How do you know when the fuel tank is full?

[drizler]

LOL, I also did that when filling my Cessna!

My budsmasher had that tiny step on it. I壇 loft one of those cube shaped cans up there then climb up myself with one foot on the strut. No static issues to create excitement. I could look right down in there and see the level.

 

[CADplans]

How about establishing by experiment, a correlation between your fuel gauge and how much you need to fill it back up.

This is exactly what I do,,
I know how many pumps of my handle operated fuel pump it takes to refuel the tractor,,
I have not spilled fuel in a decade because of the counting method of filling,,
I admit, I do not fill the last gallon of the tank, that is my tolerance zone,,

 

[TBone]

I just turn the key so that the tractor's fuel gauge powers on and watch that as I pump. Keep in mind the gauge will lag behind reality by a few seconds, so I slow down as I get near full.

The gauge on my L2501 is so inaccurate it's almost useless.

 

[deezler]

I have a 7.4 gallon tank whose fill port is chest high, above the 3 pt.

You have a 7.4 gallon tank, this is easy. Is your fuel gauge at all accurate? If so, and as it should be, just.... use the gauge. Wait till almost empty and then you can fit a whole 5-gal can in there. if you don't fully trust your gauge or don't want to run the tank all the way down, like on my Cub, just pour in half of a 5-gal can at a time. My standard seems to be, fuel gauge hits below half-tank - ad half a 5-gal, and I'm back to 3/4 full or so. I don't put too many hours on so this is easy to do just once a month or so.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If someone built a little battery powered buzzer with a probe that would hang slightly in the tank, would anyone buy it?. I mean soon they would be on E-Bay from China for $2.40 USD!

Actually, a battery operated flood sensor might work. Just experimenting with the different resistance of fuel oil and water for a fuel filter water alarm.

 

[CobyRupert]

Wouldn't anything that floats tied to a stick work?
Like a toilet float, but with a longer rod.
Put a mark on the rod that shows up out of the tank when the float gets near the top.

 

[ovrszd]

Probably best solution would be the style that fits in PU bed, and you can fill at local "diesel o-rama & stuff" and then pump into tractor at tractors site, many have auto click off valves on hose.... But we being cheap tractor owners and liking to make things more complicated probably will not consider this...

Dale

Mine is 55 gallon. One of the best tools I own. Definitely in the top 5.

 

[Rebeldad1]

Life is too short. I use a truck mounted transfer tank with an auto shutoff nozzle. No lifting, no overfilling, and the fuel gets an additional run through a filter.

Second that. Was the best investment for me. The messing with cans got worse. The older you get the heavier the cans get.
The tank/electric pump has two full indicators.... You can hear the sound change as it gets full and it shuts off automatically

I dont even think about it anymore...just fill-er-up.

 

[Industrial Toys]

YES, BUT! Those things are a pain if you have a screen in the equipment fuel filler. Sprays back into the sensing tube and shuts it off.

I also have filters, but sometimes insects crawl up the nozzel. Maybe I should start with a bit of fuel to flush the nozzle, then remove the screen (easy to do) and fill-er-up.

 

[PILOON]

Wouldn't anything that floats tied to a stick work?
Like a toilet float, but with a longer rod.
Put a mark on the rod that shows up out of the tank when the float gets near the top.

LOL, yep would work.
My first aircraft was Piper J3 cub and the tank was between the firewall and the engine, like over my legs.
The gauge was a rod attached to a cork that protruded thru the gas cap.
When the rod disappeared you had no gas.

Problem was (as with any cork based gauge) is if it absorbs water then it is no longer accurate as it floats not the same.

 

[mapper]

Although it was not one of the things considered when I bought my tractor, I have really enjoyed the fuel fill cap being just above knee height and about 4" in diameter. I can see when the tank is nearly full and don't know have to lift the fuel can above waist high. Just a fortunate coincidence, but reading this thread makes be very glad for it.
After 30 years of lifting gas cans up to fuel the old Ford 8n I know where you guys are coming from (I don't think that newer diesel tractors have their batteries located right under the fuel fill like those old gasoline tractors, just to make one extra cautious when fueling!)

 

[RjCorazza]

Although it was not one of the things considered when I bought my tractor, I have really enjoyed the fuel fill cap being just above knee height and about 4" in diameter. I can see when the tank is nearly full and don't know have to lift the fuel can above waist high. Just a fortunate coincidence, but reading this thread makes be very glad for it.
After 30 years of lifting gas cans up to fuel the old Ford 8n I know where you guys are coming from (I don't think that newer diesel tractors have their batteries located right under the fuel fill like those old gasoline tractors, just to make one extra cautious when fueling!)

My previous Kubota had the high tank and the current L4060 has a nice and low fuel tank. I didn't give it much thought when I bought the new tractor, but I do like the fuel tank location.

Supposedly the Kubota 40 series machines will start beeping at an increasing rate as the fuel level fills up (I guess with the machine off, and key in run position). I should check to see if the 60 series tractors have a similar feature.

 

[Dr Gas]

I really like this little Tera Pump battery powered diesel transfer pump. My LS XR4150HC has the fuel fill just in front of the cab step. I fill the tank from those 5 gallon yellow diesel cans using the wee pump. It’s so easy and the pump shuts itself off and beeps when the tank is full! Heck I can do my routine checks and greasing etc and just let Tera pump do it’s thing. TERA PUMP Portable Power Water/Fuel Transfer Battery Pump with AutoStop - 2.5GPM Amazon.com: TERA PUMP Portable Power Water/Fuel Transfer Battery Pump with AutoStop - 2.5GPM: Automotive

 

[CobyRupert]

A siphon hose (with the brass fitting and jiggity ball (one way valve) inside it) can be had for about $5-$6 on Amazon.
I just take my 5 gallon jug, set it on the fender, take the hose, put it in the jug, give it a couple shakes....walk away...check the oil...grease some fittings.....done. No pouring involved.

 

[shooterdon]

I really like this little Tera Pump battery powered diesel transfer pump. My LS XR4150HC has the fuel fill just in front of the cab step. I fill the tank from those 5 gallon yellow diesel cans using the wee pump. It’s so easy and the pump shuts itself off and beeps when the tank is full! Heck I can do my routine checks and greasing etc and just let Tera pump do it’s thing. TERA PUMP Portable Power Water/Fuel Transfer Battery Pump with AutoStop - 2.5GPM Amazon.com: TERA PUMP Portable Power Water/Fuel Transfer Battery Pump with AutoStop - 2.5GPM: Automotive

I bought two of them and they work very well. One in the attached garage for the snowblower. And one in the detached garage for the lawn tractor, snowmobiles, splitter, chipper, etc.

I have a 50 gal reefer tank for diesel with a 12V pump and 13' of hose. The tank sits in a wooden frame I can lift on and off the PU truck and it sits on HF dollies in the detached garage. Fill opening on the LS is just in front of the cab step and easy to see when filling.

 

[ovrszd]

A siphon hose (with the brass fitting and jiggity ball (one way valve) inside it) can be had for about $5-$6 on Amazon.
I just take my 5 gallon jug, set it on the fender, take the hose, put it in the jug, give it a couple shakes....walk away...check the oil...grease some fittings.....done. No pouring involved.

It stops running if the tank gets full?

 

[MossRoad]

It stops running if the tank gets full?

I had the same question about starting a siphon and walking away. If the bottom of the gas can is higher than the fuel tank, and the siphon hose is at the bottom of the gas can, and the end is in the tank, it'll fill the tank, flow up out of the fill port, and pour on the ground until the gas can is empty.

 

[ovrszd]

I had the same question about starting a siphon and walking away. If the bottom of the gas can is higher than the fuel tank, and the siphon hose is at the bottom of the gas can, and the end is in the tank, it'll fill the tank, flow up out of the fill port, and pour on the ground until the gas can is empty.

Yep .

 

[tmcj]

On mine I just listen for it. There is a change in the sound when the tank is about full and it gets closer to the neck. Typically from the time I hear that till I stop and pull up the jug it brings the fuel level right to the top without overflowing.

 

[CobyRupert]

It stops running if the tank gets full?

Congratulations on the rhetorical question.

...the OP NEVER asked about a system that automatically stops when tank is full. OP is looking for a solution for "enough with the lifting and pouring 2 gallon cans through a big funnel. I need something easier on my back." I suggested an answer. Once lifted and set on the hood or fender, there is no holding the can & pouring (usually while trying to stand and tilting the can in some awkward position)
I also previously suggested a simple float gauge that indicates when tank is full.