well got a not so plesent suprise yesterday when I went to fill up my new to me truck for the first time. I knew the front tank leaked a bit so i planned on just not using it, filled up the rear and gas just started to pour out of it. thabkfully there was an auto parts store next door so i got an oil pan and put it under, and after a couple hours of wating cought about a gallon of gas. I put 13 gallons in what i assume was a dry tank, so im guessing itll hold 11 without leaking. the front has a slow leak that just wets the front with gas and dosent drip, although i havent filled it full yet. also it seems like the gas gauge dosent work for either tank, keep getting weard readings and it goes up and down suddenly.

This is pretty frustratjng as the guy who sold it told me both tanks were good. anyway moving forward what are my options? I see that tanks arent all that expensive, but sending units and fuel pumps are more than I was expecting. is the fuel gauge not working on either tank likely to do with the sending units or something else?

Im assuming i might have trouble re-using the caps for the fuel sending unit and the fuel pump, so I might have to get those even if the units themselves are good. Im also a bit confused also because rockauto lists a midship tank and also a side mount tank. looking at $300 per tank makes me think I should possibly look at other options like patching the tanks or just filling part way.

what do you guys think? the total cost here is getting close to what i paid for the truck. I have been seriously considering getting a truck to restore and just limping this one along to use while im doing that, not sure if i want to put anything into it really.

 

Well for $300 you couldn't have expected a perfect truck, but not cool that the PO lied to you. Your cheapest option is going to the local Pick N Pull and searching for a couple of tanks. You'll probably still need to buy new straps or hangers as they tend to rust out and break when you remove the old tank. They do make a few products you pour in the tank and it seals them. There's always JB Weld for a quick fix while you find a better solution. Definitely something you want to fix.

 

thanks,.i didnt think about a used tank nut thats a good idea, there are allot of f series trucks at my local u pull

 

Most yards, the first thing they do is puncture tanks & drain gas.

 

Fuel tanks and pumps are not something I would buy used. Too much trouble to have to do it all over if the used stuff doesn't work out. Just my opinion. I would buy the best quality new parts I could get. Do a search on fuel pumps on this site. I know there are some brands to stay away from. Do one pump and tank at a time if you can't do both at the same time.

 

yeah that would be a problem, but it looks like this place dosent because they list the prices of fuel tanks.

yeah i know i should probably get all new stuff, but if i could find good used ones, mabey sand them down and coat them to prevent future rust, man its only like $20 for fuel tank and sending unit at the junkyard. hard to justify paying $280 more.

also was wondering if i might be able to patch the front tank. seems like the leak is coming from under the tank strap and would be accessable without taking the tank off. mabey a scraper, wire brusg (handheld not power ofcourse) and then some steel mesh with jb weld?