Fuel Line Primer Pumps

[LowGear]

I'm probably going to use diesel, WVO, bio-diesel and maybe a little RUG mixed in with these fluids.

1)   How come folks never use Premium Unleaded Gasoline?

2)   Will a standard out-board line pump be OK?

3)   Options?

Casey

[cognos]

1)   How come folks never use Premium Unleaded Gasoline?

Because if you're just using it for solvent effect, well, Premium is no better solvent than Regular - the octane rating is not an indication of solvent or chemical properties of the fuel. So save your money!

[LowGear]

Thanks cognos,

I haven't brought regular on the farm in years.  Well since I got my Kawasaki powered zero turn.  20 minutes on RUG and he can barely crawl back to his house.  I put a bunch of Chevron premium (its costing right around $4 a gallon here in Hawaii at this time) and in five minutes "Bob's your uncle."  Its nice to know I don't need to keep a special stash of RUG.

Does anyone have any experience with using one of those boat fuel line pumps with Diesel or the fore mentioned oils?

Casey

[Tom Reed]

I just setup a boat 6.6 gallon tank as my day tank for the lister, but it's setup for gravity feed.

[LowGear]

Hi Tom,

Does the fuel run through the inline primer pump many of these units have?

Casey

[vdubnut62]

Casey, if gasahol and 2 stroke mix won't eat a primer bulb up, why are you worried about diesel/RUG and used motor oil? Veg oil might harden it up though, but I bet it would take a while before it was unusable.
Or have I grossly misunderstood your concerns?
Ron.

[Tom Reed]

Casey,

I just used the tank and converted it to a bottom drain for gravity feed no hoses. There was a 3/8" npt top fitting with a dip tube to draw fuel up that was removed. 

In fact people might want to try this idea for a feed through to make a tank. If you take a brass tire valve stem and drill it out it works good. The one I used had the same dia and thread pitch as 1/8" npt without the taper. After running a die over the threads part way a pipe fitting screw right on and sealed perfect.

[LowGear]

Hi Tom,

I'm converting a couple of propane tanks over to use as a diesel / bio-diesel [start] - WVO (or whatever) [run] - diesel / bio-diesel [stop] program. 

You're Schrader valve stem sounds good but I love to braze.  I thought I'd just set a 1/4 pipe coupling in the top.  I've started putting holes in stuff I want inside that a 3" ABS pipe will fit in to and then an ABS cap on the short length of pipe to work as an access and filling port.  Eventually, with mechanical float valves I'll be able to set the tanks up, walk away knowing that Mr. Woodie will be treated right.  But running out of fuel suggests priming the fuel system for the next run.  A line pump seems simple - Keep It Simple Smarty.

Thoughts?

Casey

[Crofter]

I have used retired propane tanks quite a few times and enlarged and shrunk them by making one out of two or cutting a piece out and rewelding. Setting in a fitting makes for a stronger and easier to weld or braze if you punch  smaller hole and then use a tapered punch or ball pien hammer to enlarge the hole and form a depressed and flanged hole. The threaed bunghole flanges are available at Princess Auto and Northern hydraulic as well as pipe couplings and nipples.

You just have to be entirely comfortable with your method of rendering the tank explosion proof before and during welding etc. Oil or paint inside when heated can go poof as well as the things we usually think of as being explosive.

[LowGear]

Hi Frank,

I checked at Princess and Northern Tool (re-directed by google) and no bunghole flanges.  I'm gonna find it pretty hard to pass on bunghole flanges.  Do they provide for an internal dip pipe going near the bottom of the tank?  I like the mechanically enlarged hole so the lip provides more brass area.  My plan was to use a 90 with a 12 inch nipple going down inside for pick-up.

I can get pretty loose around a torch - thanks for the reminder.  With a 3 inch hole in the top for a week or two I'm not too worried about an unplanned  rush.   

Casey

[LowGear]

Hi Ron,

Your observation does ease my concerns greatly.  The plan is for the line to be "washed" with diesel at the end of most every run.

Casey

[bschwartz]

Ron....

"Or have I grossly misunderstood your concerns?"

Maybe you are just gross 

[Tom Reed]

My boat tank is poly so brazing is not an option. However rust is not an issue either. 

[bschwartz]

Casey,

Why do you want to use a primer bulb?  Do you have an uphill fuel feed?  If so, I'd think an auto type cheap 12v fuel pump would be your friend.  It's what I use for my WMO tank.  If you have gravity feed, why do you need a pump at all?

[vdubnut62]

Ron....

"Or have I grossly misunderstood your concerns?"

Maybe you are just gross 

I am...gassy too.
Ron