1800ES Fuel tank filter and pick-up pipe

[capt jack]

It's only taken a couple of months (!) but I've finally got around to removing the fuel tank from Monica, my 1800ES.

The tank appears to be basically sound. I've removed and cleand up the sender unit, and released the small drain plug on the underside centre front of the tank.

To the left hand underside of the tank there is a large brass boss with a plug, which in turn has a square socket for removal. I got this free quite easily, and removed it to reveal a mass of 'treacle' submerged in which were the remnants of a fabric filter element and the chamfered end of what I think must be a pick-up pipe.

The end of the filter fell away (possibly a copper or soft brass ring), but I can't now see how to progress things further. It all needs to be cleaned up, but it's getting cold and dark now, so I thought I best come to see if there was any expert counsel to be had before I go any further.

Does anyone know how the filter and pick-up pipe are removed from the tank?

Also, my plan is to jet-wash the inside of the tank to shift the dry rusticles that have formed there. Or does anyone have a better ideas?

All thoughts and comments gratefully received.

Jack

[Mister T]

capt jack ,
The part number for the filter was 688593 ( probably renumbered now) a small green mesh filter that pushes on to the pipe and keeps dead birds-stones and other large objects from jamming the pump .
The only way to remove the pick up pipe is to have it unsoldered from the tank where it exits , if you do not elect to have this done I would recommend that you have it checked to see that it is not corroded , if it is then fuel will not been drawn up .
Sounds like a job for a pro , proper clean and then sealed inside with slushing compound .
Mister T.

[capt jack]

I'll pick out the rest of the filter bit by bit - keeping an eye open for dead pigeons and discarded diamonds of course. I'm seriously considering a new tank - does anyone know if a tank from any other Volvo will fit?

Cheers

Jack

[Gordon Hunter]

Jack,

I'd recommend cleaning the tank out with 'Marine Clean', then soaking it with POR 'Metal Ready'. Finally seal it all up with POR Fuel Tank sealer.
I did this to my tank about 4 years ago. It even sealed some small holes in it! No problems since.
You can get all the above from http://frost.resultspage.com/search?w=POR

Hope this helps,

Gordon

[capt jack]

Thanks - guess I know what I'll be doing next weekend!

Cheers

Jack

[Ron Kwas]

Jack;

I had a similar experience with my ES when it was last in service...the rust particles in tank would periodically completely clog that prefilter* necessitating removal of the large plug and cleaning...pretty tedious!...it got so that I suspected so much rust in the tank (and confirmed this by inspection through sender hole) that I just left the plug out, put a pan under the hole, and poured fuel in to flush the crap out...and a lot came out, moving the tail of the car sideways to slosh the fuel around helped a lot (I removed a fist worth of rust particles once they were filtered out of the fuel), but I fear there is still more in there (and its getting more and more daily I'm afraid...there's just no way around it, and 140/ES era tanks seem to be more susceptible to this...).

* My prefilter was a plastic molded assembly which just slipped onto the pick-up tube and was held from slipping off by the brass sump plug (it gets loaded up...chokes off fuelflow...car sputters to a stop...you shut it off...suction stops...particulate falls into sump allowing you to start and run for a while until this cycle repeats...this does get old fast!)...mine is still in good shape and not comprimised, but if this is damaged and no longer available, I would make up a soldered replacement using the superfine brass screen available...running without it is clearly not recommended as it would likely be damaging if not lethal to the pump if any particulate were to get ingested...

My long-term plan is to remove the tank, put in several handfulls of egg-sized rocks, strap it to a rotisserie or cement mixer for a day to loosen all the surface rust (of which there is plenty I'm sure!), then rinse and dry (with a high-order solvent like acetone), then chem-prep, and finally coat with an epoxy coating as mentioned...that should be the permanent fix...anything else is likely not to satisfy in the longrun...(another example of better living through chemistry!)...

Cheers from New England!

[Eagerbeaver]

I'm going through the throws of similar problems above. One thing I couldn't find is what size the square drive is to the pre-filter sump plug . Even Volvo guru Rob at Amazon couldn't remember what size square drive sump key should be used.

It looks like 3/8 to the untrained eye on mine but that was too small and you run the risk of rounding the square off as the plug is quite tight.

I ended up using an 11mm square sump key that was a very snug fit, probably more snug than intended but that's what I needed when someone previously had started to round the female square off.

Hope this helps someone.

I suspect I will be doing this job again soon as I haven't got time just now to degrease, de-corrode, slosh seal and wait 4 days for the damned stuff to dry. Luckily though, taking the tank out is almost possible by the roadside if needed but I wouldn't like to do it in the dark when it's raining.

[b20e]

Hi

I have tried both ways, cleaning and replacing the tank.
Perversely to keep my low mileage car authentic, I cleaned the tank.
This is now good.

But this was a really time consuming job. If you have ever tried to shake paint onto a large container surface - well it does not immediately go everywhere you want easily. So how do you know you painted the inside of the tank completely.

I know the tank is quite expensive to purchase, but new pumps and injectors are too and this is what you risk with dirty petrol.

I can tell you that having renewed the tank on my restored car it is completely transformed.

Happy fuel pump, no plugged up post pump filter no clogged injectors.
Much more reliable better performing car.