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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Removing pickup from fuel tank

Is it possible to remove the fuel pickup pipe from the tank? Having checked the tanked I don't believe it is leaking where I thought it might be and the prime suspect is now the rubber filler hose not being tight enough.

However while the tank is out I'm tempted to seal it but don't want to risk blocking the pickup.

Thanks.
Jeremy Cogman

don't think you can as it's brazed onto the inside of the threaded boss where the external pipe screws in.
I've a couple of tanks here if you need one, did my email arrive OK?
David Smith

I don't think it's brazed in as the nipple on the end of the fuel pipe pushes against it to seal the pick-up tube to the tank boss. I found this as when I fitted a compression fitting to the tank boss I had no end of trouble with air in the fuel when the level was below the boss and eventually tracked it down and corrected it. IIRC this has come up before and there are some threads on the subject in the archives.
David Billington

David,

I think it is brazed/silver soldered in, attached pic is of a similar arrangement on an MGB tank at Heritage, yes it has additional baffles as it a competition version. The area around the pipe is blued and the flux still visible.

I have a similar problem on a B's tank where I need to clean it out - so far blew air back through to get it running but it needs dropping and cleaning out or replacement.

R.

richard b

Richard,

Maybe it depends on the maker and vintage as the replacement tank I bought in the late 1980s certainly had a loose internal pick-up tube in the boss which only sealed when the nipple soldered on to the external fuel tube was forced into the internal tube flare to push it against the boss seat.
David Billington

Richard

My original B tank has baffles. I did buy a replacement, which didn’t have them, so I had the original repaired.
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave,
That’s interesting- I’m pretty sure they said they were comp tanks but it was a few years ago now !!!

Did you return the tank ?

I may need one eventually but it’s not my car. (71 k reg)

R.
richard b

My Frogeye had a nylon filter on the end of the pickup tube. This must be removed if you are going to seal the tank, or you will seal the filter as well. The tube is removable, and I made a new one without filter as the original was contaminated and cracked, causing air sucking at low fuel levels. I had a bit of cunifer fuel tubing in stock, and the flaring tool for the end. I now have filter at the carb end. The filter is reachable from the gauge sender hole (with a suitable grab tool), although the tube is inserted from outside, but beware! The tube tends to rotate when you tighten the union, so watch through the hole as you do it. It should be restrained by a metal clip inside but mine was bent and didn't work well.
Les Rose

This thread was discussed between 01/09/2021 and 04/09/2021

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