fuel tank question

[Ardenfour]

I got a hold of a plastic Vetus fuel tank to replace my aging and pin-holed steel one. My question is, the MD1 engine is gravity fed, so the old tank outlet was on the bottom. The Vetus one has a lift pipe, so I'd be relying on a syphon action. I plan to fit a primer bulb near the engine should it ever run out of fuel. Does this setup sound ok, or should I cut a hole in the bottom?

 

[Kelpie]

My Vega uses a vetus tank with the outlet in the top. If the diesel level is high enough the filter/separator will self fill, but it depends n the relative heights in your setup.

 

[fisherman]

The effect of gravity is exactly the same whether from the bottom outlet or syphoned over the top. Just the occasional problem if air gets in and breaks the syphon. Personally I had a syphon feed.....once.

 

[Jim@sea]

My boat has 2 Vetus plastic tanks with fuel syphoned from the top and I am having problems getting it to run for more than 10 minutes. It stops and I have to bleed it again.
I am going to buy one of these 12v electric fuel pumps and try that.

 

[Andrew G]

Ardenfour - don't put a hole in your tank – syphoning should work well, especially if the engine is below (or near) the level of the tank. Is there a manual primer pump on the engine? It should be sufficient to prime it but a bulb is a good idea (but two more joins to keep tight).
Jim@sea – something more sinister at work here. Is the breather clogged, or a leak in the system? Andrew

 

[Ardenfour]

Thanks folks, will give it a try. Andrew G no primer on the engine, but bottom of tank will be around 200 mm above the filter inlet on the engine. I have also a CAV type filter inline so planned to fit the bulb primer just before that - or should it go after the filter?

 

[Kelpie]

Are you sure there's no priming pump on the engine? What type of engine is it?

 

[Dipper]

I got a hold of a plastic Vetus fuel tank to replace my aging and pin-holed steel one. My question is, the MD1 engine is gravity fed, so the old tank outlet was on the bottom. The Vetus one has a lift pipe, so I'd be relying on a syphon action. I plan to fit a primer bulb near the engine should it ever run out of fuel. Does this setup sound ok, or should I cut a hole in the bottom?

I have a Vetus plastic tank and gravity fed Volvo 2001. It's not a problem for me. If I remove and refit the tank it only takes a few pumps with the primer on the engine pump to get it flowing again.