Gas Tank Leak

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maxtwms

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I planned on doing that except my tank was leaking and I didn't think I'd live through it. BUT, now that the tank is off I'm prob just going to saw that one off and replace it since you can't grab both sides.

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maxtwms

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By the way, I'm told that dip under the sender ring is for water to drain off. My gasket was worn enough I suppose that it was leaking past it and out the weep hole there.

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roundhouse

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Less than $100 for a new tank

I’d put a new tank and sender and hoses on if you’re gonna drop the old one

I’ve dropped em several times but can’t decide if it’s easier to unbolt the tank from the straps
Or unbolt the hanger from the frame
 

maxtwms

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Less than $100 for a new tank

I’d put a new tank and sender and hoses on if you’re gonna drop the old one

I’ve dropped em several times but can’t decide if it’s easier to unbolt the tank from the straps
Or unbolt the hanger from the frame
It was 8 bolts to drop it with the straps on. Incredibly easy. If I wasn't living with the inlaws and getting the stink eye by having a truck disassembled in the driveway I would have taken the straps off, sand blasted and painted it up all pretty. When the surface rust eventually eats a true hole in it, I'll replace. Just getting by so to speak at the moment. I'll admit, it wasn't a blast to remove but knowing the process now makes it less daunting.

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smoothandlow84

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I have had to drop both of my tanks several times. I support the frame with jack stands high enough to clear the height of the tank and remove the brackets from the frame, not the straps from the tank. Even with the truck being bagged and the frame touching the ground under normal circumstances, I have found this to be the easiest. The most troublesome part is draining fuel before dropping the tank. I have had to replace both fuel pumps, sock filters AND the fuel lines to the top of each tank. The p.o. never used the passenger side tank often enough and the fuel broke down causing crud to lodge into the fuel pump inlet (and also ingesting the sock filter as well). The winter blended fuel that is used here in Az sucks and it is horrible on fuel systems.
 

roundhouse

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I usually remove the sock filter and install a extra filter in the line before the pump

That’s a lot easier to change than the sock
 

smoothandlow84

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I usually remove the sock filter and install a extra filter in the line before the pump

That’s a lot easier to change than the sock


That's not a bad idea, but the sock filter protects the fuel pump inlet from debris lodging inside. The fine particles that float in fuel will deteriorate the pump over time. No matter where you get fuel, I dont trust their filtration and never get fuel when I see a tanker refilling the underground tanks since it stirs up the sediment in the holding tanks.
 

roundhouse

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If you have an in tank pump I would keep the sock

If you have an frame mounted pump or engine mounted mech pump
I prefer no sock and put a clear plastic filter between the tank and pump

If it’s a frame mounted efi pump I have a clear plastic filter before the pump and a efi filter after the pump

Tanks are cheap
You’d be surprised how much trash and rust and dirt is in an old tank

I converted a Toyota 4 runner from a V6 gasser Automatic to a turbo diesel five speed and wound up replacing the tank because the filter would get totally clogged in about five miles

When we got our K10 running we replaced the tank due to debris inside and then replaced it again when we did the LS swap

It’s a rust free Arizona truck but has sand everywhere including a ton of sand in the tank
 

78C10BigTen

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Less than $100 for a new tank

I’d put a new tank and sender and hoses on if you’re gonna drop the old one

I’ve dropped em several times but can’t decide if it’s easier to unbolt the tank from the straps
Or unbolt the hanger from the frame
I did my 78 unbolting hangers from frame. Wasnt bad till i found out the PO had miss aligned it all and just rammed bolts in. Plus trying to hook up short lines while the tank is on a jack was a bitch. Since then my filler hose hasnt been right.
 

maxtwms

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Still have an idle going in waves and I'm thinking it's time to replace the fuel pump. I can't really find one with conclusive positive reviews. Will any of them work as long as I have an in line filter? Carquest is $20 and the holleys and ebrocks are $100+

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maxtwms

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Mechanical btw

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smoothandlow84

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Mine is fuel injected...so I am out with suggestions...sorry
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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I picked up a Delphi at Autozone for $16.99, and it’s done just fine for 26 months/18,000 miles. Mine’s a two line, though. The three line pump is $18.99. Good reviews on Amazon. I know it happens, but I’ve only seen fuel pumps work or not work, not really anything in between. I’ve mostly replaced them as a measure of preventative maintenance, and I’ve seen a few electric ones just die on the spot. I think it’s a good thing to do a fuel system overhaul like you’re doing when something questionable is going on or a vehicle’s sat for a long time, but I’m not certain your idle issue is fuel related.

Maybe go through and check for vacuum leaks. You can do this visually, with a small can of ether sprayed on common leak sites to see if the idle speed changes, or you can pull lines off at the carb, get a 99 cent cigar, and blow through the lines backwards from the carb and watch for smoke to waft upwards. Places to check are the PCV valve (does it rattle when you shake it, indicating a good valve), carb base gasket with a can of ether sprayed around the bottom of the carb, power brake booster/check valve (possibly plugging off the line and seeing if idle quality improves but vacuum gauge more accurate meter for this), EGR valve stuck open (check for movement with a cold engine by pushing up on the plunger and making sure it moves freely; you could also remove and clean the carbon of the pintle and out of the ports in the manifold), check valved line coming off the manifold and going to HVAC mode control and the vacuum storage canister (those can crack), and the various other vacuum lines under there. Not sure what you have going on with emissions, though.

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Rusty Nail

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That’s how they did it back in the day. You’ll just have a smell of gas fumes hovering around your truck sometimes. The canister holds all that in. If it was me, I’d keep it.

I'm another "keep it" vote.

Dude, figure out how to pull the bed 100% off. Get some buddies, family, coworkers, church group, whatever it takes...you can thank me later but you don't gotta. It'll be better that way...

I have done it SOLO with a cherry picker. Hold on, i'll look for the pic.
 

Rusty Nail

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Whatever, my phone won't load the pics atm, but i'll find it eventually. I'm watching an eBay auction right now.

But if you search, you will find. It's NOT hard and you'll have a lot more fun if you take it all the way off a d the fixes will be better. Safe bet there will almost always be something else.
I something elsed my k5 for a YEAR AND A HALF. Non-stop ******* fixing. Pain. in. The. Ass. But, it eventually ended.


Mostly. ;)

Lookit this cool pic I found!
Just do it Nike. If you have rusted bolts, fix them. Don't shortcut man, it's not worth it. Trust me/us/them.

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