Rocket Man
Well-Known Member
Hello all. Well i finally got around to addressing my dirty fuel tank on my Cat 426 Backhoe SN SBC00580. It has been a thorn in my side since it bought it as it would go thru a fuel filter in no time at all. So i installed a "pre" fuel filter that was before the (lift) fuel pump to help keep the new pump free of debris. My intention all along was to pull the tank and clean it and install a new pickup tube because it runs out of fuel when there is still over 1/4 tank fuel left. That told me the pickup tube had holes in it. So with some spare time on my hands today i pulled the tank.
It was not all that hard. There are 4 hydraulic line mounts that have to come loose plus the fuel line out and the return line. Then there are four bolts that hold the tank to the frame. When I drained the tank i could see all kinds of rust, sand and just foreign objects that had no business being in the tank. Initially when i loosened the drain plug and removed it nothing came out BC the crud was deep and plugged the drain. A long screwdriver fixed that tho.
I have attached a couple of pics that show the key points of this operation. One is the holes in the frame where the tank attaches to, one is the supply line that attaches to the tank and one identifies the terminal where the pickup tube is located. You can also see t2 of the hydraulic lines mounting surface.
Now here is what i need help on. I thought that once i removed the supply line connector from the tank i could just reach in and remove the pickup tube. But after several attempts to get that tube out i concluded that it must be welded in place? So has anyone else found this to be true or do i need to just work harder at getting it out? My search of the internet and in the parts manual finds on reference to a pickup tube. I then searched Cat Parts listing and came up empty handed as well.
If this tube is permanently affixed to the mounting block you see in the pics, how does one get a replacement.?
It was not all that hard. There are 4 hydraulic line mounts that have to come loose plus the fuel line out and the return line. Then there are four bolts that hold the tank to the frame. When I drained the tank i could see all kinds of rust, sand and just foreign objects that had no business being in the tank. Initially when i loosened the drain plug and removed it nothing came out BC the crud was deep and plugged the drain. A long screwdriver fixed that tho.
I have attached a couple of pics that show the key points of this operation. One is the holes in the frame where the tank attaches to, one is the supply line that attaches to the tank and one identifies the terminal where the pickup tube is located. You can also see t2 of the hydraulic lines mounting surface.
Now here is what i need help on. I thought that once i removed the supply line connector from the tank i could just reach in and remove the pickup tube. But after several attempts to get that tube out i concluded that it must be welded in place? So has anyone else found this to be true or do i need to just work harder at getting it out? My search of the internet and in the parts manual finds on reference to a pickup tube. I then searched Cat Parts listing and came up empty handed as well.
If this tube is permanently affixed to the mounting block you see in the pics, how does one get a replacement.?