Fuel Tank Drain?--74 Indian, Dodge 440 chassis

[Wendell]

Is there a drain in the main fuel tank on a 74 Indian?  Mine is nearly full of fuel but it seems to have some contamination in it.  It's been in there quite a while.  The engine will run on it ok (not great) on it, but it will start to stumble after a while.  I can switch to the aux tank and it smooths back out and run.  I can switch back to the main and again, it will run all right for a while, and then start stumbling again.   I've changed fuel filters a couple of times and the problem still occurs.  Any help is appreciated. 

[RockwoodMike]

I have a 73 Indian D22 and the main tank pickup tube was plugged..My tank does not have a drain plug..I took the tank out to clean it up..The pickup tube was filled with the hard black gunk and I had to run a rod to push it all out..

Can you siphon some fuel out of the filler neck and see what it looks and smells like (sounds like fun to me!!)

It would be something to hook up a electric pump to you main fuel line and try to pump all the fuel out that way..If the fuel flows good with that pump, then you know the pickup tube is clean..

But my tank main does not have a drain..I wish I had installed one while the tank was out..

The Aux. tank does have one as shown in the picture..

[Wendell]

What was involved with dropping the tank? 

[RockwoodMike]

What was involved with dropping the tank? 

A real hassle..If you have read through my thread, I have the whole side wall removed and it was still hard to do..

Do you have the Aux.tank?. If you do then that has to come out first..with it gone then the main will slide forward enough to jockey it out of there..A real BEE EYE ITCH!!

Another way is to leave it where it is and make a hole through your flooring to access the pickup tube..Once you have access to it, then cleaning it out is no problem..

When I finally get my new floor in, I will make a access door to the top of the tanks..just for this problem..If your tank sending unit quits, the door will will let you change it out..

But before you do all that, siphon some fuel out and see what that tells you..

Then an auxiliary electric pump to see if the pickup tube is plugged..

Do those 2 steps first to see what you are up against..If it is bad gas, just pump it out of there and fresh gas to replace it..

If the electric pump is just barely moving any fuel, then you might be needing to remove the tank..

Compressed air to blow the line clean might do it too..

[RockwoodMike]

This will educate you