This may be a stupid question, but i just dont understand how these tanks can rust... Arent they plastic? I have been incredibly busy and have not been able to pull the tanks, this weekend, im painting the truck as well so it will have to be the next weekend or the following.

Im sorry for the ignorance, but it just seems so bizarre.

 

the factory tanks were metal is all cases i'm aware of, though there may have been some exceptions, and the plastic cover on them is deceiving. some aftermarket tanks are indeed plastic, and may be what you're seeing on your truck.
obviously, those that are steel are prone to rust.

 

Just shooting an idea out about what I do to all new tanks I put in.

I rub a scotch brite pad over the outside and then clean them well. After that cover all opening with tape and completely spray the outside of the tank with 3M undercoating, allow it to cure out, install fittings in tank then touch up around then and install. Years of trouble free service are acheived by doing this.

 

So did it re-fire OK once you got some fuel in it? This is my first oil burner and I gather running out is a no-no. Did you have to prime it somehow?

Thanks,
- Jeff

 

well jeff, running out of fuel is a big deal, especially if you have a stock setup. for the mechanical fuel pump to suck fuel all the way from the tank and have enough to fire up, it would require several cycles of fully charging your batteries, then cranking the engine (not more than 30 seconds at a time with a 5 minute rest) until the batteries are dead, and repeat. its one helluva process.
for those who installed an electric fuel pump in place of the lift pump, the system will be much easier to prime, and shouldn't take much cranking after waiting for the fuel to reach the IP.
in either case, the IP is lubricated by fuel, so running it dry is bad for it no matter what.

because of all this, in my gas/carb F250, i run the first tank empty before switching to the second tank (not advised on vehicles with in-tank pumps), but on the diesel i run the first tank until the gage runs out, which leaves me with 4 gallons in the tank, and switch over at that point. i've been doing it this way for 50k miles in this truck