Gas tanks on '87 truck

[kevinr1970]

I was going to treat my gas tanks with some rust inhibitor before mounting them back on the truck.
After about a half hour of wire brushing the "better" one and then starting to notice a bunch of black dots magically appear (holes) I decided life is too short...

So I am going to buy new tanks for both sides.
I already ended up breaking one strap on the tank so I am just going to order four new straps for both tanks.

My question is, since I have them off and am going to have to pull the fuel sender(?) anyways, anything else I should replace now?
Not trying to throw money away, but don't want to miss the chance to get something fixed while they are out.

This is an '87 so it is TBI with, I believe, the fuel pumps in the tanks. Any filters ("fuel sock"?) in the tank that now would be a good time to replace?

I am using Rockauto as my source but I do not see any fuel filler hose listed; is it called something else, or just not carried?

[chrismoore701]

you should be good, be sure to get some sort of material between the straps and the tank, oh yea, replace your hoses as well, ha ha

[James McClure]

Kevin, I did mine about the same as you did. New tanks, straps ect. Take the new tanks and the straps to someone that does spray in bed liner. Coat the straps and tanks. Plug all the holes first of course. When you install everything cut up old tire tubes and use that as tank insulation where the straps\carriers touch the tanks. You will have to clean off any liner around the sender hole to insure a good seal and a good electrical connection so the pumps and senders work properly. Mine is carb, but still need a good ground. I love that bed liner stuff. The whole bottom of mine is coated with it. jim

[old Rusty C10]

i used regular 90 weight tar paper as a gasket between the tank and the strap/mounts

[kevinr1970]

So on the parts site, they have listed a fuel pump filter and a fuel pump strainer.
Are these parts redundant, meaning that I have one or the other, or are both used in each tank?
Are they worth replacing now; they are $3 and $5 each repsectively, so $16 for two of each.
Seems like a small price to pay for peace-of-mind, but I don't want to open a can of worms if that is a concern.


As for coating the tanks, while that is a good idea, I am not sure that is necessary where I am located.
The reason the tanks are in bad shape now is that the donor was an ex-USFS truck.
Before delivering the truck to the guy doing the cutting, I took a pressure washer and tried to wash out the dirt/mud/clay that was packed in between the tanks and the palstic covers that goes over them. I *thought* I had done a pretty good job too...
When I picked up the truck, he said that he filled a 5-gallon bucket with dirt from his shop floor, not to mention the muck still attached to the covers; he thought both tanks were full of gas when he removed them!?!
And besides, those tanks lasted 23 years and I will probably be bored with this truck in 3-4 years anyways. I go through a lot of vehicles...

[Jonboy]

The filter should be in line (shaped like a canister, with threaded fittings on each end), and hte strainer will be the "sock" on the end of the pump. 87 uses both.

[kevinr1970]

Hmmm...
They do list fuel filters, but they have also list a fuel pump filter?

Attached a picture of it.