GAS TANK REPLACEMENT

[p7387]

hey guys-

basic 1987 short fleet 2wd 305
typical gas tank located on drivers side looks pretty well rotted and will need to be replaced.

where is the best most economical place to buy a replacement tank? and assuming that everything associated with the tank will also be a rusted mess what will i want to purchase along with the tank so i have all that is needed for the project, gaskets, lines,straps,new sending unit etc?

also i am a novice but is this something that can reasonably be attempted alone on my back in the driveway or am i getting over my head?

thank you

[hotrod24]

It is a easy project i would try classic parts unless chris has them but basically, you will need gaskets, lines,straps,new sending unit

[Donut]

Call around to see what is local, IIRC Advance Auto was cheapest locally, but I went with a poly tank on mine.  Just about anybody can get you a tank for these trucks.
Straps for me were a given, bought them where I bought the tank.
Sending unit.  If it works and isn't all rusted out, I'd consider re-using it.  Plan on replacing it, but if you don't have to...

Check out this link, Captkaos has a how to in the tech pages http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=9294.0

[VileZambonie]

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

[zieg85]

I got mine at JC Whitney.  At the time they offered free shipping, right at $140

[p7387]

thanks guys-

my 87 has EFI does that matter when i choose the tank, i am assuming the fuel pump is in the tank. also i have searched for similar posts on the forum and most guys seem to recommend looking for OEM brackets, i will need them as mine are totally rusted, the only thing salvageable is the plastic cover so i will need everything new. a lot of people seem to mention "poly tanks" any advantage over basic metal?

thank you

[blazinzuk]

they dont rust

[Donut]

Like blazinzuk said they don't rust.  Do a "search", someone did a little writeup on the poly tanks, that's what sold me on mine.
The tech page I linked to was an EFI truck, I personally am not familiar with them.
I personally don't know of an aftermarket source for the tank brackets, I just cleaned mine up and put on a coat of paint.  The straps do bolt/rivet to the end of the bracket.

[aussie]

thanks guys-

my 87 has EFI does that matter when i choose the tank, i am assuming the fuel pump is in the tank. also i have searched for similar posts on the forum and most guys seem to recommend looking for OEM brackets, i will need them as mine are totally rusted, the only thing salvageable is the plastic cover so i will need everything new. a lot of people seem to mention "poly tanks" any advantage over basic metal?

thank you

efi tanks have a bowl/baffles  in the tank to prevent pump staving

[Dave Kay]

BEFORE YOU START ANYTHING---- disconnect your battery ground strap or just pull the battery out all together. There are electrical connections in the sender area and residual fuel is going to be coming out all over the place---- we don't want any sparks here!

I replaced my fuel tank a year ago and it's not so bad. But DO try to have all new parts on hand before you begin and you should be done within a days time. A helper would be nice but the job can be done alone. Used a hydraulic jack and length of plywood to lower/raise tank into place, adjustable jackstands would help here too. Would reccomend poly tank but beware--- not all polys' are made the same: some are cheap junk! Installed an MTS tank (http://www.mtscompany.com/chevy-gmc.htm) and so far no problems. Would advise you pay close attention to the replacement/install of the tank-sending unit--- you don't want leaks here! Reccomend buying a brand new sender 'cause you darn sure don't want to have problems with an old one and have to do the whole job over again. Also, buy ALL NEW fuel hose and clamps too! Again, you don't want problems later down the road.

Source tank mounting brackets from a local wreaking yard. One of mine was bent/rusted so bought a used one for $30 and used the old tank straps on both without any issues. Also be aware that there are some variations from different model/years for the tank mounting brackets. Bring your old one(s) along to get a perfect match. Use some kind of felt/rubber shielding between the tank itself and the mounting straps; metel-to-metel or metel-to-poly contact here will eventually cause holes/leaks due to vibration.

No matter if it's a new tank or used; it will have debris inside. Clean the replacement tank with lots of soapy water and flush with lots of clean water... let it dry in the sun for several hours or use a hair dryer SET ON LOW to evaporate any remaining moisture. Also would reccomend flushing out your steel fuel lines with lots of carb cleaner and blow them out w/compressed air if you have it.

After the install but BEFORE you fire the engine, fill the tank with five gallons and siphon a gallon or so of fuel through the lines up to the engine compartment. (not really sure if this can be done with an EFI system?) Because no matter how good you think you've cleaned the system, there will still be debris in the fuel. To Wit: I siphoned fuel into a bucket and funnel through a pure white coffee filter and was amazed at the amount of stuff that came out.

Good luck and get 'er dun!

[p7387]

thank you all and also dave for all the detailed pointers.

as i have also been researching here and outside of the forum i have also come across some additional details .....

it seems like OEM brackets are a better bet than aftermarket, i found that oem brackets from a dealer can run about $50 each and have NO blind nuts AND no attachment provision for the plastic tank cover. the brackets with the provision for the plastic tank cover are about twice as much (if you can find them) what is the opinion of you guys, is the tank cover really needed??

this is an east coast truck so everything is rusted and will need to be replaced including the entire fuel pump/sending unit assembly. i would like to go GM on the fuel pump but given the fact that this is likely to be an expensive job need to keep cost down so i was thinking aftermarket. any suggestions on a decent aftermarket pump name or are they alll about the same quality? i found one supplier in new hampshire who would sell me brackets(for no cover)/straps/tank with aftermarket pump&sending unit installed for about $300.

salvage yards here in new york rarely have such parts as the tank brackets for these older trucks. anybody know of a good salvage yard out west that has supplies of older truck parts?

thanks

[Dave Kay]

thank you all and also dave for all the detailed pointers.

as i have also been researching here and outside of the forum i have also come across some additional details .....

it seems like OEM brackets are a better bet than aftermarket, i found that oem brackets from a dealer can run about $50 each and have NO blind nuts AND no attachment provision for the plastic tank cover. the brackets with the provision for the plastic tank cover are about twice as much (if you can find them) what is the opinion of you guys, is the tank cover really needed??

this is an east coast truck so everything is rusted and will need to be replaced including the entire fuel pump/sending unit assembly. i would like to go GM on the fuel pump but given the fact that this is likely to be an expensive job need to keep cost down so i was thinking aftermarket. any suggestions on a decent aftermarket pump name or are they alll about the same quality? i found one supplier in new hampshire who would sell me brackets(for no cover)/straps/tank with aftermarket pump&sending unit installed for about $300.

salvage yards here in new york rarely have such parts as the tank brackets for these older trucks. anybody know of a good salvage yard out west that has supplies of older truck parts?

thanks

Hey now, that was informative about the aftermarket tank/mounts... no opinion on how critical the plastic cover re-install is. My '86 had one and since I used factory GM mounts, the nuts/bolts were all there, so I put it back on. On my '77 though, there was no plastic cover or mounting points at all, so I guess it's a toss-up. Wondering myself... anybody know about WHY GM put these plastic covers on the fuel tanks?

About the fuel pump/sending unit, you might check out AC-Delco's website and see what they cost... GM dealer would prolly sell you the very same item marked-up 25-35 percent at least. But if you end up going aftermarket, watch out for cheap Chinese stuff... in fact I would ask! My local NAPA dealer says he gets that question all the time, so don't be shy.

Salvage parts are all over the net, some are good and some are junk. But the thing is ya' gotta' have the spare time to hunt, hunt, hunt 'em down... have you tried craigslist or EBay? Bought a fair amount of stuff like that myself. You'll want to make darn sure the part(s) are without question--- for your application--- cause they usually won't accept any returns.

BTW: another thing I did was I ended up doing a hack-job on my steel fuel lines right there at the point where the rubber hoses go into the sender unit, across the frame-rail. I simply cut the steel lines back about a foot and used longer rubber hose to do the re-install of new tank. Reason is because the of the limited space involved, I figured it was easier trying to mate these lines to the sender for a secure fit... sorry, but sometimes I just go "shade tree" to make it work.

Good luck!

[Blake_H]

I'm prepping to put a new driver's side tank on my '87 4x4.  I was able to get a pump from my local ACDelco parts house for $59.99 with screen.