Replacing K20 fuel tank

[Old Guy Bill]

I had new tanks & straps, even with no cab or bed it still took a ratchet strap to get everything lined up and the bolts started.

 

[Broken85]

If you try to replace this valve, just learn from my mistakes; I decided to replace the Pollak valve when I had the tanks down and I was installing intank pumps. I purchased this valve new from Autozone, and it was junk. It was nonfunctional out of the box.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/Carquest%20PremiumFuel%20Tank%20Selector%20ValveFSC1007/12561254-p?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_term=TRNSCT&utm_campaign=20250214_A_TX_ET_ORDCON&utm_content=ITEM

The seal was blown and it squealed like crazy on the left tank. Pretty sure that meant the left tank was bleeding into the right tank and eventually I would have had fuel coming out of the fill spout.

Replaced it a second time (this time without removing the tank) with this one and had no issues so far. All these Pollak valves look the same, but I don’t know what quality control goes into them or if they are all made by the same factory.

ACDelco U7000 Professional Fuel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013FY5KW/

Have I mentioned how much I like doing the same job twice just because someone is selling garbage???

 

[AuroraGirl]

If you try to replace this valve, just learn from my mistakes; I decided to replace the Pollak valve when I had the tanks down and I was installing intank pumps. I purchased this valve new from Autozone, and it was junk. It was nonfunctional out of the box.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/Carquest%20PremiumFuel%20Tank%20Selector%20ValveFSC1007/12561254-p?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_term=TRNSCT&utm_campaign=20250214_A_TX_ET_ORDCON&utm_content=ITEM

The seal was blown and it squealed like crazy on the left tank. Pretty sure that meant the left tank was bleeding into the right tank and eventually I would have had fuel coming out of the fill spout.

Replaced it a second time (this time without removing the tank) with this one and had no issues so far. All these Pollak valves look the same, but I don’t know what quality control goes into them or if they are all made by the same factory.

ACDelco U7000 Professional Fuel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013FY5KW/

Have I mentioned how much I like doing the same job twice just because someone is selling garbage???

ford ones are grey, oddly, but electrically the same

 

[edgephoto]

I want to say the aftermarket switching valves require rewiring.

Whatever you do don't waste your money on the LMC Truck "fuel tank anti-squeak" kit. It is just scraps of roofing felt. What a rip off and a poor choice of material. I threw the two I bought in the garbage. I found some 2" wide x 1/32" rubber with adhesive on one side on Amazon. The stuff works great. You need 3 rolls to do two tanks. Works out about the same as the tar paper scraps from LMC.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I want to say the aftermarket switching valves require rewiring.

Whatever you do don't waste your money on the LMC Truck "fuel tank anti-squeak" kit. It is just scraps of roofing felt. What a rip off and a poor choice of material. I threw the two I bought in the garbage. I found some 2" wide x 1/32" rubber with adhesive on one side on Amazon. The stuff works great. You need 3 rolls to do two tanks. Works out about the same as the tar paper scraps from LMC.

other people here have used an old bicycle or just a general tire tube and stuck her in there

 

[edgephoto]

other people here have used an old bicycle or just a general tire tube and stuck her in there

I did not have an inner tube available to cut up. Bike tube would work well as it is thin. A car or truck tube would make getting the straps started tougher.

One of mine was a real pain in the butt. I had to use a ratchet strap and really crank on it to get the nut started. I tightened it down, took the nut back off so I could put a washer on it. The other three straps went smooth.