My first question. Fuel tank.

[acom01]

Hi, i have my 95 flareside since 2 weeks ago. As you know it has 2 fuel tanks, but the previous owner saids to me that he only used the rear one, so the front one has not been used for more than 3 years. In your opinion, can i fuel it and try to use it? Or should i take it off and clean it before any use of it?
Thanks..

 

[Truckin4life]

In my opinion i would take it off and clean it, you dont want to clog your filter up first fill...

Being it has been 3 years, i would take it off and clean it.
You might be able to get away with putting some heat or similiar product in the tank with your first fill up and keep watching the fuel filter.

The real question is why didn't ever use the front tank?
Bad fuel pump or something along those lines?

 

[radialarm]

The real question is why didn't ever use the front tank?
Bad fuel pump or something along those lines?

The front tank on '95 trucks is the largest. I'll bet the pump is out, and if you fill it up then you have a major undertaking to pump it out and remove it!
One way to test it would be to turn the motor off and switch tanks, then remove the gas cap and listen for the whine while someone turns the key to run. While you're at it smell inside the filler neck for a bad fuel smell. If it smells bad don't do the test above.

 

[LEB Ben]

I agree with these guys, clean out the tank, and there is something fishy about the PO not using the front tank. Either the selector switch isn't working properly, the pump is out or maybe the front tank was leaking...who knows. But I'd thoroughly inspect what's going on with that front tank..

 

[acom01]

I made the test with the engine off. When i turn the swith to the front tank and turn the key to on, i hear the pump. But the noise is different from the rear one. The rear one sounds louder. And the other strange thing is that when i swith to the fron, the fuel gauge goes far than full, but this may be a fault or sticked sendig unit i supose.
From under the truck i seems is everthing ok and conect (fuel lines, filler and cables) but i´ll better take it of and clean it.
Any special tip or recomendation to do this job?
Thanks a lot

 

[LEB Ben]

If you plan on trying to run from that tank without dropping it and cleaning it, I'd throw a bottle of Stabil in there. I swear by the stuff. Once I got a 73 Jeep with 5 year old gas in the tank running when I mixed in some Stabil, done it to a few Fords too....just have to slosh it around thoroughly.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

(old news-group style

acom01 wrote:
>I made the test with the engine off.

Cool!

A new guy that actually does what you tell 'im to do and he even gets
back and tells you about it!

>When i turn the swith to the front tank and turn the key to on,
>i hear the pump. But the noise is different from the rear one.
>The rear one sounds louder.

Prob'ly sounds different because it has no fuel surrounding it.
I figure you only really-know from that is, it runs and that's good.

>And the other strange thing is that when i switch to the front,
>the fuel gauge goes far than full, but this may be a fault or a
>stuck sending unit i suppose.

Well you need to pull the sending unit anyway then.
I used a shifting-fork from an air-cooled VW trans-axle to turn the ring.
Want me to take and post a picture?

On my Dent-Side ('75) I used large Channel-Lock pliers, but the ring on
the newer stuff like yours, with the high pressure fuel pump in the tank,
the ring seemed too big for that method or the pipes were in the way?
(or something)

>From under the truck it seems everything is ok and connected
>(fuel lines, filler and cables) but i'd better take it off and clean it.

x2 on that!
It's easy, I'm figuring you ain't in some sort of "rust belt" so... the bolts
etc should be easy to remove like mine are here in the Sonoran Desert.

>Any special tip or recommendation to do this job?

1) Do it before you put any fuel in it!

2) Be super-careful with the sorry plastic tank valve!
- I broke my valve just trying to take the vent hose off it! :/
- I knew the sorry sucker was flimsy but this thing is crap.
- I replaced it with a tough new nylon part that doesn't break...
Bill the "Number Dummy" got me these numbers and they are
perfect! LOL
F6TZ-9B076-AA - Rubber Seal for Nylon Vent
E7DZ-9B593-A - Nylon Gas Tank Vent

{edit}
The flimsy-hard-plastic one has two outlets and the tough nylon
one (E7DZ-9B593-A) has only one outlet. That one outlet is all
you really need, it goes to the carbon canister.

3) Get or make a tool to remove the "quick connect" fittings.
Then you can just snap then back in place easy as anything.
Dorman 55147 white/clear nylon clips for 5/16" Quick Disconnect...
http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-3429-55147.aspx
Dorman 55148 black nylon clips or 3/8" Quick Disconnect...
http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-3430-55148.aspx
Here's a picture of the Dorman 800-009 tool...
http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-10630-800-009.aspx

4) I use sheets of cardboard to lay on and it's a simple-one-man
job, on your back using your hands and feet, to hold it in place.

5) The glue (Loctite like stuff) Ford used on the bolts is best
softened-up with chlorinated solvents and if I remember right
even brake-fluid didn't work good either.
Don't use oily stuff like WD-40, Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster,
unless your stuff is rusty. Oh yeah, and carburetor cleaners
with acetone or MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) don't work on that
stuff either. :/

That's all I can think of at this point. LOL

Alvin in AZ
ps- If you need to replace a nylon fuel line, get back on here.
I just got done doing that myself and figured out a couple things
on it.

 

[Fellro]

I just use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to spin the ring, haven't had a failure that way. Sea foam also works well to make the gas usable, but generally I have had some nasty stuff run through anyway. Had one truck that had sat for 10 years run on the original fuel.

I figure the reason they probably stopped using the front tank is because the sender went bad. I have one truck with both out, now the rear pump seems to have failed as well.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

I just use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to spin the ring,
haven't had a failure that way.

Yeah good point.
That method can work for sure.

And since the new O-ring comes with a new steel ring anyway...
http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-7782-579-013.aspx
Dorman 579-013

You will prob'ly have to get a new O-ring because the old one
has prob'ly swelled and be a pain to put back together. In the
case of the fuel tank not having had fuel in it for 3 years, it
might go back together easy and seal good? If it don't seal
good tho, you might "get" to take the gas tank out again.

Alvin in AZ

 

[acom01]

Thanks a lot Alvin in AZ !!!. Your advice and explaning was really good. i´ll wait a weekend with no compromises to do the job. i have to be twice carefull than you in USA, if a broke something i´d problably have a week o more the truck parked wainting until i find the parts. In Buenos Aires we only have 2 o 3 shops than have spare parts for this type of cars/trucks and if they dont have it in stock you have to wait until they import it from your country.

 

[LEB Ben]

Now that's dedication right there. Must be expensive to own American sheetmetal down there, huh? But to be honest, even if you live in the states, sometimes it still takes a week (or more) for pasrts to ship. Ask me how I know...hahaha.