Gas Tank Issues?Advice Needed....

lalessi1 · 2016-10-02 17:31

Well guys, my car is back on the road and an old issue has resurfaced. MY car runs out of gas with about 5 gallons of gas in the tank. That is based on the amount of gas I can put in it after the fact plus the gauge shows about the same amount. I suspect a pickup tube issue?? I am looking at a relacement but I would like maybe an additional return line connection for a future aftermarket EFI return line?? Ni-terne?? Galvanized?? I would like to keep a stock look arrangement and keep the cost down...running a mechanical fuel pump now but... So many questions...

rmk57 · 2016-10-02 19:52

Keeping the cost down would involve repairing the pickup tube, it's probably cracked or broken off.
I used aluminum fuel line for my carbed project. Reasonable cost and easy to work with.

RICH MUISE · 2016-10-02 20:51

Sounds like a pickup tube issue to me as well. As for the return line, the best way to go for an efi fuel pump, imho, is an in tank unit. If you go that route, you'll need to weld in a mounting plate, so a new tank would be a good safety issue and be easier to weld. The Tanks Inc fuel pump has the provision for the return line.
What I don't know is if the pickup tube is accessible for repair. It would have to be unitized with the sending unit I would think, but you know how old guy's memories are.

canadian_ranchero · 2016-10-02 22:07

the pick up tube is not part of the sending unit,it is built into the fuel tank.did you check the fuel line for bends/flat spots?have you checked how much vacuum your fuel pump pulls?

lalessi1 · 2016-10-03 07:57

Thanks for the responses so far.... I am not a welder (I regret that). I am resisting an in-tank fuel pump, I want a "stock" looking trunk. The fuel pump is a new Carter HP unit and the fuel line looks fine the old pump ran out as well. Can a return line be connected to the tank drain connection? Auto City has galvanized tanks for $139 and ni-terne ones for $189. How is the pickup tube configured/baffled??

gasman826 · 2016-10-03 20:49

A long time ago, I looked into one of my tanks through the sender unit hole. The pickup tube appeared to be 5/16" steel tubing soldered or welded to the floor of the tank. Mine had no 'sock' over the end or baffling of any kind. I rolled the tank around and nothing rattled like the sock had been blown off. Sock is just something else to plug up...a good filter does the job and is easier to service.

As far as using the drain plug as a return...it would work. The down side is the safety issue of a leak that would continue until the tank was empty. Not much different that the pickup line. DOT standards are for all lines and holes in the top of the tank. I have seen non-efi cars converted to efi and saving the OEM appearance with the efi supplied with a mini high pressure fuel tank hidden inside an inner fender. Lower pressure fuel is pumped from the unaltered OEM fuel tank to the mini, high pressure efi fuel system.

lalessi1 · 2016-10-03 21:34

Quote from: gasman826 on 2016-10-03 20:49
A long time ago, I looked into one of my tanks through the sender unit hole. The pickup tube appeared to be 5/16" steel tubing soldered or welded to the floor of the tank. Mine had no 'sock' over the end or baffling of any kind. I rolled the tank around and nothing rattled like the sock had been blown off. Sock is just something else to plug up...a good filter does the job and is easier to service.

As far as using the drain plug as a return...it would work. The down side is the safety issue of a leak that would continue until the tank was empty. Not much different that the pickup line. DOT standards are for all lines and holes in the top of the tank. I have seen non-efi cars converted to efi and saving the OEM appearance with the efi supplied with a mini high pressure fuel tank hidden inside an inner fender. Lower pressure fuel is pumped from the unaltered OEM fuel tank to the mini, high pressure efi fuel system.

I was really wondering about any baffling and how the pickup tube was arranged. That tells me a lot. Never thought about DOT stuff (my car is a death trap anyway???). I may play with using the drain as a "pick up" line to verify the internal issue... a little fuel line and a fitting or two may answer a few questions as well.

canadian_ranchero · 2016-10-03 21:44

have you seen the new fuel pump set up they just came out with?it is a small tank that fits under the hood,the stock fuel line from the pump that went to the carb goes to this tank,fills it[has a float like the carb]the high presser pump inside the tank feeds the fuel injectors

lalessi1 · 2016-10-04 07:37

The issue is that I still would need to be able to drain the main tank completely. That is a potential solution for a future EFI conversion though.

57ford · 2016-10-04 17:13

Couldn't you weld a return line into the filler neck? That's what I have on my Ranchero. Not sure if it 100% works yet as Im having issues with the car.
Robin.

Contibob · 2016-10-04 21:05

OEM style gas tanks for 57 Fords don't have a pick up tube. Basically it is a gravity feed to the fuel line at the base of the tank. If your car has a pick up tube it has been changed somewhere along the way.

lalessi1 · 2016-10-05 06:55

Quote from: gasman826 on 2016-10-03 20:49
A long time ago, I looked into one of my tanks through the sender unit hole. The pickup tube appeared to be 5/16" steel tubing soldered or welded to the floor of the tank. Mine had no 'sock' over the end or baffling of any kind. I rolled the tank around and nothing rattled like the sock had been blown off. Sock is just something else to plug up...a good filter does the job and is easier to service.

As far as using the drain plug as a return...it would work. The down side is the safety issue of a leak that would continue until the tank was empty. Not much different that the pickup line. DOT standards are for all lines and holes in the top of the tank. I have seen non-efi cars converted to efi and saving the OEM appearance with the efi supplied with a mini high pressure fuel tank hidden inside an inner fender. Lower pressure fuel is pumped from the unaltered OEM fuel tank to the mini, high pressure efi fuel system.

Quote from: Contibob on 2016-10-04 21:05
OEM style gas tanks for 57 Fords don't have a pick up tube. Basically it is a gravity feed to the fuel line at the base of the tank. If your car has a pick up tube it has been changed somewhere along the way.

My tank is original to the car. Basically it looks like I can simply feed the fuel pump from the drain connection and functionally it will perform as originally designed (except for a safety issue)? If that is the case I could then use the supply connection which I suspect is corroded through inside the tank as a future return.

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Gas Tank Issues?Advice Needed....