Best way to replace fuel tanks - Diesel Forum

jdw1222 · 09-02-2005, 12:29 PM

With diesel prices climbing I have decided I need to go ahead and fix my leaking tanks. I hate not beinng able to fill up all the way and having expensive diesel leak on my driveway. What is the best way to replcae them?? Is it easier to pull the bed off or just drop the tanks. Should I replace the fuel lines while I am doing the job. ANy special tricks or things I should know before i start. Thanks Jeff

RedandWhite_69 · 09-02-2005, 04:24 PM

Jeff

When does your tank leak? If it leaks only when you're between full and 3/4 tank, it's probably the rubber o-rings around the sender/pick-ups. If this is the case, removing the bed would be your best bet - that's if you have someone to help you lift the bed or have access to a fork lift. I didn't, so I had to drop both tanks. Dropping the tanks is a bit of a PITA, but it's not difficult and can be done in half a day. I was able to access my front sender with out dropping the tank by dropping the drive shaft and squeezing up there. Make sure your tanks are empty first. Just a few gallons makes them hard to deal with - even on a floor jack. I'd say the most difficult thing is reinstalling the filler hose when you put the tanks back in - it's pretty tight.

good luck, brian

jdw1222 · 09-02-2005, 04:54 PM

Thanks brian

well, i can't tell for sure where the tanks leak but they seem to leak anytime i have more than 1/4 tank full of diesel. It seems like both of them leak also. I normally have a big mark on the driveway where the diesel leaks. I park on a slight incline and it seems to get real wet around the spare tire. If I park the truck the opposite way it leaks off the skid plate under the tank. I have tried keeping one tank empty and filling either the front or the rear and I still get the leak so it seems like its both tanks. Could anything else be causing this other than bad tanks??

tomcimzural · 09-02-2005, 10:46 PM

You can get the bed off easily with 4 people to lift it. You can also use a couple of 2x4s at the balance point under the bed rails and use a chain hoist or comealong. Just the bolts holding the bed on are sometimes a problem but not usually as they are galvanized.
TomC

jdw1222 · 09-03-2005, 12:23 PM

i can get 4 people to help, so is lifting the bed off the best (easiest) option? Also, what do i need to disconnect in order to remove the bed? I know the bolts that hold the bed down, and the filler hoses. Where do i disconnect the Wiring harness?? anything else to look for?

krawlr · 09-03-2005, 03:47 PM

Pulling the bed will only help getting things disconnected. Both tanks drop out the bottom easily. I just used a transmission jack to ease them down far enough where I could reach the connections.(2 clips for the fuel lines and the sender plug) Both of mine had rusted through and I replaced them myself.

There should be plugs for the bed wiring at the very rear if you really want to pull it. You could probably just tip it up from the drivers side and slip some blocks in there so you can reach stuff.

jdw1222 · 09-03-2005, 04:21 PM

do you think it would be easier to just drop the tanks?

Greg77 · 09-03-2005, 06:31 PM

We just got done putting the tanks back on one pickup we are doing a total restoration on. The box was off and it sure is nice to be able to work from the top and put bolts and stuff in. You will probably need to put in some new tar like stuff on the straps and frame parts and it would probably be a lot easier and you can also do a much better job. There are 6 or 8 bolts holding the bed down and the wiring harness is a quick disconect. For the hoses just take the screws out of the fill hole on the box. There are also clips that hold the furl hoses to the tank. They are plastic and can be brittle so be careful. They are very easy to get at from the top. As long as your going to do both tanks its a no brainer to take the box off.

Greg

jdw1222 · 09-04-2005, 12:25 PM

thanks greg, I will most likely be takling this job in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted

93turbo'd_animal · 09-05-2005, 09:10 PM

I've replaced both my tanks and they are a piece of cake out the bottom [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]

**finallygotanIDI** · 09-06-2005, 09:03 AM

I dont think the tanks will come out the top.
Ive tried it before without luck.
Nick

jdw1222 · 09-06-2005, 12:05 PM

hey 93turbo, What is involved in dropping the tanks. Isn't just removing the skid plates??

93turbo'd_animal · 09-06-2005, 09:24 PM

the back tank is easy undo the filler neck remove skid plates which are the tank straps lower the side away from the filler neck enough to unhook lines then drop it on out. the front isn't to bad remove skid plate unhook filler neck and lines then remove tank straps [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]