Front tank question

[BrianX128]

https://youtu.be/xGpC8XHePCk

Drove it to work anyways today, snapped this video of the leak. Really wanted to get out and crawl underneath further but since I have to wear dress clothes for my stupid job this is the best I could do until I get home today and can actually get in under there. Definitely not leaking from the bottom and fuel is just rolling down to there but without getting under there I can't tell if something is leaking on top of the tank from a line or something or if it's leaking from the lip of the tank directly and sometimes it rolls down the side. Hmm. Gonna drive me insane all day.

 

[BrianX128]

You must be registered for see images attach

Look at this awful blurry picture I took!

But for real though it's hard to see, dead center is the spot it was leaking from. Filled tank and couldn't get another wet spot to show but definitely leaked pretty good from there.

Got a stick of some sort of permatex goo you had to knead by hand with gloves and put it in the little caved in area after we sucked the tank back to almost empty and sanded around the area as best we could. Was able to get the patch to extend to good metal a half inch away on all sides.

Also got a thing of "diesel and gas seal" that just seemed like crazy adhesive but two of my dads co workers swear it patched their metal tanks on their trucks and so I smeared that all over that rust on the bottom of the tank even though it wasn't leaking from there and extended it to the good metal too and then put the leftover goo all around the rib of the tank just because.

Gonna let it sit for a day and dry. If it leaks again I'm done with it but figured for 10$ it's worth a try and I won't have time to swap tanks for a month (almost) anyways so maybe I get lucky maybe I don't. Was for sure the hole I was able to patch so hopefully I do get lucky.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

if it doesn't hold up,hit up car-part to search local yards for a poly tank.never deal with rusty tanks again.
edit; search for '93 and select 23 gal poly (straps will need to be fabbed.discontinued.)

 

[madpogue]

its an IDI, I wouldn't park it on new concrete.
soon as you get said leak fix, another ones bound to show up

^^^^^ Two most useful points. That tank is shot. That old, that much rust, it WILL leak again. The beauty of dual tanks - run it on the front and as SOON as it starts to sputter, switch to the rear. You can still drive the truck and it's bone empty and way easier to drop.

 

[BrianX128]

Well the patch did work for now, filled it up and not a drop in sight after a 40 mile drive and I coated the two spots of rust with that liquid goo one more time today. Like I said for ten dollars and with no time to swap tanks for a month this will have to do for now. If it does leak I will replace it when time permits, but it's already done so we'll see how it goes for now. Thanks for the help and suggestions though, at least I know I can get a new one from Amazon that cheap with my prime.

 

[smithman]

IMO it's really not that bad to drop the tank without removing the bed. I did it once to replace my cab mounts. It was 2/3 full even. You still need a buddy, but there are 2 straps, the filler neck hose clamp, the electrical connector, and supply/return lines. The only one that may give you trouble is the filler neck..depends on how the clamp is oriented so consider trying it first. I was able to get under the tank and just bench press it up and down with fuel in it.
If your bed has never been off, pulling the whole bed can be a real *****. When I took my bed off the year earlier, all 4 bolts required drilling in the head to use an extractor to hold the bolt in place to torque off the nut. I don't have a torch.
Even with pulling the bed, you still have to get under the truck just to drop the tank and install a new one.

 

[madpogue]

^^^^^^ With ratchet straps, you can do it from underneath solo.

 

[mblaney]

Okay I am half in the bag by a campfire and on my cell phone I don't know if this post will work. I'm not sure who you are trying to convince but change the tank.Back to the guitar.

 

[madpogue]

^^^^ Busted -- PWI (posting while inebriated).....