1989 Ranger Gas Tank Question

[ptofimpact]

1989 Ranger Custom 2.9 L. Has a plastic gas tank, which has a slight crack on top, leaks when its filled up.
Service station needs to drop tank to repair, but wants me to use or remove some gas before they do the work.

Question, I tried to siphon gas, but tube will only go so far down neck, never reaches gas, end stays dry, Is there a strainer or something that is preventing the siphon tube from reaching gas in tank.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[shane96ranger]

Do you know for sure the tank is cracked? Mine leaks from the filler pipe when it's full. I am taking the bed off tonight or tomorrow to do the pipe and fuel pump.

 

[koda6966]

Yeah I would double check the filler neck, at the bend right after the connection to the tank they LOVE to rot out. Mine on my Ranger is bad, and the one on my parts truck was bad there as well.

I would disconnect the bed and remove it, and then inspect the tank there. It would actually be easier for them to do that at the body shop than drop the tank anyway lol.. all you have to do is disconnect the neck at the fuel door, unhook the light connector at the rear of the truck (by the bumper) and remove the 6 bed bolts. Comes right off.

But yeah, there's something in there that prevents people from stealing your gas IIRC. I had to take the filler neck off to siphon some out of my parts truck.

 

[ptofimpact]

Thanks Guys

Thank you both for the info, and Yes we know its a crack, they found it last week.
Brought the Ole truck in for inspection, but had just filled the tank before I got there. Fuel leaked out after the fill, they checked it, found a crack right on top. We know the neck is ok, as the tank was dropped several months ago to replace the Fuel pump, wished I found the leak then.
Anyhow. they couldn't locate a tank in NC, so they plan to fix the crack with Marine Tex, as it on top. Replacing the support straps while its down, don't wanna do this again.
Many thanks.

Pete in NC

 

[shane96ranger]

Removing the bed is your easiest option IMHO.

 

[zukirider21]

Removing the bed is your easiest option IMHO.

x2 it's SO easy man. take out the taillights, three screws on filler neck, and the six bed bolts. that's it. get a buddy to help you lift it off and you can do the repair right then and there since it's on the top side of the tank...

 

[koda6966]

You don't even have to take out the tails, there's a connector under the bed for a quick disconnect of the lighting system.

 

[heptofite]

You don't even have to take out the tails, there's a connector under the bed for a quick disconnect of the lighting system.

not on first and second gen trucks.

 

[ptofimpact]

Thanks again

Thanks for the replys, taking off the bed for this Ranger would be most difficult, as it spent 15 years of its life in the NY area, before it came South. As a result there is so much rust, from the road salt, that removing bolts will pbly result in breaking stuff. The service station is prepared with new support straps for the tank, as the original ones need will snap when removed.
Thank you for the ideas and expertise.

 

[shane96ranger]

x2 it's SO easy man. take out the taillights, three screws on filler neck, and the six bed bolts. that's it. get a buddy to help you lift it off and you can do the repair right then and there since it's on the top side of the tank...

We did all of this and started lifting it up. We found the mud flaps were attached to the bed as well (I knew this, just forgot). So we actually just set the bed on top of the tire and the rear bumper, and didn't take it all the way off. There was plenty of room, and I'm a big guy.

For future reference, the bed bolt torx size is T55 and the 3 screws in the filler pipe are 7mm.



After the OP's comment about not being able to siphon the gas, I decided to investigate. That inner pipe has a hell of a kink in it, which I'm sure prevents the siphoning. There's nothing else in the pipe.

And this was indeed the source of my leak as you can see the severe cracking on the outer tube.

 

[ptofimpact]

Thanks

shane96ranger,
Many thanks for the info, I shall try the siphon again, but was unaware of the sharp bends, in a small diameter tube. The siphon tube is approx 1/2 inch o/d, surprised it sticks, probably on second bend.
Pete

 

[baddis]

not on first and second gen trucks.

there was on both my 88s my 89 and 90

 

[heptofite]

there was on both my 88s my 89 and 90

my 88 didn't have one, i had to drop the bulbs.

 

[BlueChariot]

When me and my cousin replaced the fuel pump on the '93 I had we put it on hislift and dropped the tank. I find it much easier (if you have a lift, which guys at a shop will have) to drop the tank rather than remove the bed. Beds are (in my experience) a bitch to take off and on. Then there's the annoyance of re-aligning it once it's back on.

 

[fivestring]

I just did the same operation last weekend to replace a fuel pump. My filler neck was identical to Shane's, cracks and all. Those buggers are EXPENSIVE!! Would you believe $184 from Advance. Ebay has one for under $50 but I'm a little afraid of quality. I patched mine by slathering the broken area with silicone and a band of rubber inner tube wrapped around the outside with a second hose clamp over it. Kind of like a tire patch.

Removing the bed was a breeze. Even though my truck is pretty rusty underneath (must have been through a Florida hurricane flood in it's past as the frame and undercarriage is pretty rusty all over). The bed went back on and lined up with the bolt holes very easily.