Duct tape in fuel tank

Hi Everyone,

Whilst refuelling from a jerry can yesterday I made a makeshift funnel from a plastic bottle and (stupidly) 'secured' it to the body using a small piece of duct tape to be able to lift the jerry can with both hands.

Long story short, the piece of duct tape dissolved with the diesel and went down into the fuel tank. It's only a small piece - about the size of two postage stamps (or approx. 2x2 inches)

I'm what you'd call a beginner when it comes to defenders - I've only had it around a month (1988 110 3 door 2.5n/a) and have neither a workshop/ garage nor all the correct tools. Should I be looking to drop the fuel tank and clean it out or do you think I might be able to get away with leaving it and hoping that the fuel filter does it's job and that the remaining plastic doesn't clog the pipe?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Phin

That is one of those if, but, perhaps, perhaps not questions. It could float about in the tank for ages with no problem or it may stick to the end of the pick up pipe.
Put a bit of the tape you used in diesel and see if it dissolves. If yours is a side tank it is easy enough to remove the fuel sender and have a look in the tank.

Hi Phin and welcome to the forum.

There there should be a filter in the tank to stop any large particles entering the fuel line. Mine is a fine mesh drum (1997 300tdi) on the sender unit. It's unlikely that tape would be able to completely block that. It certainly couldn't enter the fuel line.

My worry would be that tape dissolves and contaminates the fuel. I'd be tempted to put a similar piece of tape into a jar of diesel and see what happens.

You never know, the chemicals released from the tape might increase engine power, then you could put an advert in car magazines, just put this square piece of secret material in your tank and it will feel like you’ve added a supercharger.
As used on Spitfires on the Eastern Front in WW2

Takes very little to block the pick up pipe, paper of choice used to be toilet paper or newspaper, both torn into little bits.

Phin, really your best best is to drain and drop the tank, it's easy to do and only a few bolts, f&r lines and fuel filler hoses; about an hours work. The flow of the diesel may bring the tank tape to the drain hole but you need to make sure there's no tank tape gauze still in the tank; to do this remove the sender unit to inspect inside the tank [you'll a new sender seal when re-fitting].

Re' chemicals in tape, these are primarily adhesives but diesel is very good at dissolving most of these and you probably wouldn't want the adhesive chemicals clogging up/lining the fuel pump and injectors. So a couple of hours good work and job done. Good luck

eta: tank removal also gives you a good opportunity to inspect tank inner for rust