Inspecting P30 Fuel Tank info '84 Imperial 33 Holiday Rambler

circleD · November 30, 2013, 10:00 PM

I have been handed down an Imperial 33 HR that has been taken care of by a family member but has sat for 1-2 years. The interior is in great shape but the drive train is showing the old age with cracking rubber and seals leaking. Even though my uncle told me to put in a battery and go I know better. On this coach it has a 70 gallon tank according to the label on the tank with a carbed 454. The tank has 2 lines coming out of the top on the P/S at the front of the tank ( fuel and return ). On the D/S it has 1 line coming out of the top of the tank at the front for the generator that changes into a hard plastic line. On the D/S rear top of the tank about 1-2 inches from the rear wall is a sending unit bolt and nut with a wire nutted to the top of it going over to the D/S frame rail all the way to the front. The rubber fuel lines being used from the tank to the hard lines are 5/16 I.D. and just have one screw on clamp on each fitting at the tank and at the hard line connection. The generator has the same size of hose and connection. I used an inspection camera to go inside of my tank and all around the top exterior because I have OCD I've been told. Here's what I found out from my tank WITHOUT an electric in tank pump.
When I took the rubber filler neck off using a twisting motion and swearing I put a wet rag taped onto the exterior neck part with a small slit cut into it to keep the fumes down a little bit and so the bore camera could get in there. Once I got in the tank and orientated I saw clean walls and a little bit of fuel I couldn't get out and the baffles were intact. WELL, I couldn't SEE the sending unit or how the fuel was getting up in the fuel lines because the baffles were in the way and the only way past them was at the bottom corners where the fuel moves freely. So I tried to get down in the fuel and under the baffles but the bore scope I have has to be bent by hand to make turns so I rammed and pushed but couldn't make it to see i?? . I looked at the interior top of tank to see if there was a bolted on cap for inspection or to upgrade to an electric pump but it was smooth. So the only thing I found out is that I have 3 some of you have 4? lines coming out of the tank and IF I did drop it, the only way to check it is the filler neck or the 2 inch hole for the sending unit. However, IF you have a 1/4 of a tank or 1/8 you can take off the rubber filler neck and use a waterproof flashlight to take a glance inside just to see if there's build up. Be in an area that is NATURALLY vented no fans or ignition sources since the fumes at the tank are safe and 40' away is safe but that right mixture of O2 and fumes is what gets you. Don't spend to much time gazing in there but look in and you will be able to see if something is wrong.

DISCLAIMER!! I AM NOT TELLING OR ENCOURAGING YOU TO DO THIS BY ANY MEANS. THIS IS FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH 19 YEARS AS A FIREMAN AND I DID HAVE PPE ON. I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP SOMEONE ELSE FROM DOING THIS IN AN UNSAFE MANNER OR NOT TO EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT GOING THIS FAR IN DEPTH.
The camera doesn't have a picture option but I took a picture of the picture with my phone

and NOW I CAN'T GET THE PICS TO TRANSFER from the phone via email or SD card but I will get them on here some how just give me a day or 2,3. Once again this is an '84 HOLIDAY RAMBLER IMPERIAL 33 70 Gallon, NO IN TANK ELECTRIC PUMP, 454 QUADRA JET on a P30 chassis.
And yes I plan to use the camera to inspect my tanks and motor. Harbor Freight has it on sale for 59.99 this weekend and sometimes for 69.99.

HandyDan · December 01, 2013, 12:59 AM

Walmart has those borescope cameras, too, but a little higher priced. I would like to get one and do the same thing. Who knows what's in there?

circleD · December 03, 2013, 09:40 AM

sending unit on rear ds top corner
Looking inside of tank at an angle. The baffle and wall with the drain plug as the brown spot.

HandyDan · December 03, 2013, 10:46 AM

Wow! I wouldn't have thought it would be that shiny inside. Looks in great shape. Have you tried to remove that drain plug? I understand it has to be heated to get it to turn. I'm pretty sure I don't want to put a torch on it.
Dan

circleD · December 03, 2013, 11:47 AM

Yes! I tried different sizes of allen wrenches and they started to round out the inside. I used some Liquid Wrench rust remover stuff with the yellow cap the other day on some electrical connections after I used a brass wire brush and then a stainless wire brush with no progress of rust coming off of the nuts on the terminals. I sprayed some of that stuff on there and walked around the camper for a minute and when I came back I saw some SHINY metal

where there was rust. So I sprayed more and started to wipe it off. This is in my house battery compartment DS ( with battery out ) so I hosed out the compartment and dried it to the best of my ability. Sprayed some WD-40 until I can get back there to wipe off good and spray red goop on it and paint the compartment. ANYWAY, if this stuff worked that quick and good I'm going to spray some on the drain plug and see what happens later this week. I figured since the gas level is low and the gas in there is varnish I might try to take out the plug or grind a slot in it drill it or what ever it takes to get in a new plug and clean the threads. Because really now, how many times have any of you or will any of you have the gas level so low on purpose. And that sending unit is going to get some of it to. Does anybody think this is over kill?

legomybago · December 03, 2013, 12:52 PM

What do you have? 3...4 gallons of bad gas in the tank? If you cant cyphon out any, because to little amount in tank. I would just put 10-15 gallons of new gas in it! Unless I miss read your posts....and you have something else going on?? Put a battery in her, see what happens...If it fires up and runs good, then invest some money and replace your 5/16" rubber fuel lines and fuel filters, and do neccesary maintenance. Thats what I would do

circleD · December 03, 2013, 02:11 PM

I was just thinking about future maintenance and making it easier 5-10 years down the road. I have replaced everything from the tank to the motor but I'm not going to use it for a couple of months so why not spend a little bit of time now in a controlled environment instead of who knows where. But I do agree with putting in fresh gas and calling it even and everything would be fine.

legomybago · December 03, 2013, 05:47 PM

I agree, there's nothing better than having a piece of mind knowing your fuel system, among other things you fix and replace are new and ready to go!

circleD · December 15, 2013, 09:24 PM

I tried to get the plug out of the tank 5 days later and it turned 1/8" then the Allen wrench started to round out the plug so I stopped. I believe that heating it up or drilling it out is the only options. So I put 10 gallons of gas in the tank with seafoam and let it run for 15 minutes. So far so good.

circleD · July 07, 2014, 10:41 PM

Correction on the amount of hoses and purposes. Now that I have dropped the tank, there are 3 hoses coming off of the top PS part of the tank. The fuel, return, and vent hose that I couldn't see because it was deteriorated and just a nub. And the " plastic " tube that feeds the genny is actually a copper tube.