Diesel fuel filler neck relocation

[RVPioneer]

Originally Posted by DrDaveMA

What month and year was your ‘05 born, ours was Sept ‘04 with 100 gal tank.

Oddly enough, ours is also dated 09/04/04 even though our VIN's are separated by 99 units. Makes me wonder if that is the date the coach rolled out of the factory or the date the stickers were printed.

[andy29847]

Originally Posted by Panaman

Well I did it.

I am waking this thread back up. I have been considering moving my fuel filler neck for a couple of years. The project has gotten more serious for me because one of my generator slide rams is leaking. It doesn't leak when it is closed, but it dumps fluid when I extend and close the slide. It appears to be a simple project if you get the right parts. Has anyone else done this? If so, shre your info please.

[tjshively]

Could more photos showing the connection to the interior fuel fill line?

[andy29847]

I have ordered my parts. Hopefully, they will be in by the end of FEB. I plan to do the work on the first good weather day and document how I do it. It looks simple. My Alpine has a rubber coupling that connects the molded pipe from the tank to the stock fill neck. I plan to remove the stock filler neck, used a barbed nipple to connect to a rubber fuel hose with a 90 degree bend and then connect to the new fuel fill tube. The scariest part is cutting the hole. Below are the parts that I have ordered.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[New Guy Will]

Was just reading this thread today 5 years later and wondering if you've had any trouble with that alteration/modification?

[Bruce Anthon]

I am looking forward to seeing how it works for you. Pictures with the write up would be great Andy.

[andy29847]

I am waiting on parts to start work on this project. Here are a few photos that could be labeled as before".

Present situation


This is my fuel hose and fuel vent hose as they come from the tank. The elbow from the tank and the existing fuel filler neck are joined at the edge of the bulkhead with a 5-6" rubber hose. I'll remove the existing fuel filler neck, insert a short nipple, and use a rubber hose with a 90° bend to connect to the new fuel filler neck that will be on the outside of the generator slide. I anticipate cutting 2-3" of the rubber coupling out to make the new rubber hose turn upward as close as possible to the bulkhead.


Here is the front side of the bulkhead where the fuel hose comes through. it is a tight spot.


Im going in the hole to the left of the fuel filler. It's going to be close quarters. I want to assemble the new fuel filler neck and new hose before I stick them through the hole I cut in the outside wall. If that works like I hope, I'll be able to reach the connection to the existing fuel filler tube easily. I plan to measure and test fit several times before I cut the hole. Wish me luck!

[andy29847]

For reference:


Still waiting on a few parts. I did some prelim work. First, I cut off a flp of fiberglass to make it easy to remove the existing fuel filler tube and also to give some hand room and sight lines for installing the new filler.

Before:


After:


With the existing fuel filler somewhat out of the way, I started eyeballing exactly where I will cut the hole for the fuel filler dish. It looks like the bottom of the filler will be even with the top of my slide open switch. also, the filler dish will be as far to the front as possible. This means that it will mount on a curved surface. I will need some kind of gasket of filler between fuel filler dish and the side of the body.


I loosened this clamp on the fuel filler hose to twist the existing fuel filler neck out of the way.


There is a ground strap for the fuel filler neck.

[andy29847]

It's getting real!


This afternoon was all problems. The fuel filler neck I ordered would not work. It has a hole for a small nozzle, not the big hole I wanted for the fuel nozzles at the big truck islands. I didn't cry long. I decided to cut the factory fuel fille neck and use it. I took a photo that shows the part number before I cut it, just in case.


Ready!




The fuel fille dish and fuel filler neck were very hard to fit into my hole. The space is real narrow. I had to turn it a little to make it work. There are some wires in the same space that I had to watch for. The real problem shows up when I try to fit in the fuel hose. I ordered a piece ~ 18" long with a 90° on one end. I couldn't get the my piece to mesh with the two ends. Ah well, tomorrow is another day.

[andy29847]

Sometimes you start something and you are sorry you did. I am almost there. I am having space problems. The bulkhead for the cabin is in the way of my fuel filler dish. I have 2 options. I'm most likely going to have to move my hole forward some. This is hard because it means I'll have to fill the hole on the backside and also because to moves the filler into a part of the body that is even more curved than what I'm dealing with now. Maybe, just maybe, a 21° fuel filler dish would be shallower and not interfere as much as the 42° dish I am using. I plan to buy one and try. The photo is highlighted to show the cabin bulkhead, part of the fiberglass front cap that is limiting my space, and the location that I am headed to with my fuel filler hose.


Here is how I think my hose will go together. Ill cut off the metal 90° of the original fuel filler neck to splice the two rubber sections together.


Here is the rubber 90 shown in the photo above connected to the coach's fuel filler pipe.


This project is going to slow down while I order some parts. Stay tuned.

[andy29847]

This project matches my life experiences. Just when things seem insurmountable, take a little break, think a little, and things will be better when you start work again.

After studying the fit of the fuel filler dish, and the fuel filler neck that screws onto the dish, I thought I could make my arrangement work. I trimmed the ear of the fuel filler neck that was close to the cabin bulkhead till it was flush with the fuel filler dish. Then I enlarged the whole in the body of my camper 1/8" towards the front. Voila, it fits! I cut and test fit the hoses. The only things I have left are to extend the 3/4" vent hose, Screw the fuel filler dish to the coach, connect my ground strap, and then seal the fuel filler dish at the skin of the camper (thinking butyl seal tape). Whew! I think it was fun.

[New Guy Will]

Great job!!
Who the old guy??

[New Guy Will]

Just like the kid who hit the home run to win the ball game…

[andy29847]

I feel like I need to put something behind the fiberglass body skin for the screws from the fuel filler dish to bite into. I have a block of plastic material that started life as a cutting board that I am using. I cut tpieces of it and glue them in using construction adhesive. The blocks need to be clamped for 24 hours so I will glue in 2 at a time.