).
Fuel Tank
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Mills River, NC
Fuel Tank
How many of you have your original fuel tanks in your trucks??? Any problem with rust in the tank or anything like that?? My front tank in fairly new but the rear tank is oem. Should I get another tank with it being so old. I just bought the truck and don't want any fuel delivery problems (rust). Thanks for your opinions/advice!
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,223
Likes: 2
From: Billings Montana
I have the original tanks, sending units and fuel pumps in Hoss, and he's an 86. I haven't had any problems with the tanks yet and my gauges read *almost* accurate. My front tank reads about a 1/4 tank when it's actually 1/2 full but that's the only problem.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
No problems with the front tank, but the rear rusted on the outside, had to do a patch job, likely be having to do a full replacement on it eventually. As for rust on the inside, it is absolutely clean, the rust problem on the inside generally comes from sitting for a number of years with crappy gas in it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 0
My tanks are original in an 85 F150.. No problems exept the guages reading funny... Front gets to about 3/4 full goes to 1/4 for a minute, then goes back up and works fine... Back reads as if it uses gas 2X faster. When i'm half full, its on empty.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 24,418
Likes: 3
From: San Francisco, Ca.
Funny how gas gages run that way.
Before I started tapping on my gas gage, I was in the Sierras when I ran out of gas, with a 1/4 tank showing on the gage.
Decided to tap on the gage, when it dropped well past the empty mark. Crap.
Luckliy I had some Coleman camp fuel, so I dumped it in my fuel tank and made it to a gas ststion.
Before I started tapping on my gas gage, I was in the Sierras when I ran out of gas, with a 1/4 tank showing on the gage.
Decided to tap on the gage, when it dropped well past the empty mark. Crap.
Luckliy I had some Coleman camp fuel, so I dumped it in my fuel tank and made it to a gas ststion.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
My 1980 had both tanks last me fine up until i high centered the truck in a gravel pit and crushed the saddle tank. Come to find out the rear tank had a leak under one of the tank straps on the bottom. Since it's just a farm/town truck i just replaced the rear tank....but when i did install the new rear tank i took an old inner-tube from a bike tire and cut it out nice so that it fit snug between the tank and the strap...havent had any problems.
Just give the saddle tank straps a good look because i found that one of mine had corrosion near where it clips into the frame mount. It wouldn't have been long before it was going to break off. Also check the electronic fuel switch that is tucked up in the frame. When i took mine off and ran a direct like to the rear tank i found that the bottom was so rusted out it had just started to leak a little out of the bottom.
I guess a big part of it depends on where you live. Being that i'm in michigan the winters are real hard on the underbody, along with the dust control spray they put on the gravel roads.
Just give the saddle tank straps a good look because i found that one of mine had corrosion near where it clips into the frame mount. It wouldn't have been long before it was going to break off. Also check the electronic fuel switch that is tucked up in the frame. When i took mine off and ran a direct like to the rear tank i found that the bottom was so rusted out it had just started to leak a little out of the bottom.
I guess a big part of it depends on where you live. Being that i'm in michigan the winters are real hard on the underbody, along with the dust control spray they put on the gravel roads.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
Forgot to put in my post that the reason my rear tank rusted through at all was because the skid plates held the crap there, and it eventually rotted through a few pinholes. I got those patched with good ol' JB weld for now, and undercoated the entire bottom half of the tank. Working for now, about a year later. My dad's 84 did the same thing, skid plates held the garbage in, and it got real bad, but his 2wd he has now has no rust on the tanks at all.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Killeen, TX
I have the original tanks in my 84 F250 and the gauge works just fine. However, last year, the mechanical fuel pump went south. The pump started leaking fuel into the crank case. At first, when I pulled the dip stick and found all of that liquid on the stick, I thought that I had a blown head. Then, I realized that it was gasoline. I pulled the oil drain plug and boy did it drain. That 460 engine block will hold a lot of gas. I thought that it would never stop coming out. I caught at least five gallons not to mention what got away. I've never seen a fuel pump do that before. I guess that it was a good thing that it didn't explode when it was running prior to discovering the problem.
