First gen pickup, replacement fuel tank...

[caladin]

I was looking to put a new fuel tank in my 80 4wd pickup.

Does anyone sell them? I know OEM is no longer available.

Can i use an 84 tank?

Some other swap?

Thanks..

 

[Pacer]

I used the pick up tube from an '85 and that works in my '81.

How bad is your tank?
Mine looked horrible, but cleaned up very easily and was fine inside.

 

[caladin]

I was just going to replace the whole fuel delivery system, as its been sitting so long, assumed the tank was bad. Pulled the drain plug on the tank and dust came out. Since i coudlnt' find a new tank, my current plan is the POR tank clean and seal system. that POR solvent seems to work pretty well degunking it.

The truck is 1.5 hrs away, and I can only head out to work on it on weekends, If i can get it running at all, i can put on a trailer and bring it home to work on. So I was trying to plan ahead. I'm 90% done swapping a new trans in, and then I'll be ready to try starting it.
Figured swapping the tank was a good time money trade off. Now I'll spend a weekend on the tank.

 

[Pacer]

I was just going to replace the whole fuel delivery system, as its been sitting so long, assumed the tank was bad. Pulled the drain plug on the tank and dust came out. Since i coudlnt' find a new tank, my current plan is the POR tank clean and seal system. that POR solvent seems to work pretty well degunking it.

The truck is 1.5 hrs away, and I can only head out to work on it on weekends, If i can get it running at all, i can put on a trailer and bring it home to work on. So I was trying to plan ahead. I'm 90% done swapping a new trans in, and then I'll be ready to try starting it.
Figured swapping the tank was a good time money trade off. Now I'll spend a weekend on the tank.

Great, definitely clean it first.
Maybe don't seal it....

I just dumped in some diesel and a length of chain, then shook the tank around every time I passed it in my shop for a couple days.

All that looked like rust was old varnished gas, and the steal was okay to use once cleaned up.

Sealant tends to fail over time and can make things worse in the future.
YMMV.

Good luck, keep after it!
You could disconnect the fuel lines and run off a gas can to test it/load it on trailer.

Pics?

 

[caladin]

This is what it looked like when i started it,

since then i've rustrefomerd it, primed it white and painted the bed and back Flourescent Green (at an exceptionally crappy level of skill).

I"m in the process of swapping the l43 for a w52 i had laying around, just about fabbed the xmember(4 1 cm holes left before i fit it.), got 2 bolts that were thewrong length, i need to swap and finish the driveshafts (drilled out at diff to fit new driveshafts)

At that point i can try starting it by pouring gas down the carb.. (the l43 was so badly
blown up, the starter didn't hit the flywheel to turn it over)

 

[pappy]

This is what it looked like when i started it,

since then i've rustrefomerd it, primed it white and painted the bed and back Flourescent Green (at an exceptionally crappy level of skill).

Uh, don't make me say it.

 

[caladin]

Huh, i added a pic in tje client, oh wait, i let my star expire, lemme post links

New photo · Sunday, Mar 24, 2019 📸

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

New photo · Sunday, Mar 24, 2019 📸

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

New photo · Sunday, Mar 24, 2019 📸

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Meatdawg]

Good job saving that truck! My 1980 had been sitting a long time also and the tank was about 35% full. I drained it, dropped the tank and did what Pacer did. My results were excellent and the tank has not had an issue since. I also removed all the fuel lines and flushed them real good with carb cleaner. Good luck and keep pictures coming of your progress.

 

[caladin]

Out of curiosity, POR clean to remove oils nd greze, then por etchant rust remover, if I'm not using the
PO15 sealant how do i get the tank not to flash rust? (it's soaking as we speak) Thanks