Fuel tank pickup tube and screen information...

[Allure2sail]

Hi:
This posting is for diesel tank installations....it actually started off as a reply to another member.
I'm wondering if someone else has messed with it. My pickup tube was aluminum and screwed into the 90 elbow. Are you sure it is steel (cannot braze aluminum)? You can weld aluminum to aluminum but it is a different process. Brazing has a bronze color look to it. Aluminum welding is silver like. If you want to see if the screen is still there take a nice straight peace of coat hanger and insert it into the pickup end of the tube and slide it in as far as it will go. Measure the length you can insert it to and compare it to the overall length of the pickup assembly. The depth the coat hanger should go into the tube assembly should be within 1/8" to 3/16" of an inch of the overall length of the assembly. The screen is at least 3/4". So the difference between the insertion depth of the coat hanger and the overall length of the tube assembly should tell you if the screen is still present. Actually a small diameter wooded dowel would be even better (Home Depot ?). DO NOT RAM THE WOODEN DOWEL OR COAT HANGER INTO TO PICKUP ASSEMBLY, IF THE SCREEN IS STILL THERE YOU WILL COLLAPSE IT AND BE IN MORE TROUBLE. JUST GENTLY SLIDE IT DOWN. I'M A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT IT BEING WELDED TOGETHER. I DON'T REMEMBER IF THE 90 DEGREE ELBOW THE TUBE SCREWS INTO IS ALUMINUM OR STEEL, I KNOW THE TUBE IS ALUMINUM. If the elbow is steel and the tube is steel yes it could have been brazed together at some point in time. If they are different metals you cannot braze or weld them together. My elbow is external male thread to screw into the top of the tank and also internally threaded to screw in the threaded end of the pickup tube. Hope all of this makes sense to you, I did get a little carried away with the reply...sorry. I'm recovering for surgery and can't drive yet....going stir crazy here !!
Bruce
S/V Allure

[Jma1_nemo]

This is what my Fuel Pickup Tube looks like.  I will try the wire test and see what the depth/length is.

[Allure2sail]

Surprised !!!!
That does not look anything like mine !! The tube going down into the tank on mine is made out of aluminum and cut at a slight angle at the bottom and the top of is it externally NPT threaded. It also has a slight counter bore on the top inside diameter of the top of the tube for the screen to drop into. The screen is about 3/4 " long and is tapered to a point. That tube threads into a 90 degree fitting that on the tank end of it externally pipe threaded to screw into the top of the tank. The inside diameter of that tank end is internally threaded for the top of the pick up tube to screw into. On the 90 degree end of that elbow fitting is female pipe thread for the shutoff valve to screw into. The shutoff valve screws into the female end of the 90 degree elbow. I have seen the shutoff valve come two different ways. the 90 degree elbow end is obviously male but the fuel line end can either come with a nipple fitting as part of the shut off or made to screw in a fuel nipple fitting as a separate piece. The shutoff valve on mine has to be assembled to the 90 degree elbow before dropping it into the tank because if you screw it in AFTER mounting the tube and elbow into the tank you will not be able to screw it in because the little handle on the valve will hit the top surface of the tank, so one must add the shutoff valve (with the handle on top) before you drop the assembly into the tank an screw it down. I wish I had saved the pick up before I tossed the tank from my parts boat but it is long gone.
Hints To make life easier:
1: Moved the tank over a few inches to starboard so you can get the pickup tube out with un mounting the tank. (there is not enough vertical clearance).
2: Made sure all of the fuel line was the same size. I found the fuel line to change from 1/4" to 5/16" (have no idea why). Made it all 5/16" for consistency. even if you have to change some of the fittings.
3: Went tot a larger racor and added a vacuum gage to the exit side of the racor (it tells you when the filter needs to be changed).
4: Did not like the fuel tank sitting on the wooden board so I took four rubber spacers 1/4" thick and placed them under the four corners of the tank so there was an air gap under the tank.
IN RETROSPECT:
That fuel pickup setup you have does not look factory. Two many fitting , elbows are brazed together means you can't get in side it. I used a rifle cleaning brush (walmart) and a can of carburetor cleaner to clean the inside of my pickup tube.
If any questions call me. Sent you my cell in a offline text message.
Bruce
S/V Allure
Swansea, MA

[Jma1_nemo]

I used a rifle cleaning rod and can shove it up the tube to what looks like the full depth until it hits the fitting, so I am guessing there is not a screen in my tube. Here is a picture of my tank. From your description, I'm guessing that the location of the pickup tube has also been moved to port several inches. I am guessing the bolt to the starboard side in the picture  is where the original tube was located.

[Allure2sail]

Hi JMA!_nemo:
Sorry but that fuel tank looks nothing like the one on my boat. The stern end is similar with the fill neck and vent fitting. The round opening on the left with the mounting holes looks like my fuel level gage opening. My fuel delivery tube mounts where there is a bolt on the forward top left portion of your tank. My fuel return line fitting is where your pickup tube is positioned (on the top of the tank). Seems to me your pickup tube assembly is pointed to the port side of the boat not the starboard side of the boat where the racor water/separator fuel filter and lift pump is (if it is tightend all the way down). I think that the biggest difference to me is how the tank was fabricated (six separate plates welded together). Let me be realistic and I'll stop being so technical. If the tube depth measures to not have a screen and it  doesn't leak. If you feel the inside is clean there is no reason it shouldn't work okay.
Did not intend on being so technical but the fuel system on my boat has been a thorn in my side for years.
Best of luck
Bruce
S/V Allure

[Jma1_nemo]

Thanx for all your info Bruce. I'm also pretty confident there is no screen in my tube. The big hole in the top strbrd side is an inspection / clean-out (I'm guessing). My fuel delivery hose loops down towards port from the valve to the port side of a racor filter. The hole on the port front corner is for the fuel level gauge.  Funny, the tank is identical to my waste tank (which is brand new from Hutchins) except of course where the holes are. Hope to get the tank re-installed this week.