Older Fuel Tank pick up fitting size? (1 Viewer)

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Durango, CO
I have an older style gas tank without all the fuel vapor separator lines and no return line.

Does anyone know the fitting size for the pickup tube? SOR's diagrams don't show the older tank configuration and the threaded fuel hose connected. It's on the front right side corner of the tank.

I originally had mine brazed shut when I installed my 6AN fitting for my LS swap and I didn't think too much about installing two pickups in the tank. When I go downhill with 1/4 tank I'm sucking air and the motor sputters.

My preferred route would potentially be opening the stock pickup and tying into my current setup. Secondly I could install a bulkhead fitting but it makes me nervous to drill a 1" hole in a gas tank and hope it doesn't leak.

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I may have been a little premature. I found a thread in the FJ40 section and it pointed me to a special made adapter available from CoolCruisers. I ordered one to see if it does what I need.

 
Hope it works for you. It might be time to look at Holley's fuel mat ? People who use them seem to like them. Maybe you could adapt it to your pickup tube.
 
@scrapdaddy I did a terrible job of planning when I had my stock tank out. I should have studied the subject more. I'm not sure why I thought a single hose at the rear of the tank was a good idea. It didn't take much of a Colorado downhill slope to expose it to air. I can't roll out of my neighborhood with a 1/4 tank not sputter.

I'm hoping to get by with low cost and little effort until @RUSH55 decides he's going to sell us gas tanks like the one he built. I could use a bit more capacity . 😀
 
Maybe once I get through my build I might take up building some custom tanks. Need to acquire a plasma cutter, a TIG welder with an aluminum MIG spool gun. It was super easy for me because the tub is off the frame and mine uses the pedestal style mounts. Trying to build a tank without the vehicle at my disposal would probably prove to be…. challenging.
 
How will the second pick up prevent your other pick up from sucking air?
Hmmm good question. Maybe I need to step back and get some input from people smarter than me.

I thought if I were to tee into the stock pickup line, at least one of the two lines would have gasoline in them but I didn't think about what happens if one has air and the other doesn't. Second option was to run off the stock pickup line only since it's probably better positioned in the tank than my existing pickup. I don't think 1/4 inch tubing will supply enough fuel to not starve the motor.

Ultimately, maybe the answer is a new tank engineered for the modern EFI engine rather than trying to kludge together something with the stock tank.

Thoughts?
 
Hmmm good question.
I was thinking you knew something I didn’t and could shed some light.

It’s my understanding if you want to pick up fuel from more than one location you will need something that will block the air from the open ports as the fuel sloshes like the Walbro pickups. Auto Performance Engineering - Walbro fuel pick-ups - https://www.autoperformanceengineering.com/html/pickups.html

Another great option is the Holley fuel mat that wicks fuel through itself minimizing the air with the fine mesh outer similar to the Walbro’s but higher flow rates.



Good luck!
 
I didn't think about what happens if one has air and the other doesn't.
Air is the least viscous of the two fluids you are trying to pull into the system, the path of the least resistance rules would apply and in my mind you’ll still pull air.
 
Are you sure you brazed off the right line? Pickup sits lower in the tank than the return. Crossed those lines on mine and it wouldn't run below a quarter tank.
 
Are you sure you brazed off the right line? Pickup sits lower in the tank than the return. Crossed those lines on mine and it wouldn't run below a quarter tank.
My tank only has one fitting on the passenger side front corner. (At least that’s all I see). If there are two, where are they located?
 
I was thinking you knew something I didn’t and could shed some light.

It’s my understanding if you want to pick up fuel from more than one location you will need something that will block the air from the open ports as the fuel sloshes like the Walbro pickups. Auto Performance Engineering - Walbro fuel pick-ups - https://www.autoperformanceengineering.com/html/pickups.html

Another great option is the Holley fuel mat that wicks fuel through itself minimizing the air with the fine mesh outer similar to the Walbro’s but higher flow rates.



Good luck!
That doesn’t seem to break the bank. Now to figure out how to plumb it. I saw a thread somewhere that installed a bulkhead tube in the fuel sender plate to avoid other holes and it can be done without dropping the tank. I’ll have to investigate further.

Thanks @jmack
 
tank pick up ends at the bottom of the tank , mine got plugged up and i had to drill a hole here to clean it , the chalk line is where it is inside the tank

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tank pick up ends at the bottom of the tank , mine got plugged up and i had to drill a hole here to clean it , the chalk line is where it is inside the tank

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View attachment 2745153
Yeah I was thinking of using the stock pickup (assuming mine isn’t plugged but I’m not sure it’ll feed enough fuel to the LS motor. Your tank looks identical to mine.
 
That doesn’t seem to break the bank. Now to figure out how to plumb it. I saw a thread somewhere that installed a bulkhead tube in the fuel sender plate to avoid other holes and it can be done without dropping the tank. I’ll have to investigate further.
I ran mine through the top of the tank and have pictures in my build thread, @DoubleNickels came up with some fittings to go through the factory tank top.
 
My tank only has one fitting on the passenger side front corner. (At least that’s all I see). If there are two, where are they located?
My tank has two lines, one for pickup
And the other for return. They are side by side.
 
I ran mine through the top of the tank and have pictures in my build thread, @DoubleNickels came up with some fittings to go through the factory tank top.
Too bad those Walbro pick-ups aren't smaller. They won't go through the stock fuel sender hole. @DoubleNickels pickup tube has some merit but it would be nice to have a couple of pickup spots in the tank vs one in front. One in front is the reverse of the issue I currently have with my pickup in the rear.

The nice thing about the Waldbro pick-up is they shut when there's no fluid. Anyone know of something similar that will fit through a roughly 2 inch hole?

I keep thinking a new custom tank solves this. I may have to just bite the bullet. (or keep filling mine up when it his 3/8)
 

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