Author Topic: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.  (Read 927 times)

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cleandan

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Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« on: October 10, 2022, 07:50:57 AM »
My daily driver truck is a 1990 F-250, 2WD, standard cab, 8' box, 7.3L IDI diesel. It has a mid-ship 18 gallon tank and an aft of the rear axle 18 gallon tank.

The rear fuel tank rusted under one of the tank straps to the point of leaking due to a small rock getting lodged in there and wearing things away......DANG IT!

I have been looking at options and it appears my best bet will be to replace the tank rather than repair this tank. This one could be repaired but I don't know if it is the best option.

Anyway, I am asking about your experiences and thoughts for tank replacements, along with the other associated items for the job.

In my searching so far it seems SPECTRE is the only maker of aftermarket tanks at this time.
I have had pretty lousy results with SPECTRE offerings in the past and would like to seek other options if they exist.
The tanks they offer describe the exterior finish as "paint" rather than being galvanized.
The "galvanized" tanks I have used from SPECTRE were all marred up from the forming process which pretty much negated any usefulness in the galvanization.
I also see some poly tanks being offered but I don't have experience with those in a truck.

Another option is the tank size.
I am thinking about installing the big 38 gallon rear tank but wonder if there are hidden issues for installing something so much bigger than the factory planned tank.
I already keep the spare tire in the bed and I do have a class IV receiver hitch...but it does not appear like that would get in the way.

If you have good references for proper sending units, tank rings and seals, filler hose, tank straps and any insights on the use of the 38 gallon tank over the factory 18 I would like to hear what you have to say.

I have already looked at Rock Auto and Summit, as well as the local auto parts stores who all offer the same exact stuff.
I talked with our local Gas-Tank-Renu also. Still waiting for his reply.

Thanks and have a great day.

MRadke

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2022, 02:07:13 PM »
I don't know if this is relevant, but both my 98 ram truck and 2000 Grand Cherokee came with poly tanks and both survived longer than their steel tank bands, or in the case of the jeep, the belly pan.  In both cases, the tanks were held up with ratchet straps until a correct repair could be done. 

thatdarncat

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2022, 04:11:20 PM »
Many years ago I replaced the fuel tank on my ‘78 Bronco, it was leaking from rust under the straps. I bought a stock size replacement through an advertisement in one of the Auto Shopper type magazines because it was relatively inexpensive. I don’t remember what the company was called, or where it came from, but basically no issues with it. The only thing different was it had an extra hole in the top for probably some type of emissions vent that my original tank didn’t have, we just plugged that. My tank came bare steel, I painted it before we installed it. The replacement lasted quite a few years, until I quit driving the Bronco. I just reused the stock sending unit, with a new o-ring from Ford.

I have had a few original fuel tanks done through the local Gas Tank Renu in Shakopee MN, they’ve done a great job for me. They were recommended by my friend that works at a professional repair shop, they’ve used them quite a few times. Gas Tank Renu did the tanks for my ‘66 Country Squire & ‘72 Gran Torino wagon, both tanks that no one made aftermarket replacements for. Both of those tanks had small leaks that I pointed out to Gas Tank Renu, and they repaired those before coating. I had Gas Tank Renu also do the tank for my ‘67 Cougar. Even though you can easily get a new tank for the Cougar/Mustang I still had them clean & coat my original tank. It was rust free since the car came from Arizona, but had some extremely nasty vintage gas inside, and needed the thorough cleaning anyway. I reused the stock sending units in the wagon tanks, with new Ford o-rings, since they were working fine. My ‘69 T-Bird also has a tank the previous owner had cleaned & coated by Gas Tank Renu, no issues with that one either. The typical Gas Tank Renu process does coat the tank inside and outside, so just be aware the outside of the tank will come back with a black coating, and no longer have the original look. I’ve also had Gas Tank Renu do a motorcycle gas tank for me. On that one it had nice paint, but the inside was rusty & nasty. To save the original paint on that one they just did a process to clean the inside of the tank, and coated the inside with a different type of coating.

Just for informational purposes, last I checked you could still get new fuel sender o-rings from Ford for our ‘60’s & ‘70’s vehicles, most everything used the same o-ring for many years. It is a square cut o-ring. Ford part number is C0AF-9276-A. I’ve seen reports of people that have used the o-rings that come with aftermarket replacement fuel sending units having leak issues, often they can be fixed with just using the original Ford o-ring. A lot of the aftermarket replacement o-rings tend to be a round o-ring instead of the correct square cut. Your 1990 pickup probably uses a different o-ring, but it could very well still be available new from Ford, that would be where I would check first.



« Last Edit: October 10, 2022, 04:17:58 PM by thatdarncat »
Kevin Rolph

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Rory428

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2022, 08:11:08 PM »
I have not needed to replace a gas tank on any of my "normal" vehicles, but I did buy a new gas tank from Auto City Classic in Minnesota for my 59. Being Canadian, I was kinda surprised to see that my new tank was a Spectre brand, made in Canada, that I bought from a US source. But I have had the new tank about 6 years, and have been driving the 59 for 2 1/2 years, and have zero complaints about the gas tank. The outside of the tank still looks brand new, has no leaks, fits pretty well, although I did need to tweak the filler neck a bit to center it inside the gas door opening. It is my understanding that Spectre is a OE supplier of components for some major automakers, including Ford Motor Company, so I have to think that their QC must be pretty decent.
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1974 F350 race car hauler 390 NP435 4 speed
1959 Ford Meteor 2 dr sedan. 428 Cobra Jet, 4 speed Toploader. 12.54@ 108 MPH

BattlestarGalactic

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2022, 08:03:28 PM »
I just put a midship tank in my 95 f150 long bed 2wd.  It got some rust under the plastic front guard and caused rust.  I had just had it down last summer for a pump.  It wasn't in bad shape, but time took its toll.  Its the long tank(for a long bed).  19 gal?

I bought it from local Federated auto parts.  Chinese tank, no name.  Pretty inexpensive but looks right and fit well.  Since my truck is pretty clean underneath it came back out easily.  Few hours and I was back in shape.  I had siphoned it dry a few weeks earlier so it wasn't hard to handle.

I priced a few places but local meant no shipping and no chance of damage to deal with.  I will pay a local place a few more dollars just to help support local stores.  I want them to be around come the day I need something quickly. 

I replaced the rear pump last summer also.  It too came loose easily and didn't need new hardware or straps.
Larry

cammerfe

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2022, 10:59:15 PM »
Some years ago, I decided to replace the tank in my '63 Effie ICB. The factory tank was set "on edge" behind the seat and, therefore, in the cab. I put Holley fuel injection on the engine at the same time, and ran new hose from front to back.
I put a 25 gallon cell in the bed, centered on the back window. It took me about as long to run the new SS braid from the cell to the injection and the return back to the cell as it did to do all the rest of the work. None of the effort was particularly complicated.                                                                                            I had absolutely no difficulty from then on. The engine was a '64 PI with a few 'goodies' installed along with a Top-Loader. I made a container for the electric pump and the filter from a suitably-sized Tupperware box with a 'push-it-on' lid. It kept the electrical components protected from the weather.
The fuel cell made for a somewhat compromised bed space, but I loaded an entire independent front suspension 'clip' into the back of the bed and carried it around for several weeks as I was getting set to use it to replace the leaf springs and axle that came from the factory. It was at a handy height to work on as I made the necessary changes/improvements before bolting it in.

KS

winr1

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2022, 08:10:38 PM »
Any have experience or knowledge of steel verses plastic under stress such as an accident ??

I am going to put a 22 gallon Mustang tank in the rear of my 65 F100

It will have plenty of room between the rear end and the bumper and the ground

Forgive my hi-jack please


Ricky.

cammerfe

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2022, 10:29:04 PM »
The cell I referenced above was 'plastic' and after installation was exposed to the weather for years with no observable deterioration. Although it was reasonably 'stiff,' one could flex the flat sides a bit. That much flex would have resulted in damage if done to a sheet steel construct.

Race-type fuel cells are made from thicker steel plate and have a bladder lining that is resistant to tearing and puncture. They're also several times as expensive as the plastic articles.

KS

BattlestarGalactic

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Re: Truck fuel tank replacement options and your experiences.
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2022, 12:10:46 PM »
Any have experience or knowledge of steel verses plastic under stress such as an accident ??

I am going to put a 22 gallon Mustang tank in the rear of my 65 F100

It will have plenty of room between the rear end and the bumper and the ground

Forgive my hi-jack please


Ricky.

Considering that mustang tank was the trunk floor, the fact it will be mounted between two much more substantial frame rails, I don't see a problem.  It seems to be a very popular conversion.
Larry