a cover for the mounting boss. Then installed an electric lift pump and have never looked back. I bought my tractor in a crate and assembled it myself. At that time there was a really good document about how to do this and it recommended replacing all the factory fluids and filters with quality domestic products, which I did before it was ever started. 900 hours and 16 years later it still has the same fuel filter on it.
The only fuel related issue I have ever had is one winter I got caught with # 2 in the tank and while plowing snow at -18F it would run fine in the yard but when I got to the road at the top of the hill the wind blew the heat away from the engine faster than it could produce it and the fuel jelled up on me. Fortunately I was able to get it back to the yard and left it running at a very high idle while I ran to the truck stop for a bottle of 911. That worked and I didn't even have to replace the filter then.
Hope this helps
Also checked an online parts catalog and they list two different styles, one with a straight thread (metric) using a jam nut and seal and one with a tapered (NPT) thread. Both are still available and for less money than the after market replacement. I still would recommend the after market, as an upgrade.
Other after market replacement systems will probably require some kind of plumbing adapter and mounting bracket. I believe the metric fitting you have is referred to as a STOR BOSS fitting. If you look around a hydraulic fitting web site such as Clearwater or DIscount Hydraulics you can probably find an adapter or combination of adapters to get from what you have to what you will need for some of the other solutions.
The original setup on my tractor was: Tank - Sediment Bowl with screen - Lift pump - Secondary filter (NAPA Gold # 3195 at 10 Microns) - Injection Pump. As stated before the factory plastic bowl got cloudy and was leaking so I upgraded. The lift pump started leaking at the plunger seal which was just an o-ring. I couldn't keep it sealed so removed the lift pump and made a cover for the mounting boss. Then installed an electric lift pump and have never looked back. I bought my tractor in a crate and assembled it myself. At that time there was a really good document about how to do this and it recommended replacing all the factory fluids and filters with quality domestic products, which I did before it was ever started. 900 hours and 16 years later it still has the same fuel filter on it.
The only fuel related issue I have ever had is one winter I got caught with # 2 in the tank and while plowing snow at -18F it would run fine in the yard but when I got to the road at the top of the hill the wind blew the heat away from the engine faster than it could produce it and the fuel jelled up on me. Fortunately I was able to get it back to the yard and left it running at a very high idle while I ran to the truck stop for a bottle of 911. That worked and I didn't even have to replace the filter then.
Hope this helps
I'M POOPED!!! The family SUV needed a brake job so no "tractor time" today. I did take a couple of pictures of the tank and sediment bowl positions but truthfully I don't want to mess with downloading them from my phone to the computer tonight. After looking at the pictures you posted and comparing them with mine I think the set ups are the same. I don't know if I'll get back to the tractor tomorrow (Sunday) or not. When I do I guess I'll just bleed the air out of the lines and hope to get through the winter the way it sets. I would like to hear those "pointers" you mentioned about how to get the tank out. Don't want to tackle it now. It would be my luck we'd get a foot of snow and I'm too old to shovel my 200+ foot drive or too "proud" to ask anyone to do it for me.
I only buy 5 gal. of diesel at a time so I don't have to worry about storage tanks. It's kind of a crap shoot knowing how much Bio Kleen to use for just 5 gal. so maybe I've been a little stingy with it. Each time the tractor quits on me I remove the cover plate off the fuel gate and clean out the crap I find in there. After that she fires up again and runs for a while, probably less than 10 hours, then it's time for another cleaning. As far as why I can't get a GOOD cleaning on the inside of the tank, the fill tube extends about half way down INSIDE the tank and the diameter is 1 1/2 in., SUCKS BIGTIME!!! I'm assuming you've been reading the posts from piper184 on this thread and he's saying the tank removal chore isn't impossible. With winter coming on I don't want to get caught without my tractor running so I think I'll put "digging that hole" off till spring.
piper184
Platinum Member
Just curious as to exactly what you are referring too when you say "remove the cover plate off the fuel gate". These are terms I am not familiar with.
The factory sediment bowl assembly is made up of the housing (which holds the shut off valve), the plastic (sort of see through) bowl, a seal and an ring that screws onto the bowl. I don't recall if there was an internal screen in the OEM assembly or not.
The replacement assembly I have uses a bail and thumb screw to hold the glass bowl up tight against the seal and the housing. There is an internal (and replaceable) fine mesh screen inside and the part that looks like a petcock is actually the shut off valve. To clean, turn off the fuel, loosen the bail thumb nut and move that to the side while holding the glass bowl. Carefully lower the bowl out and away for cleaning. Reverse the process and check for leaks. Takes only a minute or two.
The sediment bowl is for course material and water separation and the secondary filter is for fine particulate.
Are you getting so much crud out of your tank that it is completely filling the sediment bowl and blocking fuel flow at that point? If so, I have some ideas on how you can flush out the majority of that without removing the tank.
Do you know if there is a finger screen that sticks up into the tank where the sediment bowl screws on?
Are you familiar with a brake service tool called a vacuum bleeder?
Digging through my photos I have found a few others that might be of interest. One project was making external hold down clamps for the instrument cluster so I no longer have to fight the hidden brackets and the other was making nut plates for the hood hinges.
We are butchering the next couple of days but if there is interest in these subjects I could make some new thread posts about them in a few days.
The factory sediment bowl assembly is made up of the housing (which holds the shut off valve), the plastic (sort of see through) bowl, a seal and an ring that screws onto the bowl. I don't recall if there was an internal screen in the OEM assembly or not.
The replacement assembly I have uses a bail and thumb screw to hold the glass bowl up tight against the seal and the housing. There is an internal (and replaceable) fine mesh screen inside and the part that looks like a petcock is actually the shut off valve. To clean, turn off the fuel, loosen the bail thumb nut and move that to the side while holding the glass bowl. Carefully lower the bowl out and away for cleaning. Reverse the process and check for leaks. Takes only a minute or two.
The sediment bowl is for course material and water separation and the secondary filter is for fine particulate.
Are you getting so much crud out of your tank that it is completely filling the sediment bowl and blocking fuel flow at that point? If so, I have some ideas on how you can flush out the majority of that without removing the tank.
Do you know if there is a finger screen that sticks up into the tank where the sediment bowl screws on?
Are you familiar with a brake service tool called a vacuum bleeder?
Digging through my photos I have found a few others that might be of interest. One project was making external hold down clamps for the instrument cluster so I no longer have to fight the hidden brackets and the other was making nut plates for the hood hinges.
We are butchering the next couple of days but if there is interest in these subjects I could make some new thread posts about them in a few days.
Bob Rooks
Elite Member
Ditto. New to me too.
I thought for sure I read the term "fuel gate" somewhere on TractorByNet. If not then I'll own it. What I'm referring to is the mechanism that shuts off the fuel when you pull the control knob. The cover plate I'm referring to is located just above the fuel primer and mounts with four machine screws. When my tractor starts to sputter or won't start, I remove the cover plate and find gunk inside. I clean it out, put the plate back on and she starts up and runs fine for 8 - 10 hrs. then starts sputtering. I hightail it for the shed, due the deed and presto .... back in business. As for the "finger screen", yes there was one on the replacement bowl I installed but I cut it off too save the headache of having to drain my tank, remove the sediment bowl unit and clean the filter every time I had problems. Also, there is a metal screen filter tucked away in the top of the bowl unit. I wasn't getting a lot of sediment in the bowl but figured as long as I could see something in there I was going to have the gunk showing up in the fuel gate. Yes I know what a vacuum bleeder is but don't see how it would help me get the inside of my tank cleaned out. Appreciate the offer about other mods but not worrying about anything but the present problem I'm having. Hopefully, with your input, in the spring I can get the fuel tank off and give it a good cleaning.