Duel Gas Tanks Question

[Toedtoes]

Did the 1975 clippers come with duel gas tanks? 

Mine has two and a toggle switch on the dash, but I'm not sure if it's factory installed or done later - there are taped on typed labels stating which tank is which direction of the toggle.  I have no documentation that indicates anything regarding the tank(s).

If they did come with duel tanks, does anyone know:

1) what capacity are each of the tanks?  It appears that my rear tank is 30 gallons, but I can't tell with my front tank due to some other issues.

2) do you have to be running on a specific tank in order to fill it?  I'm getting weird random leakage when I fill the tanks and the only thing that I can put any logic into it is what tank I'm running on when I fill the tanks.

Thanks for any help you can offer.  It's headed back to my mechanic on Monday to try to figure it out if I can't get an answer here (or if the answer here doesn't resolve my issues). 

[caninecaravan]

Yes, some of the units came with dual tanks. The first one should be about 36 gallons and the second tank was about 50 gallons. One of the members of the Bay Area Clipper Club has that set up. I had a single 36 gallon which leaked and replaced it with a 46 gallon metal tank. No leaks but the sending unit is still for 36 gallons. When I tank reads empty, I know that I have 10 gallons less and its time to start looking for the "old watering hole".

[Toedtoes]

Thanks.

My rear tank is 36 gallons.  I'm not sure on the front as I haven't been able to fill it up all the way.  I just dropped the clipper off at the mechanics.  They're going to keep it for the week and check out the lines from the intake to the tanks (they already did all the other lines going into the engine).  I told them my supposition that it has to be running on the tank in order to fill it - they're going to test that theory.

My fuel gauge doesn't work at all so I'm sort of running blind right now.  Once I get the leaking issues resolved, I'll be able to start determining my gas mileage (looks like about 4mpg at the moment, but with the leaks, I can't be sure) and then I'll have an idea how far I can go before needing a refill.

[caninecaravan]

Drive at 55 mph most of the clippers get about 7 to 7.5 miles per gallon. You might want to check your sending unit. Come to the National Rally this weekend at SugarBarge and get the answers you need plus Clip Jr. will be there with the parts you might want. You don't need to come in your clipper, a car works just as well for the first time.

[Toedtoes]

Thanks for the info.  I will hopefully get my clipper back by the end of this week (knock on wood - no holes/splits in the rear tank).  If so, I will introduce him to the club.    If not, I'll grab all my papers from him and bring them down - at least I'll be able to verify VIN number info, etc.

[Toedtoes]

My clipper is home! They replaced 15 feet of fuel line. No problem with the rear tank - the main leak there was in the fuel line directly above the tank, it was split. Does not appear to have a leak in the front tank. Both tanks are 36 gallon. And, they got the fuel gauge working for both tanks!!!!!

[Ryan949]

Hi
Can you clarify the setup on the gas tanks? I just got my Clipper and I'm figuring things out as I go...I have that toggle switch in the cab and have no Idea what its for. I already looked under the coach and I cant distinguish what is what. So how do I fill the other tank if there is one and what are the toggle positions on yours. Does it just overflow to the axillary tank? Also will the gas gauge read the tank that the toggle is set to? Thanks much

[Toedtoes]

From what I can figure out, each clipper has it's own setup.  This is how mine is set up:

I have two tanks - one rear and one front. There are two separate fill points - side by side. To fill/run off the rear tank, I flip the toggle up. To fill/run off the front tank, I flip the toggle down. The two tanks are not connected in any way. The fuel gauge reads whichever tank the toggle is switch to.

Your will likely be a variation. If you do a search in the technical section, you will find some descriptions of other setups.  A combination of diffent setups will likely be your answer.

[Toedtoes]

Some of the other setups have one fill point which fills one tank, then overflows into the second tank.

I don't remember for sure, but I think some people have other than a toggle switch.

The tank sizes differ also.  The original poly tank is 36 gallons (fills to about 30 gallons to provide room for expansion - mine fills to 32 gallons from empty).  The second aftermarket tank varies.  Some folks have a 50 gallon tank.  Mine is about 30-36 gallons also.  They are usually metal, but I think some people have poly.

As for the gas gauges, they also vary how they read.  Many don't work anymore - I think there are problems getting the sensor.  When my tanks are full, mine read at 75%.  I haven't tested the rear yet (still working out issues - see next post for update), but on the front tank, when it just hits empty, I have about 3-5 gallons left.  So that means, that when the gauge reads 50%, I have about 67%; when it reads 25%, I actually have about 33%.

Hope all that helps you out.  It took me a while to start catching on to how it all fits together, but once I did, it's been a piece of cake.

[Toedtoes]

Update on my tank situation:

Yesterday, I took the clipper out for a good long test run.  I filled both tanks.  The front filled beautifully - no intermittent shut offs, no spitting up, etc.  The rear tank still has a small leak - showed up when I filled.  It didn't fill smooth either.  Fortunately, I did get it to fill up, so I have an emergency back-up (see below).

Headed down to Fresno for the day to visit friends and show off the clipper.  They loved him and several neighbors commented on him also.  We did some checking out of stuff, relaxed, played with the dogs (my two came down to visit with their one), and took a cruise in my friend's mini-cooper (cute little car!).  Then I headed back home.

Drove on the front tank all the way down.  Headed home on it also.  At the 324.8 miles, it went "putt putt" and I switched to the rear tank.  I wanted to wait until the putt-putt to switch so I could determine how much my front tank holds.  It holds 32 gallons.  Filled up the front tank today.  Got 10.07mpg!!!!!!  Filled up beautifully again with no spit ups or anything.  So, my front tank is perfect.

My rear tank is losing gas, I can easily tell just by looking at the gauge as I'm driving on it.  Since my front tank is good, I can wait to save some money before going back in to look at it.  But I'll happily run on the 10mpg front tank. 

[Ryan949]

Thanks for the feedback. Mine is a single tank. Don't know what the toggle is for. I'm going to have to run the wires down and try and figure it out....