What did you do to your truck today? Chapter II

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Quikshft

Today I finished the install of an auxiliary fuel tank. It's a 31 gallon unit which gets me about 50 gallons total as I have elected to keep the tank behind the seat. Looking forward to fewer (but more expensive) stops at the gas station which can be a real inconvenience with a travel trailer in tow.

Wow, that looks great! Please share more details! I have that space open. Given the kind of mileage I get towing the trailer (7 MPG) maybe another tank under the bed will give me some range up roads that are far from a gas station. How do you fill it, and how do you switch it? If you only have two tanks, that would work OK, but I already have 3, so the valves might be interesting to hook up.

[Quikshft]

Guys, the tank is applicable to the Blazer. The exact model years escapes me but later 70's to later 80's I believe. It has a taper on the trailing bottom corner, assume to help with driveway approaches but the problem for me was that it then put the fill pipe aimed to the passenger side. So... I cut it off and brazed up the hole. On the driver side of the tank on the top corner there is a circular depression, that's where I put my fill tube. I used a mopar style grommet, which allows a little play/flex of the fill pipe if needed. I actually had an old Chrysler gas tank from which I cut the section that receives the grommet, and then brazed it onto the Blazer tank. This is what the stock 31 looks like:

[Quikshft]

Here are a couple pics of my tank after the previously noted modifications were made. The top of the tank is a little ugly, I got a few bucks off on it as it had a few dents and the heat from brazing didn't help any either, but I don't plan to see the top of that tank again for a long time.

[Quikshft]

Under the truck, I made a couple spacers to provide something to pull the tank up against, and also provide a little bit of gap/space for the vent line, fuel line etc. Two frame cross members were moved, never took a picture of their original location but they were riveted to the frame. I moved them outward to a point at the edges of the tank to provide a place to mount the tank straps.

[Quikshft]

As far as switching the tanks goes, this is what took me the longest to figure out. I used a simple valve, one wire leads to it so when energized the solenoid is shifted to draw from the aux tank. When de-energized it will draw from the main tank. (behind the seat) The switch is a 'double pole, double throw' unit and as far as I can tell is pretty much made for switching between a pair of tanks like this. Got these items on ebay. Also including an image of how the wires connect to the switch. I am not by any means an electrical genius but I was able to get this working.

[Quikshft]

Last item I think there is to cover is the fill tube. I wimped out and am currently filling in the wheel well, it is a 4x4 and lifted about 4 inches so there is plenty of room, and is mostly street driven so not TOO worried about a lot of debris or dirt on the gas cap. I mounted it firmly with some muffler clamps against the bottom of the bed with carriage bolts from the bed side. Connected this to the tank with a piece of rubber fill pipe hose and that is pretty much a wrap on the project. Perhaps in the future I'll do a fancy thru the tail-light gas door or something, but for now I think I'm on the road. Planning a trip over Tioga Pass to see the colors of fall late next month.

[Quikshft]

One other item of note, if you use a fuel pickup which is the same ohm rating as the one in your other tank, the double pole - double throw switch will route the current to your stock dash fuel gauge when connected as shown in the diagram. So, one switch to flip switches the feed from one tank to the other and also causes the gauge to indicate fuel level in the tank being drawn from. For a time, I thought I'd have to add a gauge for the aux tank and was pleased to find that isn't necessary.

Jeff

[Quikshft]

Yikes, one more detail to describe. To vent the tank there is a tube on the fuel pickup. I ran a line from there and tee'd into the loop of line that goes up into the passenger side cab corner. (a high loop which proceeds from the stock tank, basically just a way to keep liquid fuel out of the vent line running to the charcoal canister under the hood) I just brazed a piece of fuel line into the existing 'high loop' and ran it solid down to a point through the cab floor, then used a short piece of rubber fuel line to connect to another hard line mounted inside the passenger frame rail, running parallel to the fuel line to the rear of the truck where again I ran some rubber hose to make the connections on top of the tank. I didn't really want to vent the tank to the atmosphere so the stock charcoal canister is going to do double duty now.

Hope this all is clear. Praise the Lord and pass the fuel filler nozzle!

[SIXTY9]

Completed Lizard Skin, I used both the sound and heat control.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Quikshft

Yikes, one more detail to describe. To vent the tank there is a tube on the fuel pickup. I ran a line from there and tee'd into the loop of line that goes up into the passenger side cab corner. (a high loop which proceeds from the stock tank, basically just a way to keep liquid fuel out of the vent line running to the charcoal canister under the hood) I just brazed a piece of fuel line into the existing 'high loop' and ran it solid down to a point through the cab floor, then used a short piece of rubber fuel line to connect to another hard line mounted inside the passenger frame rail, running parallel to the fuel line to the rear of the truck where again I ran some rubber hose to make the connections on top of the tank. I didn't really want to vent the tank to the atmosphere so the stock charcoal canister is going to do double duty now.

Hope this all is clear. Praise the Lord and pass the fuel filler nozzle!

Thanks for taking the time to give all that great info . You did a nice clean installation. Thanks again!!

[68SWB4x4]

My door handle broke and I fixed it...

Door Handle Fix

Fixed my turn signals and hazards as well

[VWNate1]

GREAT writeup ! .

That blazer tank is also used on '48 ~ '55.1 AD series Chevy and GMC pickups to rear mount a larger tank out of the cab .

[Metaldoc]

Finished the 2bbl factory air cleaner modify, now supports a 4bbl carb.

[MACO]

Went to the local car show in Port Coquitlam British Columbia. Lots of great cars and truck plus the streets were filled with spectators. Kinda hazy from the forest fire smoke but not too bad.

[NoStopN]

Originally Posted by SIXTY9

Completed Lizard Skin, I used both the sound and heat control.

I've heard about Lizard Skin & am planning to use it on mine.....much later.

In the meantime, I think I need to invest in a cutting torch. The cutoff wheel, hammer & chisel, & prybar aren't making this chore very quick.

[Metaldoc]

Almost time to fire up again, three times a charm

[Jim Boy]

Originally Posted by Metaldoc

Almost time to fire up again, three times a charm

Fire up what? The BBQ!! Have a good one eh!

[Already Gone]

Went over to a friends to get my factory original tilt column I bought 18 months ago installed. He did 90% of the work. Came in an out pretty easy. I really like the shorter shifter arm with the steering wheel I have.

[3757chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Thanks for taking the time to give all that great info . You did a nice clean installation. Thanks again!!

I agree, good info, nice details.

[stevenfromtexas]

discovered a small oil leak either from the front seal or front cover/oil pan area. gonna do some more lookin' tomorrow.

worst case scenario....how possible is it to reinstall the damper with the engine still in the pickup. this crank does not have the threaded nose to pull the pulley on

[Steeveedee]

Pulling the grille and radiator might be easier. With a six the damper is pretty close to the radiator core support.

[Metaldoc]

Started the engine and it sounds great. Got the break in done and just about to change the oil. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

[RodnRudy]

Well Sun while out for a drive the mirror head fell off. It broke of course but I retrieved it and yesterday took it to the glass and mirror shop and they cut me a new one and glued it in. I used some Loctite 609 to epoxy the head back on the base and we're back in business. Stupid foreign made crap anyway. I also put a tack weld on the mirror ball cause I got tired of keep having to adjust the d#%n thing.

[Redneck Rydes]

Originally Posted by Metaldoc

Started the engine and it sounds great. Got the break in done and just about to change the oil. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

Time for a test drive to Quinte West.

[Metaldoc]

Originally Posted by Redneck Rydes

Time for a test drive to Quinte West.

I'm thinking It might need a good test with the 5 speed. I should be up on the long weekend but I need to take my other truck and trailer. I should get your cell and I'll text ya when up.