Fuel tank selector valve bypass method?

[tbeaulac]

Rear tank works fine, switch to front tank and give it any throttle and it starves for fuel. My front tank pickup is clear and I also blew the lines, still have the restriction on front tank only .

So rather than shell out the cash for a new selector valve I started thinking, I could sump both tanks and collect them at a 1/2" T fitting, set up a water and sediment filtration station before going to the mechanical fuel pump. I would still use the factory fuel return to both tanks through the factory pickup to each tank. My thinking is that it should draw and return approximately the same amount of fuel both to and from each tank while driving.

E-fuel is in my future but for now I need to get both tanks working somehow and get my truck back on the road. Does this seem like a workable solution?

1997 f250 7.3 running stock fuel system with 160/0 injectors

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[JohnT24]

Im not sure it would draw evenly

Maybe it would
But if not
Possibly one tank would suck air if it got low.

You would have to always keep both fairly full.

I would just replace the selector or buy 1 big tank

-just me.

 

[Bugman]

You would also have to worry about the fuel return to the tanks.

E-fuel won't solve the problem

 

[jschildm]

As long as one had fuel you should be OK from a cavitation stand point. However if one tank has fuel higher than the top of the other, (ie, both full) it could cause fuel to run out the vent of the lower tank (the tanks are not sitting at the same height). I also think an assumption that the return would flow evenly back between the two is likely not true. For similar capacity and only one tank you could look into the F26E tank that fits in the same location as the rear tank on these trucks and holds 38 gallons.

 

[tbeaulac]

Thanks for your comments. I was in a pondering sort of mood I guess, and was trying to recreate the wheel so to speak. By the time I added up the cost of two sumps etc it was more than the 38 gal swap, so I ordered the 38 gal repl tank.

When it gets here I was planning to connect everything together like this adding manual selector valves for both the supply and return. I think there should probably be chech valves somewhere in this but where would they be located? Pardon the amateurish drawing I couldn't find any crayons lol

Am I foolish for trying to keep the factory front 19gal tank operational with the manual valves? I could live with a single 38 gal tank but would prefer to keep the front, but bypass the factory fsv and use manual valves instead. I would still need the factory FSV to read the fuel level gauge, via to factory installed selector switch.

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[tbeaulac]

You would also have to worry about the fuel return to the tanks.

E-fuel won't solve the problem

Was just saying that efuel for my 97 was in the near future, but I have a 3000 mi trip to do first. Efuel might be a good winter project

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[Bugman]

Don't forget that the selector valve also has the tank level wiring in it.

Plus to keep fuel returning to the correct tank will take a 6 way valve. A feed and return from each tank and the feed and return from the fuel pump and heads

Adding extra valves may confuse you at the wrong moment

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[JohnT24]

Am I foolish for trying to keep the factory front 19gal tank operational with the manual valves? I could live with a single 38 gal tank

I wouldn't say foolish
But probably unnecessary and a lot of work for nothing.
Where are you going to conveniently put a manual valve?
If you're going to put it under the truck that's a pain in the ass.

And at the end of the day do you really need to lug around 57 gallons of fuel?

Personally I would lose the front tank.
I'd probably fabricate A small box for behind the front tank filler.

Keep a pair of gloves or what not.

 

[ghohouston]

I swapped over to a single plastic 38 gallon super duty tank on my cclb. It went in place of the front tank.

 

[JSchuricht]

You can still keep both tanks with the right valves. Efuel will work with factory lines and the factory selector valve, if you need larger lines for bigger injectors you may have to get creative. US Solid makes some diesel rated valves that will work. The way I am plumbing my 95 is with 4 separate solenoid valves, 1 feed and 1 return per tank.