My truck is a 1989 F250 7.3 Non turbo, ZF5, 4x4 regular cab, Long bed. I need to replace my front fuel tank due to rust. About 2 months I also had it quit running at 1/4 tank of fuel. I assume the screen has fallen off like many others have had happen. I am wanting to replace my tank, filler tube and fix the screen. Any suggestions or help would be great.

My questions..
Is the diesel tank different from a gasser? Like the whole size for the sending unit?
Will a filler neck from a newer truck work? I'm tired of having to find the smaller diesel nozzle when I go to fill up. I got some larger ones from newer truck out of the scrap yard. Do I need a newer style tank to use them?
I see many suggestions on getting rid of the screen on the pick up tube, but what is best? Repair or replace?
What is the best brand of fuel tanks?

Side note, my rear tank has been removed. Any suggestions on replacing it will be help full. Looks like all the fuel lines are still there so I will have to find a way to test the selector valve.

Thank you for any help, ideas or guidance. I have seen that Rockauto.com has tanks but I just want to make sure I get the right stuff from the start. I want to avoid unneeded down time.

 

Spectra tanks have a good reputation, and are usu. found quite cheap, free shipping, on Amazon. You can also find the replacement pick-up strainer (aka showerhead) on Amazon.

Not sure about the bricknose, but with the slantnose and OBS trucks, the rear tank on 4x4 trucks is actually supported by the skid plates. Presumably it's the same on a 1989. Do you still have the old skid plates in place? If not, you'll need to find some. Do you have the pick-up / sending unit assembly for the rear tank? That can get expensive.

 

I may still have the old pick up for the rear tank. I'll have to look around. I know the scrap yard has a few IDI's in it. I may also have the skid plate still. I can't remember if it's off this truck or the 92 that has a 7.5L in it. When I bought the truck the rear tank was in the bed along with a 2 piece rear skid plate. I bought 2 trucks for one price and both had parts in the beds. I know both trucks had a skid plate for the front tank.

 

Bump, Anyone else have sugestions?

 

The skid plate for the front tank is a separate part. Heavy, unwieldy thing, but the tank stays in place when you remove it. The two skid plates you found in the bed for the rear tank are the actual tank supports.

As for the filler neck, there's probably a way to cut out that restrictor so you can put in a big-rig nozzle. Even the later necks are restricted, but there are mods for them. Does your year of truck have the threaded cap or the bayonet-style?

 

If you search this forum you'll find two schools of thought on the gasser VS diesel fuel tanks. One side says the galvanized coating inside will come off a gasser tank if used for holding diesel. The other says that newer fuel tanks do not have this coating and so there's no issue. (There may even be a third school that says the coating won't be affected by diesel, but I'm not remembering 100%)

Apparently the dimensions are the same since it has been done. I know some have used gasser sending units (sans in tank fuel pump) in their diesel tanks with only modifying the wiring.

LMC sells a 38 gallon rear tank (gasser) that some seem to like.

After all the back and forth is said and done I have not seen anyone that's run a gasser tank for diesel actually report any problems. FWIW.

 

Spectra does not make different tanks for diesel and gaso, for a given year and size.

 

I've been running a 38 gallon tanks for two years now, I just had one open, because the sending unit quit, it looks the same as it did when I put it in there. Also I've put the rear tank out of my 88 diesel into my 95 gasser

 

Madpogue: my fuel caps are threaded.

Thank you guys for the help. I hope this is an easy job. One tank strap looks fairly new. I'll order the other one when I get the tank. Not really looking forward to doing this. Mainly due to no spare time. I guess that's how it goes.

 

I've only seen the straps sold as a set of both for a given tank, never singly. I've done two front tanks, and in both cases, straps that "look good" turned out to be pretty rotten when I pulled them down.

 

I just replaced my rear one with a Spectra F1G. I thought about going with the larger tank but my tailpipe was in the way, I didn't want to mess with moving it, and if I want that much extra range, I'll just bring along extra jerry cans.

I primed and painted the tank to prevent rust as long as possible.
I re-used the sender and evaporator because they looked in good shape and were functional prior to the tank removal (leak at seam).
I bought the bottom straps and will strap it on both sides and then install a bushing on the new bolt holding the tank in place and then re-install the skid plate so there is some air between the bottom strap and plate. I had lots of junk accumulated between the plate and bottom of the tank and there were a few places on the bottom of the tank where I could push in and feel it get ready to puncture. I bought my tank from Rock Auto.

I have to replace the plate tomorrow morning and I'll let you know how it turns out. It wasn't a bad job; just getting the 2 fuel connectors and their plastic securing tab took a little time.

 

mu2bdriver: Thank you for the info. I hope this goes well. I plan on ordering parts next week. All the help that's been posted has been great. If I don't have the sending unit should I go new or look for used at the scrap yard?

 

I think new Motorcraft sending units are about $150. I don't know any aftermarket places who make them. The problem with a junk yard part is you don't know the history on it. The only reason I used my old one was that I knew the history on it. If I were you, 5 years from now, I wouldn't remember $150 spent on a new part.

Thinking more about it, you'll also need two new fuel line clip retainers. They hold the two lines in place to the sender. Mine were still good and I reused them and backed them up with a zip tie holding them in tight.

Upper straps are also pricey. Lower straps (ST16, I think) were cheap and beefy. I had stainless 3" 3/8 bolts, washers, and hardware on hand and used that in place of the rusted out bolts and nuts.

With the tank out, take a moment to wire wheel the inner frame rails and inner part of the trailer hitch where all the crap gets caught up and touch up as necessary.

 

New sending units for the diesel front tank are not avail. The rears are avail. from LMC. I used the gas one for the front, common mod. I just did this. You need the pigtail repair harness (for the gas). I got the Spectra gas from RockAuto. 87 F250 5.0. Got a new shower head. Cut the pickup tube midway off the old sender and spliced it on the new. You can access the sender with out removing the tank (side only) but once you get it empty you don't even need a jack. After 25+ years those lock rings on the sender can get stuck.

 

That's exactly what I did. That stoopid setup with the skid plates is why the tank rusts out. I went with studs and 1" spacers. Upper straps usually don't need replacing.