Check your fuel tank Today!

[rbattelle]

I have a 04. 5 and the nipple is on a domed area and not a recessed area like the pics in this thread show. Nevertheless, I am going to put some fuel line hose on the nipple just for a piece of mind.

Is yours a SWB?



-Ryan

 

[Spooled-up]

It would make sense to me that if you were driving in the rain, that water would fill the depression around that nipple. As you drive, if there is an easy path for air to vent into the tank because of the fuel level dropping as you drive, it would suck the water trapped in the depression into the tank along with any dirt in suspension in the puddle of water. It's amazing how much dirt and water actually got sucked into your tank! I dropped my tank twice to do both versions of the vent mod, and I took a pull on the little barb to see if it let air in. Mine did not, but I'm going to put a hose on it anyway in case whatever "plug" DC puts in there lets go. Thanks for the tip guys.

 

[red-rider]

the SWB have the nipple, one is at the front of the tank and its domed so you cant collect anything there and the other is right above the axle, needless to say I put the hose on both nipples just to be safe, the nipple by my axle already had signs of water and dirt collected there, so thank god this thread was started, thanks guys. I have the SWB so, like the thread states, CHECK YOUR TANK. Just peace of mind now.



I just used the fuel line and a breather filter from my local Dirtbike shop made for the XR50's crank case, the breather filter was about $14. 00 the fuel line $2. 00 not a bad investment. Ill upload a picture later on tonight.

 

[Fireman]

David,



That's exactly the way I see it. From all of the trouble I was having I was expecting more water than that, it was all of the dirt that was a suprise. BTW your vent kit is really nice. I ordered it when I realized that I was going to have to drop the tank. Thanks for everything.



Fireman

 

[JohnnyH]

I checked my barbs today. I was not able to suck or blow any air into the front one. Either it is clogged(I doubt) or it is sealed. The rear one I was easily able to blow into. I put some hose on both just to be safe.

 

[WMcGuire]

I just checked my 04. 5, made in Mexico Jan. 04, both barbs are plugged, if some of the CTD's were made with gasser tanks (remember the "shortages" that delayed a lot of orders) then DC really screwed up royally by not plugging those vents, the tanks should be vented through a filter tank somewhere, I dont think the filler cap is vented, Dodge should be forced to drop and clean every fuel tank made with the vented barbs, clean the fuel lines, change the filters and replace all the fuel with clean fuel, how do we get a campaign going, go public? Thanks for the heads up on this issue.

 

[WMcGuire]

I forgot to mention to those that put a short hose on the open vented tanks, "THOSE TANKS SHOULD NOT BE OPEN, ANY HOSE OR FILTER INSTALLED WILL STILL LET CONTAMINATED AIR AND WATER IN", those barbs should be plugged!

 

[Gypsyman]

Just went out and checked my '03 LWB and sure enough, crud built up INSIDE the nipple. Put a hose on and blew into it, they're open for sure. Funny thing though, with the tanks vent mod and the tank topped up the fuel level in the rear hump should be higher than the front vent. Since fuel isn't pouring out the front vent I'm assuming there must be a check ball inside it. Any thoughts on this?



Richard

 

[WMcGuire]

check ball in the barb?, that thought kept buzzin around inside my head after I posted the earlier posts, if those barbs were really open you would surely have a puddle of diesel on the ground everytime you topped off!, I both blew and sucked on the hose on my barbs and they are plugged, although I can run a toothpick in to the 90' degree elbow from the outside they must be plugged inside the tank, I'm still curious as to why Fireman never experienced fuel running out the barbs when he topped off.

 

[MickeyMiller]

My tank was stained around the front (lower) barb indicating fuel was leaking out. I could inhale and exhale through both the upper and lower barbs... there was just a little resistance. I plugged the lower barb, put a hose on the upper. '03 quad cab SWB.

 

[Fireman]

WMcGuire,



I thought about that when I installed the vent kit. Was I going to leak 5-6 gals of diesel onto the ground ? I checked it, no leak. No, I cannot explain it. I have yet to find anyone else that can either. If this is not the source of my fuel contamination, I would like to know what is. Being right or being wrong really doen't matter, I just don't want to go through this ordeal again.



Fireman

 

[Giachino]

05 SWB: I have domed (not recessed) areas where the elbow's are, and no hoses to speak of... . just the elbow. They dont appear to be plugged either... . my solution: Used 2 Dirtbike 1 way breathers/filters, each with 5" of hose & ziptied to the frame... . cycle gear (national chain) has the 1 way filters... I happen to have had extras... . cant believe Dodge is capable of such a stupid mistake... bunch of moron's!

 

[rbattelle]

05 SWB: I have domed (not recessed) areas where the elbow's are, and no hoses to speak of... . just the elbow. They dont appear to be plugged either... . my solution: Used 2 Dirtbike 1 way breathers/filters, each with 5" of hose & ziptied to the frame... . cycle gear (national chain) has the 1 way filters... I happen to have had extras... . cant believe Dodge is capable of such a stupid mistake... bunch of moron's!

How did you verify they were open?



-Ryan

 

[Alan Reagan]

I took a look today. I have the domed tank where the nipple is, too. I didn't check to see if it was open or not. I slid a piece of clear hose on and routed it through the bed cross member. The nipple was easy to get to.

 

[Giachino]

How did you verify they were open?



-Ryan

Sucked / blew in the hose before I put on the filter... . some resistance, but sure as hell wasn't air tight. . Thankfully I fit under the truck when it was parked in the street, only took 5 minutes. One on the top front and one on the top rear... pretty easy to get too.

 

[Giachino]

FYI, there's actually 2 nipples, 1 front, 1 rear...

 

[rbattelle]

Why not just connect the nipples together with 1 hose?. Then there's no chance of anything getting up inside the hose...



-Ryan

 

[JohnnyH]

I havent thought of that. As long as the back one dosent need to vent, that would be a great idea. Good thought Ryan.

 

[DDahl]

I have a 2005 (came with the short hose on the front vent). I connected a hose to each vent (2) and looped them over the fuel filler and then connected the hoses to a dual input fuel filter (hanging down by the filler) to keep the crud out. Seems to work well and I can fill the tank to the top without worring about any fuel leaking from the vents onto the ground.

 

[Fireman]

Why not just connect the nipples together with 1 hose?. Then there's no chance of anything getting up inside the hose...



-Ryan

Good thinking, but in the gas applicaton they are vents. I THInk I'll leave mine open. That would insure nothing got in the tank though :-laf



Fireman



Look a me ! After 4 yrs on these boards I just discovered the "quote button" DU-OH!