Fuel Tank Drain Question

[Mark]

Having experienced the joy of being soaked in a few litres of 89 Octane during a routine filter change a few years back on my '76 Transporter, I've often thought, "There has to be a better way to do this!"
The old hose broke in my hand less than 1/2" from the hard line, so between fumbling for something to plug the line I had fuel running down my arm to my armpit, back, and shoulders..yay.
Fast forward to today, where I have the fuel tank removed for our '74 Westy for some R&R.
Since I'm in that neighborhood, I'd like to replace the drain tube from the tank with a isolation valve of some sort.
I figure this would make fuel filter and/or fuel line maintenance a bit easier (safer) without having to resort to clamps, golf tees, what have you.
As an added bonus, it could act as a anti-theft measure, (thief gets in & drives off, but doesn't get very far.)
Has anyone come up with something along these lines (lines, fuel lines...ah, ha-ha...yeah) and if so, what did you use?
I'm thinking lo-tech here, no solenoid shut-off isolation, flux capacitor rigs, just a simple flow/no-flow plumbing setup.

[RSorak 71Westy]

I just replaced the fuel line in my bus so I could install and old fashioned glass bowl type fuel filter, as I was tired of the paper ones getting clogged up at the most inopportune times...And have since realized that I too need plumb in a valve to shut off the fuel before I can remove the bowl w/o having a free flowing leak. When I solve this I'll let ya know what I came up with.

[bretski]

Since you have everything out, it should be easy enough to add a petcock valve to the hard line coming from the tank.

Myself, I use these. No more gasoline showers, and they don't damage fuel lines:

http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=263

[IFBwax]

Since you have everything out, it should be easy enough to add a petcock valve to the hard line coming from the tank.

Myself, I use these. No more gasoline showers, and they don't damage fuel lines:

http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=263

yep.. I use those too.. they work great. Plus, depending on where you were working you'd still have enough gas already in the lines to get you pretty soaked even with the closed valve... plus there's a lot of gas that gets hung up in the pump too.

Use the clamps and isolate the place you're working on.

[Mark]

That is a good idea. It wouldn't have helped me for the '76 job, as the hose was so rotted it broke off without enough hose to get a clamp on (ie. almost right at the hardline.) This wouldn't have been so bad even, had the tank not been 3/4 full.
I may just clean up the existing line & connector & re-install, although I think this is a mod worth considering.

[Amskeptic]

That is a good idea.

Mark, when working with unknown fuel hoses, like I seem to, have yourself a short section of hose with a fuel-clamped-bolt stuck in the end of it and an additional fuel hose clamp on the hose ready to tighten. Rip the old hose off and immediately stick a finger over the end of the tank outlet. Get your bearings, take a breath, position the short hose with your other hand, and do a quick swap. Now you can work with getting everything nice and your last step will be to pull the short piece off and swap on the fresh new hose.
Colin

[Mark]

Thanks Colin, that's some very sound advice!
I'm no big fan of the cloth-braided hoses for fuel lines, regardless of what was used originally from the factory.
In my case, I had no visual indication as to how deteriorated the hose was, resulting in a near disaster when the line was "gently" twisted.
Just another case to prove how critical it is to inspect often neglected fuel lines, epecially with a vehicle of having an unknown maintenance history.