Long Range Fuel Tank for Vortec, Pump? Smog Issue? (1 Viewer)

[Devortex]

I've got a long range tank that I picked up used here last year. Older style Con-Ferr tank. 2 big questions for the group before I go any further with installing this in my Vortec powered 60:

Do you think I'll get any grief from the smog Nazis with an aftermarket tank?

Should I convert to an in-tank pump (any real advantages?) I do like the appeal of having an external pump that can be changed while you're out on the trail and the thought of an internal pump failing when I've got 40 gallons of gas in the tank is frightening.

 

[OyajiJon]

Simon,

If you want to run an in-tank pump, I'd highly recommend modifying the cargo area floor with a removable panel so you can get to it without dropping the tank.

Regarding grief, of any sort, from the B.A.R. people, it seems to all depend on whom you get and on which day you go to see them. I'm personally aware of a person who went to a ref with a rig that had an aftermarket tank installed, and the ref wanted to see a manufacturer's sticker on the tank that had the same year as that of the truck the donor engine came out of. There are others I have heard of that didn't even have a ref look at the gas tank or any hose routing. I guess that's the long way of saying that it just depends...

If you end up not using it, I'd like it very much if you'd consider selling it to me so I can play with it.

Thanks, and I hope some of this is helpful.

Jon

 

[Devortex]

Jon,

I'm hoping that since I already have the BAR sticker and I'm currently smog legal, that if I maintain the stock filler/ cap and everything is holding pressure, the smog guy will just look the other way.

 

[rover67]

I don't know about the smog aspect of things, but I believe the in tank pump is more reliable than an inline pump. As mentioned above, cutting a hole in the floor would make it easy to change an intank pump, but mine ended up really close to the rib in the body. That might cause some problems in terms of hole positioning to get it out. Now, the position of my pump was driven in part by the location of the sump in my LRA tank. yours may have a sump in a different spot.

 

[OyajiJon]

Shoot, Simon, I forgot you have a sticker already. In that case, my experience with "smog guys" is that they don't inspect the fuel system. As long as the pressure leak down test and gas cap test ok, I highly doubt that he'll have grounds to say anything at all.

 

[ntsqd]

I'll second that, with an unknown vehicle or owner the guy I go to will look at the cat, but I can't recall him ever looking at the tank. Not even when it failed that portion of the test. The ref will, but you're past that point - which where I'll be before building a higher capacity tank for mine.

Two things are gained with an in-tank pump over an externally mounted pump. More cooling due to the total immersion of the pump in all of the fuel in the tank. Less noise, at least when not nearly empty. I wanted a water separating filter and those won't take TPI supply pressures, so that drove an externally mounted pump for me.

 

[Spike Strip]

I doubt you'll ever have a smog issue with that tank, Simon. I'll bet you'll never even meet a smog jockey that would know it's not stock, aside from the fact I've never seen or read of a smog reg concerning gas tanks on passenger cars, other than the evap test.

And FWIW, I can tell you from first hand experience, having to remove 40 gals of gas from these well-baffled tanks if a mother-F*^$!R PITA! - If you don't want to waste any of the precious $4.20/gal liquid gold! I smelled like (and burped up) gasoline for a week!