How Do I Install An Oil Dispenser Inside A Gas Tank

wayne z said:

Those are pricey!! You can buy new ones made from aluminum, and way cheaper, from import tool companies like Enco or Enlon

Click to expand...

I agree.

I'm looking for this, which will work for me:

VW BUG BUGGY TRIKE RAIL GHIA Glass Fuel Filter 1/4" | eBay

A DELCO/CHEVY OEM glass fuel filter would work too. I just need to make sure that the filter can hold 2 ounces.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1950...arQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_500wt_956

I've decided to use my 18-ounce aluminum fuel bottle as an oil dispenser.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BRS-102-500-ml-...592?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c57cdb70


It fits perfectly in my bottle cage, so no need to carry it in my backpack or leave it at home. Since my four-liter fuel tank holds enough gas for 8-9 days, the fuel container doesn't get used at all. I measure & add 1.875" ounces and just leave it there, until fillup time. This is for 3 quarts @ 50:1 f/o ratio. Adding four quarts is ALWAYS a freaking mess. I MIGHT mix oil/gas, then pour it into the tank while filling up. That'll do for now.

Later, I'll drill a hole into the fuel bottle's cap and screw in a threaded petcock. I'll prolly need a vent hole too. Then I'll weld a bung onto the fuel tank, or bolt one on.

THAT should do the trick, and for cheap! I just need to buy a petcock and the bungs.

Hey, thanks for your feedback.

It may sound trivial to some, but EVERY fillup at the gas station is a stressful situation that more often than not ends up in overfilling and gas spillage.

Here's what I'll do, once I get the petcock and bungs installed:

Pull into the station 20 feet away from the pump.
Uncap the bung on the tank.
Remove oil dispenser from bottle cage (The petcock is closed and always on the bottle).
Screw oil dispenser onto tank's bung.
Push the bike up to the gas pump.
Remove gas cap, insert gas nozzle.
Open petcock valve while filling tank.
When finished, put the nozzle back.
Put gas cap back on.
Shut petcock, unscrew oil dispenser.
Cap the tank's bung.
Return oil dispenser to bottle cage.
Done!

This is gonna be one cheap aluminum oil dispenser by recycling my fuel bottle, which I bought for $5.00 on ebay. Petcock and bungs should cost less than $15.

I already put the oil into the fuel bottle. Until I get the valve/bungs installed, I'll just mix some gas in the bottle and pour it in while I'm gassing up.

Good idea, that'll prolly work. Less chance of spillage.

However, I'm trying to avoid using two hands during the fillup. With an oil dispenser screwed into the fuel tank, once the petcock is opened, it's a one-hand operation.

Voila!

Well, for the past six and a half months, I've been carrying 2oz oil in my 18oz aluminum fuel bottle in the bike's cage. Now that I switched to Opti-2 oil, I only carry 1oz oil. It's worked VERY well for me. Instead of the three-handed juggling act at the gas pump, I add oil into the tank at home or on the road. THENNN, I pedal the bike to the gas station and fill 3 quarts of gas. While pedalling, the fuel/oil mix changes to about 8:1 ratio, then 100:1 when 3 quarts are pumped in.

It's rainy, windy and I feel weak from yesterday's donation @ the blood bank. With too much time on my hands, I'm back to thinking about a passive way to add oil into my gas tank.

This might be my oil dispenser:

McMaster-Carr

#1169K15 has 1/4" NPT, holds 1.375 oz oil, 1.75" diameter and stands 2.9375" tall. It costs $18.28 plus shipping.

I'm cheap, so I'll use this for my prototype:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-BUG-BUGG...44&_trksid=p5197.m7&item=300348236970&vxp=mtr

I should have one laying around somewhere. With the filter removed, this filter MIGHT hold an ounce of oil.

Several drawbacks arise from mounting something atop the fuel tank. Unless it's the size of a matchbox, anything mounted on top looks like a huge wart on someone's nose. Add the brass fitting and a petcock, and the contraption looks absolutely ridiculous!

Solution?

Gravity is my friend, and I only need it for a few seconds. All the time after that, and everything sticks up like a skyscraper/building. What I need is a simple pivoting arm.....

like they use on reading lamps!!!

The 1 oz oil and receptacle is lighter than a light bulb, socket and lampshade. Attach the oiler to a length of hose. The hose extends thru a hole in the top of the tank. When the lampshade arm is extended so that the oiler is above the tank, 1 oz of Opti-2 flows in.

I don't even need a control valve or petcock. Gravity is my friend. There is no siphon action to contaminate the Opti-2, as long as the hose does not extend below the tank's fuel level. Even if fuel siphoned into the oiler, it really wouldn't matter at all.

There's a vast amount of lampshade choices on the market. I MIGHT have a spare one laying around.

Man, this is gonna be CHEAP! Spare fuel filter and brass fittings, spare lampshade, spare fuel line laying around.....

I'll need a tiny funnel to fill 1oz oil into the filter.

The best part is that I get to SEE the exact amount of oil and watch it flow into the tank!

What fun it is to recycle stuff and make it work on my bike!

At the other forum, they suggested to pour the 1 oz. oil into the flex tubing. There'd be no need for the fuel filter or the $18 oil reservoir. Before buying anything, I'm gonna see if I can pour 1 oz of oil in some clear tubing. By using an elbow fitting and two control valves, I'll prolly be able to store 1 oz oil in the tubing. The oil will flow into the tank before I pedal to the gas station. Whether filled or empty, the tubing will be routed safely out of the way.

Ok, the parts are on the way.

Simple math says that 1 oz of fluid will fill 4" of a 3/4" hose. The hose used will be clear for visibility. A 1/2" hole will be drilled atop the 4-liter tank and a 90-degree 1/2" fitting installed. 1/2" X 3/4" barb fittings press onto a 6" clear fuel line. A 1/2" brass valve on each end of the hose keeps the oil in the line. A 1/2" allen plug with a tiny hole drilled thru it screws into the end valve. Oil is poured in when the plug is removed and the end valve is opened. Then the end valve is closed and the plug reinstalled. When it's time for the oil in the line to enter the fuel tank, both valves are opened. The 1 oz of oil will quickly flow out of the clear fuel line and into the fuel tank. Oil will transfer within seconds, then both valves will be closed.

It SHOULD work, as long as both valves are above the 90-degree fitting.

I just got an epiphany!

The fitting enters the tank towards the its bottom. When both valves are opened, then gas will fill the clear line up to the tank's level (The line is vented by the hole in the top valve's brass plug).

In other words, this clear fuel line will also be a fuel gauge!

GearNut said:

How would you store oil in the line while it is being used as a sight gauge?
If the bottom of the storage line enters the fuel tank at the bottom of the fuel tank you will not be able to get the full amount of stored oil into the fuel tank unless the fuel tank is completely empty. If there is any fuel in the tank when both valves are opened some oil may flow into the tank, but it will stop when the liquid level in the tank and the liquid level on the storage tube reach an equal level to each other, just like what happens when a sight tube is employed to gauge the volume of fuel in the tank.

My 2 cents worth:
You would be better off having your storage tube enter the tank from the top as originally intended, and have a separate tube installed as a sight tube for a fuel gauge.
Connect the sight tube between a fitting attached to the top of the tank and another fitting attached to the bottom of the tank. I would not recommend using a tee fitting attached to a single entrance at the top of the tank to be uses as a dual purpose device for both a sight tube and storage tube entrance as when you open the the storage tube to add oil to the tank some of the oil will most likely enter the sight tube as well and you will play he!! trying to get the gasoline to quickly mix with what does enter the sight tube and spoil your oil ratio in the fuel tank.
Use separate entrances in the top of the tank for each tube.

Click to expand...

Yes, I realize that the bottom valve can never be opened until the tank is capable of accepting 96 ounce of fuel. If the tank level is above the hole in the tank, the stored oil will never be able to enter the tank. There will also be an inaccurate mix if 96 oz of fuel cannot be pumped into the tank.

At any given time, the 3/4" clear line would be a sight tube OR oil storage. Like you mentioned, the stored oil MUST be higher than the fuel level in the tank. That will be easy to do. When I normally refill the tank, there are only about 6 ounces remaining of the 96 oz from the previous fillup. The hole in the tank must be above the 6-ounce level/reservoir.

Imagine that the fuel is low and will need a refill in two days. The sight gauge registers zero and the bottom valve is closed. The allen plug is removed, the end valve is opened and 1 oz. of oil is poured in. Then the end valve is closed and the allen plug reinstalled. Two days later, the petcock is closed. As soon as both valves are opened, oil in the clear line flows very quickly into the nearly empty fuel tank. I pedal to the gas station and fill the tank. Both valves are still open, so a small portion of the the fuel/oil mixture enters thru the bottom valve into the clear line.

The clear line now becomes a sight gauge/fuel gauge. The petcock is closed, I pedal for a block to further agitate the mix. Then I stop, open the petcock and start the engine.

The clear line will be an accurate sight gauge until either valve is closed.

The process repeats itself, as the sight gauge level drops to zero. Then the bottom valve is closed and the top valve and allen plug are opened. Oil is added, then the top valve is closed and the allen plug is reinstalled.

The clear line is now to store pure oil, not as a sight gauge.

By the action of the sight gauge, 99+% of the oil in the clear line has been diluted into the fuel mixture. If I tilt the bike rearward or vigorously shake the bike, literally 100% of the measured oil will be in the fuel/oil mix.

Yeah, it's simple physics. Everything should work fine.

McMaster Carr has this oil-level gauge:

McMaster-Carr

Mine will be similar. However, it can be filled from the top, so it'll also be an oil dispenser.

I will use my existing 18oz fuel bottle in the cage to hold 16 oz. of Opti-2 oil.

I bought a pump similar to this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spare-Pump-...082?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45efe3b132

This pump is part of a Brunton camping stove. It screws directly into my fuel bottle. When connected with a hose to my custom oil dispenser, I simply pump 1 oz of Opti-2 from the fuel bottle to the measured/marked dispenser. Then by opening the dispenser's bottom valve, Opti-2 quickly enters the Happy Time 4-liter tank.

And of course, the oil dispenser still becomes a sight gauge/fuel level indicator when both oil control valves are open.

If the pump can suck at least 12 ounces outa this 18oz bottle, I will not need to refill it for three months of daily commuting to work!

I measure and add oil to my 4-liter fuel tank every 7-8 days.

In other words, my hands will not touch any oil for three months!

Will it work?

I KNOW the oil dispenser/fuel level indicator will work. I'm not positive that the Brunton fuel pump will be able to suck up the Opti-2 from the bottle and push it into my oil dispenser.


The dispenser's top valve SHOULD be able to carefully control the amount of oil feeding from the 24" hose.

Unsure how much clearance the pump handle needs. There's 4.5" from the top of the fuel bottle to the bottom of the bike frame's top tube. If I need more room, I can cut the bottom out of the cage and gain 1.5".
__________________
Honey, it's just a bicycle. and i REALLY need it to excercise, and to ride it to work.(hehe)

The Brunton fuel pump arrived. As expected, it screwed directly into the existing fuel bottle in my cage. However, the pickup tube is too short. A fuel stove requires its fuel bottle to lay down flat, not upright like my application. It should be no problem extending the pickup tube. It seems like this pump doesn't actually suck fuel and push it thru the lines. Methinks it pressurizes the empty space above the liquid, thereby pushing fuel thru a short line to the stove. Unsure if this pump is strong enough to push one ounce of Opti-2 oil, 24" to the oil dispenser. If it doesn't, I can try replacing my 18oz fuel bottle with a 12oz. one.

The 1/2" brass fittings and 3/4" hose for the dispenser arrived. Unfortunately, the large fittings and control valves are HEAVY!

So, I ordered a 1/4" elbow, tee and two 1/2"-to-1/4" reducers and 1/4" valves to replace the larger components. Two 1/2" fittings have 3/4" barbs. Using them with reducers, I can retain the 3/4" fuel hose with 1/4" parts in the system.

If the system is still heavy, I can use plastic fittings. The 1/4" valves are PVC, which are MUCH lighter than brass. Rated for food service, unsure if they'll work with Opti-2 oil/gas mix.