FJ40 I call Shipwreck

[Deaf Bob]

Guess I better put a fuel cell in my 57... Was gonna coat it... Somebody already chopped my spare tire hole in half, so no biggy to cut the rest out...

[SuperBuickGuy]

I like the holley hydramat but the problem is you have to pull the tank if it gets plugged..... that said, this tank wouldn't have worked for 4 years without sealing - it was marginal when I fixed it..... and they aren't cheap... I cut corners when I built this, some worked quite well, others not so much - kind of a life happens, and one of my friends can say he pulled my '40.... again.

[1946Austin]

I'll never seal a tank in any vehicle I own. I was coming back from Tonasket, Wa. a few years ago in my '69 Suburban when it coughed to a stop like it ran out of gas. Of course I was in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, and the back of my Burb loaded. I coasted to a stop as far off the road as possible, but still dangerously close to the edge.
I opened the hood to look around and a quick look down the carb showed no gas when I pumped it. I checked my clear filter and saw particles of junk in it, but no gas in it. After a few minutes I somehow got it to fire, but it would not run over 15 mph uphill. I limped along the side with cars blowing their horns at me. Reached the summit and it went 60 mph downhill. Turned into Goldendale, Wa. and bought a new fuel pump and filter at the NAPA and installed it in the gravel parking lot. Fortunately I always carry tools.
I hit the road again, and as soon as I got to the first uphill grade it fell on it's face! My trip home the last couple hundred miles took 11 hours, and I stayed on side roads wherever I could. It was scary and excruciating.
The next day I pulled the pickup assembly from the tank and found some previous owner had left the sock off the pickup! And he'd coated the tank with sealer! In the end of the pickup tube was what looked like black plastic sheeting. I pulled it out, and when I spread it out on the ground it was 7"-8" in diameter! Somehow the pump pulled hard enough to suck it several inches up the pickup tube!
I dropped the tank and filtered the gas to find all sorts of smaller pieces. I did the chain in the tank routine, and broke more loose. Bought a new pickup and sock, and installed them. Added a second fuel filter before the fuel pump, and haven't had any more problems in 3 or 4 years. But it convinced me I'd never use this sealer crap. And if funds were a question I'd simply buy a fuel cell and replace my tank with a cell. They're much cheaper than a factory style tank, and work as well.

[silver_bullet]

I touched it then put it away
I love those $10 video probes that hook up to your phone.... don't like the answer


I need to replace at minimum the pickup and figure out how to get the POR 15 tank coating out. Which I did.... new tank, aeromotive in-tank fuel pump. to be continued when parts arrive

Sorry....

[SuperBuickGuy]

I touched it then put it away
I love those $10 video probes that hook up to your phone.... don't like the answer


I need to replace at minimum the pickup and figure out how to get the POR 15 tank coating out. Which I did.... new tank, aeromotive in-tank fuel pump. to be continued when parts arrive

[SuperBuickGuy]

I did get it into the shop (which was quite an achievement).... but didn't touch it outside of that....

[SuperBuickGuy]

There is that approach as well. Seems too easy though...but then again my default setting is hardwired to “cheap”. I need to work on that.

and another option is build a tank for it... the issues with the current tank includes that POR 15 inside and slight vapor leaks.... so it's not a cheap option when it's the only option.

[STINEY]

There is that approach as well. Seems too easy though...but then again my default setting is hardwired to “cheap”. I need to work on that.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I sincerely hope that’s not the case. But if it is strap that tank to your tractor rear wheel, jack it up toss in a box of drywall screws and let it tumble for several hours. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

or spend the $399 and buy a new tank....

[STINEY]

hmmm, maybe - that said, it's a Holley hydramat.... ugh - it means pulling the seat, and then the sender from the tank. Now would be an optimal time to make the fuel pump in-tank, but I'm afraid that if it is plugged it's POR15 got me again.... I used the tank seal stuff and it did not adhere as well as I hoped it would - so this could be a mess.

I sincerely hope that’s not the case. But if it is strap that tank to your tractor rear wheel, jack it up toss in a box of drywall screws and let it tumble for several hours. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

[SuperBuickGuy]

got a spare pump? rig it up roadkill style and give it a go. hearing that it's not an in tank pump makes me thing its more than likely the pump, electric pumps hate pulling fuel.

in either case, it's more unlikely, while I wasn't watching the pressure while it happened, it maintains 40 psi. As far as the pump placement, once primed it would drain the tank because the lowest point is the fuel pump.

[ejs262]

hmmm, maybe - that said, it's a Holley hydramat.... ugh - it means pulling the seat, and then the sender from the tank. Now would be an optimal time to make the fuel pump in-tank, but I'm afraid that if it is plugged it's POR15 got me again.... I used the tank seal stuff and it did not adhere as well as I hoped it would - so this could be a mess.

got a spare pump? rig it up roadkill style and give it a go. hearing that it's not an in tank pump makes me thing its more than likely the pump, electric pumps hate pulling fuel.

[SuperBuickGuy]

sounds like a clogged fuel filter to me.

hmmm, maybe - that said, it's a Holley hydramat.... ugh - it means pulling the seat, and then the sender from the tank. Now would be an optimal time to make the fuel pump in-tank, but I'm afraid that if it is plugged it's POR15 got me again.... I used the tank seal stuff and it did not adhere as well as I hoped it would - so this could be a mess.

[ejs262]

sounds like a clogged fuel filter to me.

[SuperBuickGuy]

came home on a tow strap today. Once the motor got to 140* it acted like it was running out of fuel and only vigorous pumping would keep it running (efi, yeah, that shouldn't be possible)...

time to diagnose.

Later