Fuel tank valve - manual or electric ?

[JWMcCrary]

SInce I am sitting in the office today thinking about my Bronco rather than working.......

The PO removed the valve under the drivers seat that switches the fuel tanks (said it was bad) and has the rear tank connected only. I want to get the front tank connected up. It is full of gas and is already 3 months old since I purchased the Bronco. The PO said that it been only been diconnected for a few weeks at the time I bought it. Does anybody have experience with the electric valve ? Would I be better off to just put a manual valve back ??

 

[broncnaz]

Do you still have the manual valve? they are fairly simple and can usually be fixed. They are way cheaper than an electric valve and you really dont have to worry about them failing

 

[JWMcCrary]

No. I currently have no valve. The old valve had return lines which I have done away with.

 

[jbeyer]

the manual has less to go wrong. the electric is convienient. you just flip the switch on the dash and both valve and gauge flip. but its gonna wear out long before a mechanical valve will. the more complicated something is, the more likely it is to break.

ive got the electric, and it works great. but someday i know i will be under the truck in the rain bypassing it cuz it conked out.

 

[chuck]

The ele. valve costs less than the manual valve. It can be wired into the gauge sel. sw. that you have now and is only on when you are using the aux tank so is used very little.

 

[JWMcCrary]

Thanks guys.

I actually have already bought the electric valve but haven't put it on.
I just wanted to get some input and make sure I should use it. It sure doesn't look as heavy duty as the manual valves.

 

[Bronchole]

I use the electric valve on my rig, works great! No problems, and I beleive it had a lifetime warranty on it. BTW if you go to EFI you will need to go with the electric so that the return line runs back in to the tank that you are pumping from.

 

[flint_knapper]

one cool thing about the manual valve
is that the middle position is off........
stop a thief maybe.

 

[broncnaz]

one cool thing about the manual valve
is that the middle position is off........
stop a thief maybe.

My thoughts exactly

most of the manual valves I've seen are cheaper than electrics by at least $10 but I'd go to the junk yard and get one off a 70's model pickup for next to nothing but I guess you could get the electric valve there too a lot cheaper

 

[Bronco Ben]

I know I'll have to remember this thread once I get my rig up to the point of trying to run, especially since I'm gonna try and go EFI. I had electric switch on my 91 ford F-150, I'm sure somehow that one is simular to the ones used from the aftermarket on EB's? Right now I have manual valve and no clue as to which lines go to which tank etc. Just another thought to ponder I guess along with all the rest......
Ben

 

[Broncobowsher]

The local NAPA has the manual valves in the brass fittings area. I think they are even under $20

 

[jbeyer]

one cool thing about the manual valve
is that the middle position is off........
stop a thief maybe.

when i replaced my switch in the dash, i put one in that had a center off. so providing that the thief is really dumb, and cant figure out what that switch that sez FUEL is for, im safe also.

 

[michael welch]

One thing about a electric valve is when it is set up make sure that which tank is on the main side. What I mean is lets say you run out of gas on both tanks the valve is eletro magnatic and the rear tank is set up on the main side and you put your gas in the front aux. tank (because thats the side thats switched on) when you crank the motor over the valve returns to the main side,because it electical powered will not allow fuel to be drawn off the aux. during starting, but as soon as the key moves back to the run position the valve will switch to the aux., so if you run out of gas always put the fuel into main tank and switch it on the main tank.This happen once many years ago about 2:00 am on pick-up we were driving, without thinking we put the fuel into the aux tank and it would not start.

 

[chuck]

If you use the gauge switch and set it up right the valve will go to the tank that the gauge is reading.

 

[Bronchole]

One thing about a electric valve is when it is set up make sure that which tank is on the main side. What I mean is lets say you run out of gas on both tanks the valve is eletro magnatic and the rear tank is set up on the main side and you put your gas in the front aux. tank (because thats the side thats switched on) when you crank the motor over the valve returns to the main side,because it electical powered will not allow fuel to be drawn off the aux. during starting, but as soon as the key moves back to the run position the valve will switch to the aux., so if you run out of gas always put the fuel into main tank and switch it on the main tank.This happen once many years ago about 2:00 am on pick-up we were driving, without thinking we put the fuel into the aux tank and it would not start.

This is not true for all of the different electrical valves out there. The particular one that I have if you momentarily (1 second) put +12VDC to terminal X and 0VDC to terminal Y you are selected to tank A, but if you momentarily put 0VDC to terminal X and +12VDC to terminal Y you are selected to tank B.

I actually tested this when I was getting to understand how this unit functioned prior to installing it. I don't doubt that the situation that michael welch ran into is possible though. It sounds like a solinoid acting against a return spring. When the solinoid is off the return spring forces the switch to position A, when the solinoid is powered the solinoid forces the switch in to position B compressing the return spring.

In my switch the solinoid simply pushes the switch to position A on normal polarity, and pushes to position B on reverse polarity. At any point when power is removed the switch stays in the position that it was in.

 

[MnkyBiz]

JWMcCrary,

Go to this link . It is the instructions on how to wire the Electronic valve to your switch. I grabbed it off of Chuck's site! Easy to do & works like a champ!

I have this setup & will employ it ...... whenever mine is running again!

 

[JWMcCrary]

JWMcCrary,

Go to this link . It is the instructions on how to wire the Electronic valve to your switch. I grabbed it off of Chuck's site! Easy to do & works like a champ!

I have this setup & will employ it ...... whenever mine is running again!

Thanks Monkey.....this looks fairly simple.

 

[chuck]

The ones I sell are open through port 1, when you turn it on port 1 closes and port 2 opens. When you turn it off it goes back to port 1