Jump to content
HybridZ

Fuel tank modification...


RedZ85

Recommended Posts

I stuck this in the Chevy forum being that its chevy related but it should be here as well. I dont want a fuel cell. I just want the stock tank, but modified. I know people have done this...I want to have the tank "renu'd" with bigger 1/2 or 3/8 feed and return lines inside to replace the smaller 5/16 and 3/16 feed and return lines. I also want the tank to be cleaned and sealed. I was quoted $500 for this service and i hear people talking about it being done for much cheaper. I live in the California bay area...is there anyplace around here that is recomended? I have the tank removed and can drive it or ship it where ever i need to. I really dont feel like spending $500 when i have heard of it done for $200-$300. Any ideas? Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

man, im in the wrong buisness!!! 500 buks eh?? i came to the same conslusion regarding the 'wanting larger feed/return lines'. originally i was going to build a fuel cell, but after dropping the tank, i was looking at it, and thinking, 'geesh, its already set up w/ the mounting straps, filler neck, sending unit, so im going to modify it'.... so i decided to cut the top off the low end, and build it up, while installing a AN- fitting for my pickup and a new pickup tube... and after looking at my progress, i figure it will add 5/7gallons capacity to the tank, wich will also be nice in my situation...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

heh, well since most of the top of the tank is gone, its easy to see inside for me, and mine is in pretty good shape... but the interisting part of when i opened er up, is the handful of pebbles inside the tank. at first i thought someone musta just put them down the tank cause they didnt like one of the previous owners or sumtin. but a couple of other pple told me that in the older days they used to put some rocks in the tank to keep rust from forming on the bottom of the tank. well i cant say for sure, but i thought it was interisting... rocks, lol...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

update: progress has been slow... so after i cutt off the top of the low side of the tank, i hav now bent/formed a piece of 16ga, 5"tall, to go around for the 'wall'... so now one side is only about an inch lower than the other, wich will force me to cut out the spart tire well for tank space, wich i was gona do anyways for the exhaust... i bought some 'weld in' 8-AN fittings, 1 for my pickup/feed line, and the other for a return for when i get around to doing fuel injection... i TIGGed a short piece of 3/8" ID stainless tubing to the 'feed' AN fitting, and bent it so it sat in the bottom of the tank, just about where the factory one was... i welded them both in about half way up, and pretty much in the middle/front of the tank... i was originally going to use the stock sending unit, but i veto'ed that idea in favor of having one i could work with easier... so the summit sending unit will go in the top when i weld that piece in, wich is the next step. and im also debating weather or not to make an 'access panel' for the top, but if all goes well, i see no reason why i should have to get back into the tank again... anyways, its much larger now. one of these days ill hav to see how much it will hold... oh, and i eliminated all the vent lines but the one that runs back to the filler neck...

 

ryan~

=)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have been wondering about all of the fuel line stuff like that. i am in the process of putting in a new fuel system and for now keeping it stock from the pump back. how exactly did you eliminate the vent lines exactly? i have been wondering about that crap. i guessed and just got -8 an lines for everything up front wondering if that was going to be to big or if i was the only one doing that. im going to use 5/16 tubing for now and adapters. just until the fuel pump goes out. then everything else will be plumbed up with the -8 an lines. the problem for me is i dont have all the welding equipment, its my daily driver and i go to college. i have all kinds of things going on. do you have any pics of you modified tank for me to get ideas off of. thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i took some pics, but they are way to huge and i cant seem to find a way to shrink them, or post them, prolly due to me being computer illiterate..

 

and i came across a question while thinking about my tank, and was wondering if anyone knows how much wieght the stock fuel tank straps could hold... i thnk it will be fine, but was just a concern w/ the extra 5 or so gallons the tank will hold...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going to upgrade my supply and return lines. But I plan on doing it by soldering in new lines similar to the way the stock lines are placed. Simply take some 3/8 inch line, fashion a pick up and return, solder them to a small plate, then solder the plate to the tank in hole I drill near the stock pickups.

 

Doesn't seem that complicated.

 

As for clean and sealed, be careful of applying any aftermarket tank sealers. There has been more than one member who went through months of being stranded on the side of the road before they figured out the linings were disintigrating and clogging their fuel system. Just make sure you do the sealers exactly right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thats more or less kinda what i fashioned on my tank, except w/ weld in AN bungs, one for pickup, and one for return for the day i eventually go fuel injection...

 

as for the coating, ya, i think im gona skip that... im just gona clean up the inside best i can, seal it off w/ a new sending unit in top, and make sure i hav a good fuel filter in front of the pump... =)

 

ryan~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

all righty, well here we go,

 

first pic is of the new fuel pickup line, wich is 1/2" SS tube, tig welded to a -8AN steel bung, wich is later welded into the side of the tank...

pickuptubefortank1.jpg

new pickup tube held into place, i later on built a baffle that mostly surrounds the pickup area on the bottom of the tank...

tankpickup2.jpg

here is where i added 5" to the tank, most of the way around... later on i found out how criticle ur welding is to a leak free enviroment...

tanktape.jpg

and here is the tank sealed off, new sending unit installed, and i got a lil carried away w/ the 2" sanding wheel, and played around w/ the top of the tank just for kicks, lol...

9-20-2007-08.jpg

9-20-2007-07.jpg

lots of warping in some areas, big learning curve on welding on a tank, haha...

 

cheers

ryan~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im pretty sure itook a pic, but i think its on my brothers camera, ill hav to get back to ya on that... its quite simple really though, its just shaped like a C with the back side flattened out kinda like [ but w/rounded corners... this im hoping will keep the fuel from runing away from the pickup in a low tank, in corners... but in hindsight, again, lol, i would hav cut a small section out of the bottom of the tank and installed a proper sump setup...

 

cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...