Dual Tank Problem On My '76 Camper Special

[John L]

My '76 Camper Special has dual saddle tanks. I never played with the switch on the dash until a couple days ago. It had always been set on the left tank and everything was going fine. Then I started switching it back a forth. I returned it to the left tank before parking it. Yesterday I got about a quarter mile down the road and it sputtered and died. I thought it was dirty fuel from that right tank since the truck sat for a couple years. Gas gauge says 1/2 full on left tank. Right tank said nearly empty. My wife towed me home in our Toy truck (embarrassing) and this AM I put two gallons of fuel in my right tank and primed the carburetor. She fired up and ran after a couple of primes. Now I know I ran out of fuel in the right tank but the selector switch is on the left tank.

 

Please, any one with experience on these things tell me what might be the problem. I can here it click down on the frame somewhere when I switch from one tank to the other but haven't crawled under until I can get help with someone in the cab switching.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

kind regards,

 

John

[txab]

Are you saying you've got your truck running fine again now? Or are you saying you believe the valve is stuck on the right tank even though the switch says otherwise?

 

When you flipped your selector switch from one tank to the other, you may have drawn a little old fuel with, I guarantee, moisture/water in it. Probably a little dirt and rusty tank material too. Or you just drew air if it was empty and your engine stalled for lack fuel. Even after switching back to your left tank, you would still need to pull fuel all the way from the tank, through the pump, to the carb bowl.

 

When no power is applied to the selector valve is is manually set for the right side tank, provided all the hose connections are same as they were when the truck left the factory. When you apply power, the valve switches to the left side tank.

 

If you're not going to ever use the right side tank again, you can simply bypass the valve completely by connecting the hose(s) from the left tank to the hose(s) that head to the fuel pump. I say hoses because in addition the supply hose you should have a fuel return line that allows excess fuel to go back to the tank from which it came.

 

You may want to change the carb mounted fuel filter unless you have a larger inline filter between the pump and carb. You may have pushed trash up to the filter.

 

 

I'm pretty well versed with this system since I still own and drive two trucks (79 & 80) with saddle tanks.

 

Picture of similar valve. Your valve probably will only have one wire going to it. The 4 port side is the tank connection side. 2 for each tank, 1 supply, 1 return (if equipped). The 2 port side is the fuel pump side.

 

 

[John L]

Well, I think you've hit on the problem. I didn't know about the default to the right side tank. I just got it running long enough to put it in its normal parking spot from where we towed it to. It ran pretty good for about 10 minutes until I shut it off. I thought that it may have been stuck on the right tank even though the switch says left tank. Is that possible? I crawled under it and had the wife switch from tank to tank a few times and the selenoid seems to be working.

 

I think I'll need some good fuel filters and it should be good to go again I hope.

 

I've replaced front brake calipers and pads, changed out the trans fluid and found one leak there as well as added some Lucas Trans Leak Stop. Changed brake hoses, fixed the lights that didn't work and hopefully will get this taken care of. It has an exhaust leak that isn't too bad and I think I'll put a patch on it.

 

Fun old truck to mess with but the gas mileage is a killer. $3.70 for regular here now.

 

Thanks for helping on the dual tank issue. I'll keep tinkering until I get it sorted out.

 

kind regards,

 

John

 

 

Are you saying you've got your truck running fine again now? Or are you saying you believe the valve is stuck on the right tank even though the switch says otherwise?

 

When you flipped your selector switch from one tank to the other, you may have drawn a little old fuel with, I guarantee, moisture/water in it. Probably a little dirt and rusty tank material too. Or you just drew air if it was empty and your engine stalled for lack fuel. Even after switching back to your left tank, you would still need to pull fuel all the way from the tank, through the pump, to the carb bowl.

 

When no power is applied to the selector valve is is manually set for the right side tank, provided all the hose connections are same as they were when the truck left the factory. When you apply power, the valve switches to the left side tank.

 

If you're not going to ever use the right side tank again, you can simply bypass the valve completely by connecting the hose(s) from the left tank to the hose(s) that head to the fuel pump. I say hoses because in addition the supply hose you should have a fuel return line that allows excess fuel to go back to the tank from which it came.

 

You may want to change the carb mounted fuel filter unless you have a larger inline filter between the pump and carb. You may have pushed trash up to the filter.

 

 

I'm pretty well versed with this system since I still own and drive two trucks (79 & 80) with saddle tanks.

 

Picture of similar valve. Your valve probably will only have one wire going to it. The 4 port side is the tank connection side. 2 for each tank, 1 supply, 1 return (if equipped). The 2 port side is the fuel pump side.

 

 

[txab]

Well, I think you've hit on the problem. I didn't know about the default to the right side tank. I just got it running long enough to put it in its normal parking spot from where we towed it to. It ran pretty good for about 10 minutes until I shut it off.

 

I thought that it may have been stuck on the right tank even though the switch says left tank. Is that possible? Yes it is possible

 

I crawled under it and had the wife switch from tank to tank a few times and the selenoid seems to be working.

 

I think I'll need some good fuel filters and it should be good to go again I hope.

 

I've replaced front brake calipers and pads, changed out the trans fluid and found one leak there as well as added some Lucas Trans Leak Stop. Changed brake hoses, fixed the lights that didn't work and hopefully will get this taken care of. It has an exhaust leak that isn't too bad and I think I'll put a patch on it.

 

Fun old truck to mess with but the gas mileage is a killer. $3.70 for regular here now.

 

Thanks for helping on the dual tank issue. I'll keep tinkering until I get it sorted out.

 

kind regards,

 

John

 

If you think you might be using both tanks at some point, you might want to start putting fuel in both tanks and keeping them both with fresh fuel. If you just want to run on one tank, then continue to do as you have been.

[John L]

I thought that it may have been stuck on the right tank even though the switch says left tank. Is that possible? Yes it is possible

 

If it is possible would it be internal in the mechanism? Is there a way of cleaning these things up or should I just shop for a relacement? I'm just trying to get an idea of what I might be in for in case it might be stuck. I'd like to have the system work correctly and will keep clean fuel in both tanks.

 

Thanks for your help. It is apparent that you have a great deal of experience on these.

Do you have a recommendation for a catalog parts place? No dealer here on the island that would carry older parts. Is it called a tank selector valve?

 

kind regards,

 

John

[txab]

Yes it is called a fuel tank selector valve.

 

No there is no way to clean them really, other than flushing something through the ports. They don't come apart. I've never personally had one stick on one tank, other than the solenoid failing (no click). But if you were to get debris from the tank hung up in the valve, then I could see it hanging up. Or guess you could have internal rubber seals go bad and cause problems.

 

Catalog parts? I'd go to www.rockauto.com

 

I'll see if I can get you a part number besides what rockauto comes up with. Standard parts should still be making them. I'll PM you as soon as I get a part #.

 

The picture I posted shows a different electrical connector than what you should have. If yours is like mine, it should just have one power wire connected to it. It receives its ground from being bolted to the frame. But if they have gone to a universal style then they should included a wiring adapter.

 

As I said in earlier post, you can manually select to use one tank or the other just by connecting the proper lines together underneath the truck. Works in a pinch. Your rubber hoses under there may need to be replaced anyway. If you do replace the valve or remove it, I'd go ahead and replace the rubber hoses at that time

 

 

This is what my valve looks like:

 

[John L]

Yes it is called a fuel tank selector valve.

 

No there is no way to clean them really, other than flushing something through the ports. They don't come apart. I've never personally had one stick on one tank, other than the solenoid failing (no click). But if you were to get debris from the tank hung up in the valve, then I could see it hanging up. Or guess you could have internal rubber seals go bad and cause problems.

 

Catalog parts? I'd go to www.rockauto.com

 

I'll see if I can get you a part number besides what rockauto comes up with. Standard parts should still be making them. I'll PM you as soon as I get a part #.

 

The picture I posted shows a different electrical connector than what you should have. If yours is like mine, it should just have one power wire connected to it. It receives its ground from being bolted to the frame. But if they have gone to a universal style then they should included a wiring adapter.

 

As I said in earlier post, you can manually select to use one tank or the other just by connecting the proper lines together underneath the truck. Works in a pinch. Your rubber hoses under there may need to be replaced anyway. If you do replace the valve or remove it, I'd go ahead and replace the rubber hoses at that time

 

 

This is what my valve looks like:

 

Thanks again. I can take it from here and the auto parts website is helpful. Mine looks a bit like yours and has just one wire going to it but the can is mounted vertically. I was thinking too that maybe the tanks could be linked together and both feed to the fuel pump at the same time? Maybe just a bit of ingenuity in plumbing with three way barbed hose connectors should my valve not work in the future. I'm hopeful I can get it to work at this point.

 

Kind regards,

 

John

[rockcrusherrevived]

have you cleaned "all the electrical connections" including the ground(negative)

 

 

My '76 Camper Special has dual saddle tanks. I never played with the switch on the dash until a couple days ago. It had always been set on the left tank and everything was going fine. Then I started switching it back a forth. I returned it to the left tank before parking it. Yesterday I got about a quarter mile down the road and it sputtered and died. I thought it was dirty fuel from that right tank since the truck sat for a couple years. Gas gauge says 1/2 full on left tank. Right tank said nearly empty. My wife towed me home in our Toy truck (embarrassing) and this AM I put two gallons of fuel in my right tank and primed the carburetor. She fired up and ran after a couple of primes. Now I know I ran out of fuel in the right tank but the selector switch is on the left tank.

 

Please, any one with experience on these things tell me what might be the problem. I can here it click down on the frame somewhere when I switch from one tank to the other but haven't crawled under until I can get help with someone in the cab switching.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

kind regards,

 

John

[John L]

Thank you. I know I should have done that first and now I will since you reminded me.

 

kind regards,

 

John

 

have you cleaned "all the electrical connections" including the ground(negative)

 

 

My '76 Camper Special has dual saddle tanks. I never played with the switch on the dash until a couple days ago. It had always been set on the left tank and everything was going fine. Then I started switching it back a forth. I returned it to the left tank before parking it. Yesterday I got about a quarter mile down the road and it sputtered and died. I thought it was dirty fuel from that right tank since the truck sat for a couple years. Gas gauge says 1/2 full on left tank. Right tank said nearly empty. My wife towed me home in our Toy truck (embarrassing) and this AM I put two gallons of fuel in my right tank and primed the carburetor. She fired up and ran after a couple of primes. Now I know I ran out of fuel in the right tank but the selector switch is on the left tank.

 

Please, any one with experience on these things tell me what might be the problem. I can here it click down on the frame somewhere when I switch from one tank to the other but haven't crawled under until I can get help with someone in the cab switching.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

kind regards,

 

John

 

[John L]

I thought that it may have been stuck on the right tank even though the switch says left tank. Is that possible? Yes it is possible

 

If it is possible would it be internal in the mechanism? Is there a way of cleaning these things up or should I just shop for a relacement? I'm just trying to get an idea of what I might be in for in case it might be stuck. I'd like to have the system work correctly and will keep clean fuel in both tanks.

 

Thanks for your help. It is apparent that you have a great deal of experience on these.

Do you have a recommendation for a catalog parts place? No dealer here on the island that would carry older parts. Is it called a tank selector valve?

 

kind regards,

 

John

 

Problem solved. First it was that I was out of gas on the right tank and once I put a few gallons in there and primed the carb it ran just fine. Second is that my friend borrowed the truck for a few runs into town and up to his high elevation home which shook loose a bunch of grit in the tank and completely plugged the little one inch fuel filteron the carb. He stalled about 6 miles away so I towed him back. I changed the little fuel filter and now its running good again.

I would imagine that I'll be having more problems with fuel tank grit and rust since the truck sat for so many years without use. I'll be carrying a 5/8" and 1" end wrench and an extra filter in the truck just in case I get stranded somewhere with another fuel starvation problem.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions and clues as to what the problem might have been.

 

Kind regards,

 

John

[txab]

I'd install an additional fuel filter in line just prior to the pump. That's what I've done on my two trucks.

[John L]

I'd install an additional fuel filter in line just prior to the pump. That's what I've done on my two trucks.

 

That's something I've considered. I think its a great idea. What type of filters do you use? A long time ago when I worked on gas tractors and VW bugs there were a couple different styles. I remember a see through and a can filter. On my boats I use a Raycor and I think they make them for gas too.

 

Got a new problem. My neighbor borrowed the truck and now the tailgate won't open. The handle does nothing. I yank on it and it comes out but the gate doesn't unlock. I know I'll have to take it all apart but don't know where to start.

 

John

[txab]

I use either an AC metal filter with 3/8 inlet and outlet or an equivalent Fram.

 

Answered your latch problem here.

[John L]

I use either an AC metal filter with 3/8 inlet and outlet or an equivalent Fram.

 

Answered your latch problem here.

 

Thanks. I was just looking at the photo of your truck. Is that a pooch in the passenger side? My dog rides with me most the time too.

kind regards,

John

[txab]

 

No ,that's my GF.

 

I can see how it might look like a pooch. I was standing in a ditch to take that shot, so I was kinda shooting upwards. So her head is low in the shot. When I had my Irish Setter, he rode with me just about everywhere, always in the front seat. Miss him a lot.