Fuel Tank Questions

[CharlesinGA]

Also, now I understand why, when I fill it up, the fuel gauge stays on Full for quite a while, then drops pretty fast. Seems like the float for the sender is pretty generic, spring loaded and all.
The tank is 14 1/2 inches deep, and the float only goes up to about 3/4 of a tank before it's straight up.
The more I work on her, the less mystery there is!View attachment 132955

You are measuring the float with the pump "uncompressed". When you go to put it in the tank, you have to push down against the spring for a significant distance to get it seated in the tank, which will put the float up near the top.

I speak from experience on a Mercedes Sprinter pump, similar design. I will find out probably tomorrow on my '03 5.9L HO as I am pulling the bed and installing the in tank pump conversion kit. Hope there is not a lot of crap in the tank, I have it down just below half, and don't intend to drain the tank to clean it out. Its easier for me to remove the bed (done it before and have a portable gantry crane and homemade wooden lifting fixture to go under the bed rails) than to drop the tank.

Truck is Jan 3, 2003 build with 102K on it currently, and quite stock. I debated installing the dual filter kit with CAT filter and water separator filter but do not like how low the CAT filter appears to hang. This is a basic tradesman single cab 4x2 so no transfer case to protect the filters from road junk.

Charles

 

[AH64ID]

There are better options that’s the cat filters. It always amazes me at the reputation they have as most the data on them was superseded in 2004.

Be sure to use a Baldwin PF7977 in the OEM canister.

There are some good under hood options as well. The FF5814 or DBF5814 are the top two filter choices.

 

[CharlesinGA]

yes, currently using the Baldwin PF7977.

Charles

 

[CharlesinGA]

Also, now I understand why, when I fill it up, the fuel gauge stays on Full for quite a while, then drops pretty fast. Seems like the float for the sender is pretty generic, spring loaded and all.
The tank is 14 1/2 inches deep, and the float only goes up to about 3/4 of a tank before it's straight up.
The more I work on her, the less mystery there is!

Having finished the conversion to the in tank pump a couple of weeks ago, I have discovered the gauge doesn't come off the full peg until about 200 miles (at about 20 mpg). I did have the tank way overfull to check the seal around the pump, as it had slipped on me and I didn't know it till I topped it off. Ended up pulling the bed again (2 hrs) and the second time I spent a bunch of time making sure the seal stayed in place as I pushed it down, held it down, and screwed the nut on. I had siphoned about 15 gals out to fix this and after pouring it back in I added another gallon and a half or more till the filler neck was full. The forward rollover vent was weeping and so was the rear one.

I think the reason for the gauge being way off is the changes to the computer required by the kit instructions have not been done on mine, and probably that is the reason for yours being so far off. I thought it was just to change the exact model/sub-model of the engine (fuel pump removed) but not I'm thinking it also changes the programming of the computer. Guess I will find a dealer that probably knows what they are doing and have them do the changes. The kit instructions have line by line instructions for using the DRB3 unit to make the changes. It had a very accurate gauge with the old sender.

Thankfully I have a spreadsheet with all the refuelings for the past 4 years I have owned the truck and I know how much it burns empty and while towing my travel trailer. The gauge has not worked on my '91 Ford Ranger at least since year 2000 when I bought it (at 18K mi). Rangers are notorious for inop gauges.

Charles

 

[Ozymandias]

Why not have a dealer program the new unit properly? Should be no big deal.
Or did I miss the point?

 

[CharlesinGA]

I haven't got to that point yet. Got it done, had to pull the bed the second time to fix the leak where the gasket slipped down on one side, then got it all together, got the Leer topper back on. Somewhere in there I discovered the radiator petcock was leaking, so I ordered another one, genuine Mopar (thats a long story itself) and finally got it, drained it, refilled it, been driving it to run it thru heat/cool cycles to burp the air out of it. Didn't expect the gauge to be that far out of wack, then I figured out that that may be the reason for the programming. Gotta seek out a decent dealer, the one near me is useless. I'll get around to it. When I get it done I'll post up if it fixed the problem.

I'll pull the bed on a truck anyday, before pulling a tank. Used the two post lift and a couple of 10 ft 2x6's to lift the Leer topper off (its heavy (long bed) and then used the portable gantry crane and a lift fixture to pull the bed. Took me about 2 hrs. Its only 8 bolts, a bonding strap, the taillights and feed their harnesses out the bottom, the three screws on the fuel filler neck, and off it comes. I put cardboard up front to protect the cab, and old blue jeans draped over the ends of the bumper to protect the bed there.

I changed the rear shocks while I had it off. I had put Rancho 9000XL's on the front just a while back as I was not happy with the KYB mono max. With the bed off, I got to thinking how much easier it would be so I ordered the Ranchos and stuck them on. Big difference, will see what it does towing the travel trailer.

Charles

 

[BigPapa]

I discovered the radiator petcock was leaking, so I ordered another one, genuine Mopar (thats a long story itself)

Charles

What’s the “long story”? Couldn’t find one?

 

[CEppinger]

Is there a fine screen/ pre-filter on the bottom of the actual pump that sits in the bottom of the whole assembly? This is what the 2008 Sprinter diesel pump has (this pic is after I had disassembled and cleaned it) it was covered in 1 or 2mm of crud, I did clean it even more before reinstallation.

 

[CharlesinGA]

What’s the “long story”? Couldn’t find one?

Essentially. As with all things nowdays, stuff is difficult to find and takes forever to get to you. I wanted a genuine Chrysler part, checked Genos and didn't see one anywhere on the web site. Big web sites like Mopar Giant dot com told me the part number. (but their shipping is more than the part) Found an Amazon listing and ordered it. When it didn't ship, Amazon sent me the automated message that I could cancel or contact the seller. I went to call them but accidentally called another dealer whos name and number had come up when I was trying to locate the sellers phone number. After talking to the very nice guy at Victory Motors of Craig (Colorado) I realized I had the wrong seller. Amazon had moved their name into the seller info for that listing somehow. When I realized the mistake I asked him to check the number and he had one on the shelf, and said he could have "ten more tomorrow" from the warehouse. Anyhow, he sent me an email that I filled out the boxes and sent back to him, and he shipped it to me for about $3.50 USPS and it arrived on the third day.

Charles

 

[Ozymandias]

Is there a fine screen/ pre-filter on the bottom of the actual pump that sits in the bottom of the whole assembly? This is what the 2008 Sprinter diesel pump has (this pic is after I had disassembled and cleaned it) it was covered in 1 or 2mm of crud, I did clean it even more before reinstallation. View attachment 133290

Yes it is, a strainer is standard.

 

[BigPapa]

Essentially. As with all things nowdays, stuff is difficult to find and takes forever to get to you.

Well, too late this time, but O'Reilly's has them in stock for $7.50 next time you need one. We stock six at all times at the shop. They also fit our buses and most of our Dodge/Chrysler vehicles. We've never had a problem with the Dorman's. It's always just a cut o-ring.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Well, too late this time, but O'Reilly's has them in stock for $7.50 next time you need one. We stock six at all times at the shop. They also fit our buses and most of our Dodge/Chrysler vehicles. We've never had a problem with the Dorman's. It's always just a cut o-ring.

View attachment 133291

Well, I prefer OEM stuff as the one that was in there was aftermarket (I put it in about 3 years ago) and the OEM is better quality plastic and seal. The one you show is the same one NAPA shows for Chrysler products (I bought one) but it DOES NOT fit (I tried while waiting on the real thing), and is not the correct drain. The correct drain looks like this..................

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Its two pieces, one part pushes into the square opening in the radiator and then snaps into place, then the screw threaded plug pushes in and threads in. Its a bear to remove the inner part. With the thumbscrew removed and everything drained, I used a foot or so of .032 aircraft safety wire bent in a shepherds hook, went in up through one of the slots and then brought the short end of the hook back thru the female threads, Pulled the ends of the wire even and snapped vice grips on it. Then used a small screwdriver to release one tang and then the other while keeping pressure on it by pulling on the vice grips. Finally came out with some wiggling. This is Mopar 52029087AA and is the correct drain for the radiator. Not sure why NAPA and Dorman list the wrong plug, it didn't come close to fitting. I see how it is intended to fit into a square opening and then screw in, but it was larger than the opening and would not start in at all, and I was not about to force something knowing it really was not the right drain.

Edit: The Chrysler fitment info shows the 52029087AA drain to only fit '03 to '05 2500/3500 Cummins, '03 V10 trucks, and '03-'17 Vipers w/V10. That may explain the dorman and NAPA listings being off. https://www.mymoparparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-radiator-draincock-52029087aa

My local dealer (a bunch of know nothings) said two weeks, another dealer I have had dealings with said the closest dealer with one was in Tennessee (I'm south of Atlanta), so thats when I went out on the web looking. Apparently Chrysler is just now getting them back into the system. My preference is always for OEM parts. I've had so many problems with aftermarket over the years its stupid.

My apology's for hijacking the thread.

Charles

 

[CharlesinGA]

Is there a fine screen/ pre-filter on the bottom of the actual pump that sits in the bottom of the whole assembly? This is what the 2008 Sprinter diesel pump has (this pic is after I had disassembled and cleaned it) it was covered in 1 or 2mm of crud, I did clean it even more before reinstallation.

View attachment 133290

The pump has some kind of a sock screen on it, does it not? I replaced the pump in my 2007 Winnebago View (2006 Sprinter T1N 5 cyl chassis) because the quantity sending unit had failed and are not available as a spare, and I was preparing to sell it so it needed to work. Brand new Bosch pump, made in the Czech Republic just like the original and you could see where the mold was changed to blank out the MB logo and p/n. Same pump, just made for aftermarket. That was an easy tank to drop, only took a couple of hours. Spent more time cleaning the outside of it.

Charles

 

[BigPapa]

Thanks for the info, Charles. I was not aware they’d changed it. Good to know.

 

[CEppinger]

The pump has some kind of a sock screen on it, does it not? I replaced the pump in my 2007 Winnebago View (2006 Sprinter T1N 5 cyl chassis)

The 2008 did not have a sock of any kind in the pump assembly.

If you go through the effort to drop the tank of any vehicle with this type of in-tank pump and are not replacing the pump, I strongly advise that you carefully disassemble and clean thoroughly. If the inside of the tank is cruddy looking so is that screen/ pre-filter.