My new to me truck had been running absolutely fine, them recently upon startup (regardless of how long shutoff) would catch a little air and idle up to around 1k for ten or so seconds and then smooth out.

Then I noticed it didn't have quite the power it should on the highway and would stumble just a hair at times.

This all pointed to a fuel supply issue, not an air intrusion issue..my first thought was maybe a pin hole in the sending unit, although rare I have seen it before, so I wanted to drop the tanks. Being that one is full and the other was around half I said the hell with it. The bed is all beat up and I have other plans for a bed so I cut access holes with my cordless DeWalt..

Now I know alot of people dislike this method, but I will be welding in a hinge and tabs to make proper covers so they're just not open and since I'll be going back in there to replace the sender boards and probably the shower heads it'll save me some pain.

I wanted to share this method to get you by if it's a daily driver, or just save the $30 all together if it's a farm/whatever truck.

Now, it's a we'll know fix that people extend the unit with a piece of 3/8"s hose like this



This is fine and all, but there is a problem here, pieces of the old showerhead if you don't clean the tank, or pieces of anything can get inside the unit and do this



This happen to me before after I extended my unit with just a piece of hose, this time it happened just without a showerhead period..

My solution uses something anyone probably has around, aluminum window screen, get you a piece about this big and an extra hose clamp.



Now make it form to a bowl like shape around the bottom of the hose and fasten it back to the line with the extra clamp, be sure not to over tighten the clamp as it will smoosh the line, if you get a big enough piece you could extend it all the way back to the metal tube and clamp to the whole thing if you wanted to.




It's nothing pretty but it'll get ya goin and keep ya goin until you can replace your whole unit or showerhead.

I'm going to order some gasser sending unit float assemblies and see how well they fit, if nothing else I can use just the circuit board and solder it over. Will probably install new showerheads as well at that time. But until then I'll be rolling and keeping all that junk out of my fuel lines. I got really lucky that if anything did get further in the system it must have made it through the filter because it purrs like a kitten now and didn't even catch air on the first start up! This is exactly why our filter heads have a bypass to the return side, so any abnormal air can be purged without having to touch anything or bleed it.

I believe the mechanical was pulling a vacuum on the supply side and that after shutoff it would suck the fuel back to the obstruction. Thankfully this was a rather simple fix thanks to my cordless angle grinder, best $120 I ever spent, that and the sawzall to go with it.

Bonus pics of the bed






If it were up to me every truck made would have removable access plates just like most cars do to access the fuel pumps....

 

I put a 4" x 4" access hole in the floor of my van to access the middle tank sender. Then I made a custom bent sheet metal plate with weather stripping foam to seal it up. It's just nice peace of mind to know I can access it without the hassle of dropping the tank, especially since my biofuel system blocks the tank mounting hardware. I'd have to remove a lot of stuff to drop the middle tank.

 

I didn't even think how handy that would be on a van where pulling the bed isn't even an option.

Personally on the trucks I've had hell getting the bed bolts loose, I almost always have to torch them out..

I'd love to see a pic of your access plates, maybe it'll give me an idea of something more proper if I end up sticking with a truck bed.

 

I opened my holley E pump last night and I have black plastic bits all the way up there under the hood. I can assume some bits are probably in the fuel filter now as well. One more thing to fix on this truck. Now to ponder how can I pull the bed in my sloped driveway? My bed is solid anchored as well for 5th wheel connect that I dont need with some big pieces of channel. I was thinking to remove those anyway but that may be as much work as dropping both tanks.

 

If you're 2wd id just drop the tanks, if your 4wd it's either way is just as much work because the 4wds have skid plates, luckily the Ford skid plates usually come off alright and there not all that heavy.

I had a rock get between my skid and front tank once before. Ran a self tapper in the hole, scratched the metal around it with 40 grit paper, and jb welded over the whole thing.

I ended up getting someone to start the bolts for me as that front skid is pretty long/awkward

If you're bullnose, the front unit is removable with the tank and bed in, bricknose is probably the same but there is a driveshaft shield in the way. It's tight but doable on my 85

 

Im 2WD. Front tank is probably half or less right now. Rear tank is full but I should be able to use my spanking new Facet pump for something productive.

 

An empty 35 or 55 gallon plastic drum is real handy to have around for draining tanks into. I lay them on their side with the open hole up and siphon tanks and it works really good.

Tank is light when it's empty.

 

Diesel fuel just eats plastic over time? Those black plastic bits are exactly what I am seeing and I guess they can stay in the tank if that is where they stay although that isnt the best result.

 

Yeah they'll be fine I would think as long as you get some kind of showerhead in there. If you plan on keeping the old sending units be sure to clean it up and check for pin holes. You can solder them shut if you find any. CLR and a scotchbrite pad works pretty well for cleaning them. Just go gentle as I believe oem they're coated with something like zinc to protect them.

 

the Diesel doesn't really eat the plastic.... they just get brittle and break up, chemical bonding is attacked......anhydrous pyrolysis is probably a better explanation, thermochemical breakdown without the real high temperatures.

I guess over time it would probably revert back into oil.