Hows it goin, haven't posted in awhile, but I got a problem. I was having some fuel delivery issues with my 59 f100..292 yblock..I traced the problem down to the pickup tube inside of the tank, Ive removed the tank and can't see any way of clearing whatever may be clogging the line..Am I doomed to having to replace the whole tank, or is there a way to clear these suckers? Ive heard rumors of a "sock" somewhere around the end of the tube??? Is this inside of the tube? does anyone have a picture of what the end of the tube might look like? I can see the end, but can't figure out what the heck is going on. You figure you'd just be able to stick a piece of copper wire down there and clear it, but ya can't..
Thanks for any help.

 

There's an inverted wire mesh cone inside the tank sometimes of very fine screen to act as a filter.

Often this thing collects dirt and crud, then rusts up. If you use an inline filter, you really don't need it.

I'd remove the tank and the bottom fuel line that connects to it then ream that thing out and get rid of it. I drilled mine out and flipped the tank upside down to draw out the pieces with a magnet.

 

Hey, thanks for the response. The fuel line comes in from the top, and I
can't get to the bottom of it to drill it out, well, not without
cutting the tank open.

 

Have you tried blowing backwards through the line with LOW pressure air (no more than 5 psig)? Be sure the filler cap is off if you try this, so it doesn't build pressure in the tank. It won't get the junk out of the tank, but it should clear the screen, if there is one. (on the other hand, it may blow the screen off the pickup)

 

Will it blow out with compressed air?

 

Yeah, I tried blowing it out, both by mouth(and a clean tube attached to the line) and by air compressor, to no avail. The thing is plugged tight, with an air compressor on it, you could barely see some tiny bubbles escaping, before the final evaporation of the remaining fuel.
Also tried a copper wire down the pickup, I can get to about an inch from the bottom before it hits "something"?? That "something" is something I'd like to get out of there, if you know what I mean.
The tanks in good shape, and I'd like to use it.
I can't figure why they would build something that couldn't be serviced in one way or another in case of a simple clog.

 

Since I don't know what the tank looks like I'm guessing. First thought old tank, rust sucked up and blocking fuel line. Second remove sender and look at the condition of tank inside. Can you push a coat hanger thru the pickup tube? If this works remove obstruction thru sending unit hole. If the tank is full of junk consider having a tank shop replace the pickup tube and you or the shop rust treat the inside. Always compare cost vs new OEM tank or consider tank behind the rear axle. chuck

 

My grandpa has a 55 ford country sedan with crap in the bottom and ford used a mesh almost like screenfilter. It was clogged up but was not eaten up by the gas. He had to cut a hole in the bottom of the tank to get it out. I was not too hard. He just had to be sure and get it sealed up when he was done. It solved his problem.

 

An alternative might be to add a new suction line to the fuel gauge sender, since it is removable. You'd have to use a bulkhead fitting at the sender and run tubing thru that.

 

Thats a good idea, I had thought of another way to get a line in, I actually just dropped a rubber fuel line into the tank to get it goin, but was worried about the rubber deteriorating inside the tank. I never thought of going through the actual sender itself. I could probably braze a brass tube in, or just use a grommet. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

 

If it's plugged that tight, my guess is that it's full of varnish. Try pouring a couple tablespoons of laquer thinner down the tube and let it sit for a day or two. Then try blowing it out. Laquer thinner will eat up fuel varnish like nothing I've ever seen.

 

There's no 'sock' type filter with an in-cab tank, because there's no pickup tube on the sending unit.

This type of filter (D1AZ9A011A-plastic meshed filter screen) slid over the end of the fuel sending unit's pickup tube: 1961/79 passenger cars and 1967/79 F100/350's with auxillary fuel tanks.