Hunter 29.5 Fuel Pickup Removal

Harp

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Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
It's the last place for me to look for my fuel problem. Checked everything else. Very weak flow to filter. Tried to disconnect valve elbow from top of tank. Can't get it out. It just spins. I've read where guys have cut check ports into the top of tank for cleaning, etc. But I know my problem is with that damn screen at the end of the pickup. How do I get at it? Emptied the tank today (fuel was very clean) and will pull it tomorrow, but then what? Any experience with this? Appreciate any help or ideas. Thanx.
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,302
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
and will pull it tomorrow, but then what?
Not sure what your dip tube entry is like but you DO NOT want a tiny little screen on the end of the tube. Take the screen off. You want to let the crud flow into a fuel filter which has several hundred times the surface area of the little screen and is a five minute job to renew the element.
 
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Harp

.
Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Thanks. I agree re screen on end of tube. I just can't get at it. Will keep trying.
 

Harp

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Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Ralph, I uploaded a pic of the tank fitting. The barb will come off easy enough. The collared nut seems to be nothing more than a lock to secure it to the plastic. While using a wrench the fitting just spins (quite tightly) in both directions. I'm wondering if there is some kind of compressed pressure requiring force to pull it out and then press it back in.
 

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Nov 6, 2006
10,108
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
The little elbow part, the one that the valve screws into, It will unscrew from the compression tube being held in by the big silver nut.. Tighten that a bit, then hold it and unscrew the elbow out of the fitting.
 

Harp

.
Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Thanks. Will give it a go. Tried to do that before pulling the tank. Might be better leverage now that it is on the dock. Will inform.
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,302
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
The collared nut seems to be nothing more than a lock to secure it to the plastic.
Go with Kloudie1's method first. If that doesn't work take a look below next :

Fuel Tank Pick Up.JPG


This is the fuel pickup for the Espar heater. I recently re-sealed this because it was leaking from an overfilled fuel tank. Shouldn't have overfilled the tank but likewise, the fitting shouldn't have leaked.

In order to remove the upper portion of the assembly, the centre portion is held stationary and the nut is unscrewed. Pull off the metal washer and then the rubber gasket. The inside washer is a two piece assembly which does no sealing. Yours may (or then again) may not be like this one. What is important is the external rubber gasket which this time around, I sealed with Permatex #2, the only sealant which sticks to polyethylene (and everything else within a 100 yard radius). It's important not to grind the nut against the polyethylene as you're tightening but have at least a washer in between with a rubber gasket being better still.
 

Harp

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Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Ralph and Kloudie. I got it out. Had to build a slip-on wider washer between lock nut and plastic to keep the unit from spinning. Once it broke it came out easy enough. Uploading picture of the bottom of the uptake tube. Gummed up almost organic looking stuff. Was all over the bottom of the tank. Removed screen, cleaned the bottom, re/installed tank and I have flow. Phew. Thanks for your ideas and help. This is an INCA tank. Called their engineer four times describing my issues and never got a call back. Thank god for the kindness of strangers.
 

Attachments

Harp

.
Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Rinsed with fuel four or five times and dumped from the input port. Gunk came out with the wash.
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,302
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Glad it worked. You'll have to keep an eye on your primary filter as that gunk will be slowly covering the filter media. You may want to consider a bactericide such as Biobor to eliminate the growth.

Biobor.JPG
 

Harp

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Nov 13, 2011
7
Hunter 29.5 29.5 Jersey City NJ
Ralph, yes I will. Biobor sounds about right. Thanks again.