Diesel - Fuel Expansion Tank and Strainer

[alewing]

Took the tank out of the Pickup (1988 1.6TD, Syncro) yesterday and discovered items rattling around inside, so I removed the sender unit to enable access (as well as to check operation and give the whole lot a good clean etc etc)
I found the following 2 items in the bottom of the tank (a dished bowl and a threaded wingnut type thing).

Syncro Diesel Tank 012.jpg

Page 20.34 in the Bentley manual describes these as Fuel expansion tank (internally located) with strainer; But, this for Digifant?. I cant seem to find an image of the diesel tank and its layout…..are they the same?

exploded view.JPG

However, a strainer was not present and neither was the return line as shown on the Bentley image. It does feel like the dished bowl fits in the location shown and I think the wingnut type thing screws into the feedline (at the bottom of the tank)
It seems unusual to have some of the parts loose in the tank and some missing, as to me it appears that this tank (nor sender unit) have ever been out of the vehicle before.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated and if anyone knows where I can purchase the strainer from (and return line) then hopefully I can put it all back as was intended.

Many thanks

[syncropaddy]

I just checked on Ekta and those bits are for a petrol variant

[alewing]

how very strange! wonder what they are doing in my diesel tank??

also my lower tank strap does not have the bracket for the external fuel filter (which looks like a petrol one) as shown in that image.

thank you for your comment, but what / who is Ekta?

has anyone got an exploded diagram of a diesel tank and its sundries?

[syncrosimon]

also my lower tank strap does not have the bracket for the external fuel filter (which looks like a petrol one) as shown in that image.

I think that is the petrol fuel pump you are looking at.

what is etka?

ETKA is the official electronic parts catalogue (EPC) for Volkswagen Group motor vehicles.Launched in 1989, ETKA superseded the older parts books and microfilm-based catalogues. ETKA is an abbreviation from the German: Elektronischer Teilekatalog. It is produced for Volkswagen AG by the Munich-based specialist automotive industry informations systems software publisher LexCom Informationssysteme GmbH. As of March 2010, the latest ETKA software version (called 'Revision') is 7.2, with database updates for software versions 7.0, 7.1 and 7.2 being released approximately one to two times per week.

[alewing]

ahaha yes i meant fuel pump and mine definately has not got that bracket AND if i'd have searched for ETKA, rather than EKTA, google wouldnt have returned Asian Cuisine and skateboards ..... DOH!...its been a long day.

thanks for the picture and info

[syncropaddy]

if i'd have searched for ETKA, rather than EKTA

Dyslexia rules ko!

[alewing]

if i'd have searched for ETKA, rather than EKTA

Dyslexia rules ko!

[silverbullet]

This tank fitting mystery might just explain why I can never get more than 3/4 full indicated on the fuel gauge when brimmed, but when run to empty there's still a good 10 litres left in the bottom of the tank...
The return hose must have come off the sender unit, so when the fuel level drops below the "kidney bowl" inside, the carb runs dry.
Now I really wish I'd replaced the sender when the tank was out and investigated further

[Reco]

Hi Ashley - re pm can't help much as fitted nice new ss straps without need for tank or gbox to come out - result!
Tank is plastic - i thought they all were and pretty sure didn't have anything rattling about as would have heard it when drained and stropped it up temp so could keep using truck.
I see you have the right syncro set up ......mind you I fancy a doka as well! .....one day

[alewing]

Just to update this thread with some findings. I eventually got round to uploading ETKA and discovered the following.....

JX Diesel tank does contain the Drip Tray(2) and Banjo Bolt(3) but NO Filter; like this:-

32-03.JPG

Athough the tank, sender unit, drip tray and fuel filter resemble my set up, the pipework around the top rear of the tank does not.

The pipework on my tank looks more like this:-

33-02.JPG

BUT, mine doesnt have that activated charcoal canister(3) or box thingy(which looks like an air filter)!?!

The mystery deepens.

Is the activated charcoal canister unit applicable to Diesel?

Cheers,
Ashley

[syncropaddy]

If you are referring to the fuel pipes on top of the tank then there is quite a bit of it tucked into the wide groove on top of the tank. There is no charcoal filter on a diesel. All there is on a diesel fuel system is the 'out' pipe to the diesel fuel filter and a 'return' pipe to the tank via the tank sender. The remainder of the pipe work on top of the tank is for the venting system which ends up by the filler cap

[alewing]

Hi Paddy,
Cheers for that. Please see below an image of my tank and the pipework across the top rear. It just resembles more the ETKA image of the pipework in image 33-02 with the activated charcoal canister than that of the JX (image 32-03), However, i cannot find said canister! Moreover, discovering that my Gearbox Bellhousing does not have the breather vents, i feel that this vehicle may have once been petrol. What do you think?

Tank Piping.jpg

Rgds,
Ashley

[syncropaddy]

Not all diesel bellhousings had the vent holes and petrol bellhousings dont fit diesels. That pipework is vent pipes only you need a pic of the out pipe and the return pipe but again the petrol tank is different. You shouldnt find a canister cuz it wont have one!

[alewing]

ok, i'll stop worrying and it will all go back in as-is (well with fresh pipework). I just like to know the history and i am big on originality. i'll try and upload some images of the in/out pipework etc.
thanks for your help.
Ashley

and i was assuming the bellhousing had been swapped for a 2wd diesel one

[syncropaddy]

i am big on originality.

I thought I was alone .....