Recreating 10254. (with lots of questions)

[eimkeith]

Ok, so I worked on replacement seat bases today, then skipped over to straightening bent tailgate hinges on my press.

When they were ready to bolt on, I looked through my spares for the hardware and got sidetracked into pulling the big late model MV taillights to replace the severely bent brackets.

I straightened my spare brackets in the press, broke a significant number of fasteners during the removal of the bumperettes, and successfully mounted the spare brackets (MUCH better!). This required some re shaping of the rear frame member as well, as the years have not been kind to 10254.

I then decided to install the correct taillights (will be giving the larger late model lights to a friend for his M37) and spent some time testing harness connectors as I'd left the diagrams at the house. Got everything wired up INCLUDING the BO markers (they were non-functioning previously) and I can't express how much I prefer the correct lighting to the later alternatives.

Never did get the tail gate mounted or the seat bases completed...

On my BO markers, one bulb is fairly dim - I'm betting it is 24v - what is the 12v equivalent?


keith.

(sent from my rotary dial phone.)

[eimkeith]

OK, now I have fuel tank questions:

10254 had an aluminum marine fuel tank installed by the PPO. The fuel gauge has not functioned during my ownership of the truck, and the PO supplied a NAPA universal 12v sender as part of the spares package.

Well, I successfully ran the truck out of fuel in the parking lot at work (that took some strategy - didn't want to get stranded anywhere, but also didn't want to have to drain fuel to do the repair.) So it was time to drop the tank and fix the sender.

Of course, both of the strap securing bolts rusted solid in the nut-blocks, and twisted off, and will need repair now.

The eventual punch line is that the sender is just fine, and the sender wire was not attached to the rear of the fuel gauge.

However, since I have the tank out, clean, and empty, I'd like to address anything I can concerning this area of the truck. This tank has NO baffles in it, and uses a rubber fuel hose as a pick-up, sans screen. It also has no provision for draining the tank.

So I'm looking for advice/knowledge on the stock tank baffle design and recommended improvements. Additionally, any fuel pick-up design wisdom would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance you guys, let me hear your thoughts on this.

[Don Cavey]

OK, now I have fuel tank questions:...

...Thanks in advance you guys, let me hear your thoughts on this.

I know that my answer is easy (for me) and most likely not an option for most. My truck had an original tank and a replacement sender (which was terribly rusty). I decided that I was not going down the road that others had taken with the boiling out of the tank, inside coatings when most have reported that later, the problems (fine powdered rust in the carburetor bowl) came back. I bit the bullet and spent money I really didn't have. I got Mike here on this forum to make me a new stainless steel tank which duplicated the original. It has baffles like the original and takes all of the usual hoses and attachments. I got a new sender from (I think) Memphis Equipment which was designed to work with our truck's original electrical system (24 Volt DC). Yes, it was expensive but I am done with the problem. BTW, the tank does have a drain plug in the bottom as did the original.

Mike was making the tanks out of steel, galvanized steel (no longer now) and stainless steel. You may consider that option.

I found the thread:

New Repro Stock Fuel Tanks for sale

[eimkeith]

Thanks Don!

I'm looking at modifications to my aluminum tank at the moment - drawing from racecar fuel cell concepts (and parts of which that I have in my toolbox and around the shop)

I may go with a surge tank instead of reproducing the baffle, and am considering an electronic sender over the swinging-arm style...

We'll see.

BTW, I DID get the broken bolts out, so my strap mounting blocks are still functional.

I'll take a look at the link, much appreciated.


keith.

(sent from my rotary dial phone.)

[eimkeith]

Don, in the link you provided, this picture has me confuesd:



I'm assuming the weld line I'm seeing (4 horizontal beads) across the bottom is the positioning of the baffle? If so, how does that help front/rear sloshing/starvation?

[Don Cavey]

I would email or PM Mike and ask him. I believe the baffles are the same as the original. You don't want sloshing left to right either, maybe there is more sloshing side to side? I am in Australia right now and can't check and the old tank is gone to the metal recyclers now.

[eimkeith]

I have ANOTHER question about this - where is the vent?

My cap certainly isn't vented, and there are no discernable vents in my tank, either. How does that work? On the other hand, if it were vented, how would it ford??

[jeeper]

The tank itself isn't vented. There is a fuel return line in the filler neck though.

You can buy a vented cap here.

[eimkeith]

OK, so we're supposed to have a vented cap, easy enough. Thank you.

[Barrman]

We are supposed to have the cap that can go both ways. The one in the linked auction has the lever on the inside that can make it vented for normal use and non vented for fording operations.