Fuel take off

[SquirrellCook]

When planning on fitting some kind of diesel heater to your vehicle, don't think you have to drill a hole in your fuel tank.
If you check with the manufactures there is often an option for the base vehicle to have some kind of auxiliary heating.
As with many options, the infrastructure is often there even though not used.

On my Betty build. Mercedes Vario based, the fuel tank has two blanked holes marked with arrows. In and out.
Not surprising, my local Mercedes parts supplier did not know anything about it.
After some hunting and grotty parts diagrams I got the wrong part! Second attempt I got just what I was after.
Much better than drilling the tank, just required some hunting.

 

[wildebus]

Nice fittings

 

[wildebus]

Definitely worth checking. On a couple of VW, rather than dropping the tank and fitting a standpipe (better than drilling I think), I cut into the pipe that went to the Aux engine preheater (fitted on the high-end models) and fitted a simple T-piece so shared the tap -off.

One other comment I will make ... If you do find a pipe that you think might be right, just be sure it is! The heaters require an unpressurised supply so must not go from a pump outlet

 

[SquirrellCook]

I'm going to have to T off the pipe I'm fitting for the second eberspacher.