MTFCA Forum

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A guy in our "T" club just picked up a 1931 Essex (thus, the tie in to the "T"), I also have a '31 Essex that's been sitting in the back of my building for "some day". He got my interest going on the thing and thought I'd start out figuring what my vacuum tank is missing. I don't know the manufacturer, but there is no place for the usual mechanism the Stewart tanks have to be mounted. Anyone recognize this tank and know what is needed to get this going? Looks like I need the inner tank also.

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Here's a pic of what's under the lid.

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Try the tank again....

While nether of my books cover specific pumps used, the Motor's Handbook of Specifications Interchangeable Parts Service Instructions that covers 1925 to 1933 shows that pump. It is a Stewart-Warner Leverless Vacuum Tank.
When float is down, float stem holds valve to intake manifold open and air valve to supply chamber closed so that suction from intake manifold reduces pressure in vacuum chamber and closes flapper valve thus drawing fuel from the rear supply tank. When vacuum chamber fills, the float rises and the float stem closes valve to intake manifold and opens air valve to supply chamber, giving atmospheric pressure to vacuum chamber. Fuel then flows through flapper valve until float again sinks. When carburetor float valve is closed, vacuum tank float remains up and no fuel is drawn into the tank. Shut-off valve at bottom of tank closes when the filter bowl is removed.
If my scanner was working I would post a photo. I will try later with camera if no one else post one.
https://forum.hetclub.org/discussion/10 ... m-canister

Thanks for the info Mark. Does it have the inner tank? I tried to find info online for the leverless system after your post, but couldn't come up with anything. It would be great if you could post a pic.

Ohhhh memories ! I had a 28 Essex coupe, purchased in 1955 for $10. I had a number of people work on the vacuum tank and could never get it to work. It would work for a while and then put, put put. It would stop working. An old local mechanic finally put an electric fuel pump on it. I still loved that old Essex though. Good luck ! Hope you get it to work.
Gordon Clayton gclaytonsr@yahoo.com

Yes there is an inner tank. A good working vacuum pump should work fine, but I would suggest getting one that is a little more serviceable. That one looks to be a sealed unit which back in the day might have been ok. If not a Stewart, more common type, electric fuel pump with a regulator would be my next choice. Hope these photos of the diagram work ok for viewing. If too small just hold down the Ctrl key and click the + key to enlarge. (hold down the Ctrl and click the 0 key to return to normal size, not the O'h key)

While this is really "off topic" - before it can be moved I can help make it "on topic"

I am rebuilding a New Zealand locally made roadster at the moment (slowly I might add) known as a "Colonial Roadster". A common feature of these roadsters is the use of a vacuum tank for fuel delivery. The fuel tanks are usually moved further to the rear so the seats can be lowered by 3 - 4 inches, and as we have lots of steep hills, getting fuel up front could be a problem.

I am planning on fitting a Stewart tank to my car, but I think I may install a 6v low pressure fuel pump inside the vacuum tank or in line to supply the tank as I am not sure that the the work making the many gaskets and joints to seal and then to stay sealed would result in a reliable pump, especially given the car is not used daily.

Thanks for the diagram Mark..... that explains a bunch. Not the usual vacuum tank set up. I appreciate the help.

Early Rolls Royces had a similar setup to get fuel from the gas tank (which was down low behind the rear axle) all the way to the front where the carb was above the level of the top of the fueltank, they called it the 'Autovac'.