Fuel pickup repairs

[drfish]

Hi all, I have an aluminium long range fuel (petrol) tank that’s a bit deeper than the standard tanks. Consequently, none of my fuel pickups are long enough to reach near the bottom. I was considering a potential solution of soldering an extension on using brass pipe of the same I/D and O/D, and lead solder. Do you think this might work? The interweb tells me that copper is no good with fuel, but is an alloy of copper ok? Any cautionary tales about doing this (would I need a special grade of brass)? Any ideas for better solutions?

Cheers,

Matt

[drfish]

Just bumping this up, as no one yet responded and it’s disappeared well down the discussions page. If there are any budding metallurgists in the forum that can shed any light, or anyone who has done such a repair before, I’d greatly appreciate any advice. Cheers, Matt

[whitehillbilly64]

I believe the brass gauze filter at the bottom of the pickup tube is hard soldered on.
The Original Fuel tank Panels are soldered together, so should work.
I would use brass tube.
S1 Pick up tube maybe longer.

whitehillbilly

[drfish]

Thanks for advice whitehillbilly, I’ll give it a go.

I believe the brass gauze filter at the bottom of the pickup tube is hard soldered on.
The Original Fuel tank Panels are soldered together, so should work.
I would use brass tube.
S1 Pick up tube maybe longer.

whitehillbilly

[B.S.F.]

The ones I've got are made of soft copper. I've used a fuel filter as a temporary solution while I waited for a new gauze
from e-bay to arrive. An excellent product and easy to soft solder. Gauzes for S1 and S2 are different.
,W.

[drfish]

Thanks BSF, I had read online that copper reacts with the fuel over time, but an alloy is more stable. But if you’ve done it and had no probs it can’t be too bad. I can’t believe for B$&tp@&t pickups they are charging £100-£150 for them ($220 in Aus).

Following some advice from another AULRO thread, with a clean tank, the gauze in the fuel pump and a fuel filter in line to the carby, I wasn’t going to bother remaking the pick up with gauze.

Cheers,

Matt

The ones I've got are made of soft copper. I've used a fuel filter as a temporary solution while I waited for a new gauze
from e-bay to arrive. An excellent product and easy to soft solder. Gauzes for S1 and S2 are different.
,W.

[B.S.F.]

I wasn’t going to bother remaking the pick up with gauze.
Up to you of course, but I don't think that's a good idea. The gauze in the tank stops dirt from jerry cans,
flakes if paint, broken gaskets etc from being sucked up the pipe and blocking the fuel supply
Ironically the only time I came to a stop was when the gauze disintegrated and got sucked up the pipe.
.W.
Look for
Land Rover Series 2/II/3/III fuel pickup pipe NRC6905 503492 repair mesh/filter
on e-bay.

[whitehillbilly64]

land rover series ii iii fuel pickup pipe nrc6905 for sale | eBay

[JDNSW]

As above. The gauze is soft soldered on to the brass tube in mine, Soldering a brass extension on would not be an issue. Do not fail to use the gauze unless you can guarantee that all fuel put into the tank is clean for the life of the vehicle.As mentioned above, rust, flakes of paint from inside a jerrican, crud out of a bowser, or the dirt that dropped in when you took the fuel cap off will eventually build up enough to block the screen in the fuel pump.

And end the pipe about 10mm above the bottom of the tank - you don't really want the condensed water in your fuel system.

[V8Ian]

Cut the pipe, 20mm above the existing gauze and extend the pipe the required length, with appropriately sized rubber fuel line.