Fuel Gages read 1/4, but stop picking up fuel

[Hagan]

Pretty sure that the problem with these pickups is that the material they used wasn't /gasoline/ rated. For a number of years, tankers had been "switch loading" gasoline and diesel - one load of gasoline, one load of diesel.
Tankers never get completely empty doing this, so you get a few gallons of gasoline mixed in with a tanker load of diesel. And, I'm thinking that may well have caused plastics to have issues

Lets assume a tank holds 5000 gallons. At 6.9lbs per gallon of diesel (googled it) that's about 35k lbs. Reasonable for a truck to carry 35k lbs? Assume 5 gallons of gas was left in a tank. 5 gallons of gas out of 5000 gallons of diesel is .1%.

 

[Macrobb]

Honestly, I can't say for certain, except that it would explain why some trucks have what appears to be the original pickup and it's still just fine, and others, well, it just crumbles after years.
Personally, most of the ones I took apart looked OK, except for the (silicone?)rubber "seal" at the 1/4 tank mark(that allows fuel to get pulled from 1/4 tank if the main pickup gets clogged) was just plain gone.
I've found one pickup that was totally just disintegrating and came apart in my hand.

Now, it could be due to some additive in the fuel, or side effects of switch loading(Hm, perhaps it has something to do with the ethanol in the gasoline coming out of solution and going straight to the bottom?), or something else. I read an interesting article on switch loading a few years back, and it just made a lot of sense at the time.

Biodiesel could be an issue - I know it all depends on how it's made and finished. Properly cleaned biodiesel I don't think had any issues, but it could have been QC issues at the biodiesel plants.

 

[Clb]

Someone try dynamat from holley yet?
I forget but I thought its diesel compatible...

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

We s there a baffell kit for these tanks I know my truck when climbing and cornering with a low tank I'll pull a little air I. Thaught about getting some fuel cell foam for the tank but that doesn't fix the problem all together

 

[79jasper]

We s there a baffell kit for these tanks I know my truck when climbing and cornering with a low tank I'll pull a little air I. Thaught about getting some fuel cell foam for the tank but that doesn't fix the problem all together

Never heard of one.

Someone try dynamat from holley yet?
I forget but I thought its diesel compatible...

Not that I've seen. The walbro mp-12 looked like a good replacement as well.

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[Thewespaul]

The dynamat is amazing, saw a really cool demo of it at PRI. They sure ain’t cheap

 

[Hagan]

You mean Hydramat??? Dynamat is a sound deadener.

 

[Clb]

Yep
Hydra by holly
The stuff works amazingly in a rockcrawling situation

 

[Macrobb]

Yep
Hydra by holly
The stuff works amazingly in a rockcrawling situation

I wonder how hard it would be to do an "oversized chainsaw" type pickup - a loose, round pickup on several inches of hose that simply slides to wherever the low spot is due to gravity.

 

[Clb]

I run a 6 filter setup in my back pack blower, it will suck the tank dry...

A street truck shouldn't have the problem, but yes it could be done if fuel rated filters are available.

Why not fill the tank, switch at 1\4
Neither of my idi's have done this, but if I had the issue I would try it (chainsaw filter) or hydramat...

We git our rockcrawlers in some hairy off camber situation 's and never see an issue...

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

So I did a bit of research and found that there are a lot of ideas out there for fuel tank baffels things like fuel safe foam baffels with one way doors an wiffel balls but the on I found .People ha issues with was the foam they said it broke down an plugged the fuel system so my question is has anyone used this foam for an extended period of time and wat were the results

 

[Alwaysreadyrob]

My mechanic is working on both of my tanks now... he bought the replacement tank assembly for $ 500.00 he said at Orielleys! Yikes !!!!

 

[Thewespaul]

My mechanic is working on both of my tanks now... he bought the replacement tank assembly for $ 500.00 he said at Orielleys! Yikes !!!!

Ouch! You can get them off eBay for a lot better prices just an fyi

 

[mu2bdriver]

IBTL. towcat would have shut this one down by now.

 

[hoodshauler]

IBTL. towcat would have shut this one down by now.

Agreed


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