Fuel Tank question

[chevymotocross]

I got an 87 swb silverado 2wd with the dual tanks. I've been filling up the driver's side tank and decided to try the passenger side. Well I put about $30 worth of fuel in and it all leaked out at a parking lot . I removed the plastic shield and that tank is pretty shot. Are these tanks 16 or the 20 gal version? I believe they are the smaller 16. Also, not the straps, but the 2 big metal brackets where the shield mounts to are rotted. I can't find replacements , any recommendations? Also, does the 305 tbi have a mechanical fuel pump or is there an electrical in-tank pump, in both tanks? How hard is it to replace the passenger side tank?

[OJOE]

Originally Posted by chevymotocross

I got an 87 swb silverado 2wd with the dual tanks. I've been filling up the driver's side tank and decided to try the passenger side. Well I put about $30 worth of fuel in and it all leaked out at a parking lot . I removed the plastic shield and that tank is pretty shot. Are these tanks 16 or the 20 gal version? I believe they are the smaller 16. Also, not the straps, but the 2 big metal brackets where the shield mounts to are rotted. I can't find replacements , any recommendations? Also, does the 305 tbi have a mechanical fuel pump or is there an electrical in-tank pump, in both tanks? How hard is it to replace the passenger side tank?

yes the short beds have the small tanks and the 87 does have elec pump in tank. not to hard to replace. the plastic sheld holds dirt and is bad to rust out tank so be careful w/used tank. good luck

[chevymotocross]

Originally Posted by OJOE

yes the short beds have the small tanks and the 87 does have elec pump in tank. not to hard to replace. the plastic sheld holds dirt and is bad to rust out tank so be careful w/used tank. good luck

Yup, I noticed all the rusted flakes that were sandwiched between the shield and bottom of the tank.... like 10 lbs worth! So both tanks have a pump? I guess that's a good thing since my family and friends seems to be having bad fuel pump luck lately. What's nice is if one pump goes bad, you can switch it to the next and get home if you have fuel in both.

[ont_guy_38]

i come across these the other day while browsing around as I need some too http://cgi.ebay.ca/GAS-FUEL-TANK-STR...QQcmdZViewItem

[Jim85IROC]

A couple of the brackets on my truck were rotted. I chose to buy a used set because people told me that the reproduction brackets don't have the nuts welded on to them, and I didn't want to have to screw with a nut on the backside in the event that I ever chose to remove the tanks without removing the bed.

[Roper]

I didnt even think you cant buy new repro brackets, only the straps?
Anyway I bought new straps and rebuilt my brackets. Then I was at a junkyard looking for other parts and I happened across a scraped gas tank that had like new brackets and straps on it. Haha I could have bought it for $10. Would have been a lot cheaper and easier than rebuilding my old ones.

[chevymotocross]

This is what I was referring to. I don't think these are the same brackets as the ones on that ebay auction.





I think I have to remove these anyways to drop the tank.... correct? I figured I would get replacements since as you can see they are pretty shot.

[Jim85IROC]

They look like the right parts, but it's a little deceptive because the one on the right is not oriented properly.

[Captkaos]

You will want to remove as much gas as you can from the tank before dropping it. The brackets on Ebay appear to be correct.
When dropping it, remember the supply, return lines are hooked to the switch valve, You might want to remove them (after marking them) along with the vent line. remove the filler neck/vent also.

[Poopski]

I bought new brackets and straps from a GM dealership for about 80 bucks a piece, brand new. I bought some nuts and had them welded on for me. Trust me removal is a lot easier than installation, I'm still trying to get that damn thing back under there.

[OJOE]

Originally Posted by Poopski

I bought new brackets and straps from a GM dealership for about 80 bucks a piece, brand new. I bought some nuts and had them welded on for me. Trust me removal is a lot easier than installation, I'm still trying to get that damn thing back under there.

i find it a lot easer to just take the bed off and get it out of the way. this way you can get to all the fuel lines and the tanks.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by OJOE

i find it a lot easer to just take the bed off and get it out of the way. this way you can get to all the fuel lines and the tanks.

That's what I'm doing, but even that has its own host of problems. 4 of my 8 bed bolts spun, so now I've got to screw with getting them out.

[chevymotocross]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I am going to hold off a bit on this replacement. My driver side tank has been fine. I thought about, I'm not doing very large trips. Basically I would be going through all the headache and cost to...... just put more money in the tank. I can better spend that money, at least for now, somewhere else. But I will save the useful information when I feel the need to replace it. Thanks!

[Jim85IROC]

the longer you wait the worse it'll be. That's more time for bolts to rust.

[chevymotocross]

I actually took another look at the tank today. Actually, this tank is still very usable. The brackets, where the big plastic shield mounts to, does not look very good, but I think I can work with it. Now the tank itself looks pretty decent and I can see why and where it was leaking from. There are 2 very small pinholes. The rest of the bottom half of the tank I gave a light sanding. I think if I fill those pinholes, and seal the bottom half of the tank with something such as por15 or even rustoleum, it would last quite awhile. The surface of the pinholes are clean. I know jb weld will bond, but will the fuel eventually eat thru jb weld? If so, is there another chemical I can use to fill without fuel eating through? Also, is sealing the bottom half with por15 or something similar a wise thing to do? Those pics make the tank seem worse than it really is, it's all just minor surface rust.

[Mickey_D]

In 1990 I backed over a tree stump in my little Chevy LUV 4X4, puncturing the bottom of the tank. Since I was 100 miles from the backend of nowhere and on transient leave at the time, changing the tank was not possible. So I splooged some LB Weld on it as a temporary fix.

In 1997 when I finally sold the truck (almost 50,000 miles later) the tank was one of the only original things left on the truck and still going strong.

So yes, JB Weld will repair a small fracture in a gas tank quite successfully. Mine was about 1/16" wide and about 4" long to give you an idea.

[chevymotocross]

Wow, talk about bad luck. My truck was parked in my garage during the night, since today I wanted to jb-weld the passenger tank. Well I walk in my garage and I smell fuel. I look under the truck, and now my driver's side is leaking a bit! It's not repetitious and bad like the pass. side was, but it is leaking and only a matter of time before it gets worse. Unlike the passenger side, which appears fixable, the driver's side developed a leak under one of the straps. It needs to be replaced for sure. So right now, the jb-weld is drying on the passenger side pinholes. I'm going to order a 16 gallon tank to replace the driver's side. Some questions....The pump works, but since I am going to replace the tank, should the pump be replaced? Driver/passenger tanks are the same? I notice pepboy's computer does not distinguish between passenger and driver, just differences in capacity size (16 gallon and up). Talk about horrible luck.

[rfmaster]

Tanks are the same, but fuel pickups are right - left specific.

//RF