Rocco's '89 L.A. Ranger needs a new fuel tank

[TBell]

Hey Ranger Owners! Thanks for being here. We have an '89 Ranger XLT 2.9L V6 Auto. w/pushbutton 4x4 and extended cab that we inherited from my wife's dad, Rocco. He put most of the 100K miles on it and it runs just fine. In L.A., we don't need the 4x4, (almost did last week) but having a truck sure comes in handy. We really want to keep it running. I was told by my mechanic that it needs a new fuel tank -- but that they are discontinued. I've looked on the web and asked a fuel tank repair guy if he could fix mine but he says its plastic and can't be fixed. Anyone have any ideas where I could find a new one? Many thanks.

 

[superj]

Google seemed to find a number. I didn't actually hit any links but this one

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/JC_Whitney/Fuel_Tank/1988/ARBF670112.html?TID=gglpla&origin=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=12059966625&&&gclid=CjwKCAiAu5agBhBzEiwAdiR5tKJBtGMyIbjo_DKGzMT32oydAipXRRtut5tZeAGKCj0VK_ZIazrJyhoCGHEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Good price too. (For posterity; $97.49, reg $243.51)

 

[Shran]

Google seemed to find a number. I didn't actually hit any links but this one

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/JC_Whitney/Fuel_Tank/1988/ARBF670112.html?TID=gglpla&origin=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=12059966625&&&gclid=CjwKCAiAu5agBhBzEiwAdiR5tKJBtGMyIbjo_DKGzMT32oydAipXRRtut5tZeAGKCj0VK_ZIazrJyhoCGHEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That is for an '88 which had steel tanks... '89 up has plastic. Not that you can't overcome that, but the straps will for sure be an issue. I had to build my own when I put an '88 tank in a '92 frame but it's possible that '88 straps would work. Might need to use parts of an '88 sending unit too.......... it gets complicated.

Have to ask what is wrong with the original tank? Hole rubbed in it or something? It is incredibly rare to have one just go bad. They can almost always be cleaned or fixed pretty easily unless there is substantial damage.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Along Glenoaks Blvd in Sun Valley is junkyard mecca. I think there is a dedicated Ford scrap yard among them. The pick a part there is pretty huge too.

 

[TBell]

That is for an '88 which had steel tanks... '89 up has plastic. Not that you can't overcome that, but the straps will for sure be an issue. I had to build my own when I put an '88 tank in a '92 frame but it's possible that '88 straps would work. Might need to use parts of an '88 sending unit too.......... it gets complicated.

Have to ask what is wrong with the original tank? Hole rubbed in it or something? It is incredibly rare to have one just go bad. They can almost always be cleaned or fixed pretty easily unless there is substantial damage.

Thanks for this. Took it to gas tank specialist in Bellflower who said he can't fix plastic tanks. Said he thought it was cracked -- although they never took it out -- just a quick inspection.

 

[Shran]

I would think you could fix it yourself with a plastic welding kit. Depends on where the damage is I guess.

The reason you will need to mix and match parts if you use the '88 tank is because the fuel pump is different and the fuel gauge ohm range is different. You should be able to use your existing pump swapped onto the older style sending unit and you would need to swap your fuel level float assembly onto it as well. It's not super hard once you figure out why all that is necessary. I don't recall exactly what an '89 super cab gas tank looks like but sometimes the sending units are shape differently or the tank is shaped differently or the sending unit hole is in a different spot... so using your sending unit as it exists right now on a '88 tank is not a sure thing.

 

[superj]

Sorry, I thought I hit an 87 tank