Swapping fuel tanks between years

[85_Ranger4x4]

1985 Std Cab Longbox originally 2.8 carburated, now 5.0 carburated.

My fuel tank is leaking from behind the plastic shield on the front, I can see it is packed with dirt and debris behind the shield so while I am hoping it is fixable I know the whole front could be paper thin and junk.

I have a tank out of a '86 std cab longbox that had a 2.9... hard swap to make it work with a carb? What about a later plastic tank? I know they changed the senders in the late 80's so do they interchange or is the plastic tank just a dead end?

And how important is the shield at the front?

 

[adsm08]

The shield is supposed to protect the tank from road debris, especially on 4x4 models. But I have run into this too where it holds dirt and rots out the tank.

The 86 tank should work without much trouble. 85 was the year the 2.3 got EFI, so the 85 tanks have the bigger hole to accept a fuel pump, instead of just a level sender.

I looked into going to a plastic tank, but to get the good ones you have to change out a frame cross member. Right now would be the perfect time for me, but I didn't want to go to the yard and cut another piece out. It also requires replacing a lot of lines on an FI truck.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, I can see (thanks to my bodylift) there is a lot more going on on top of the tank than just the sender, it has a big plate thing up there like a later model fuel tank.

My '86 tank is still in the rafters of my dad's grainery so I haven't been able to compare them side by side yet.

 

[Shran]

The issue with newer tanks, specifically like 89 or 90 up, is that the sending units have a different ohm range for the gas gauge and won't read correctly on a 1st gen. Also there is the single fuel pump system, high pressure pump in the tank only.

So what I am saying is that your best bet would be probably the '86 tank you have, a plastic tank from a newer truck and your current sending unit, or a new replacement steel tank which fortunately are still being made and not real expensive.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The issue with newer tanks, specifically like 89 or 90 up, is that the sending units have a different ohm range for the gas gauge and won't read correctly on a 1st gen. Also there is the single fuel pump system, high pressure pump in the tank only.

So what I am saying is that your best bet would be probably the '86 tank you have, a plastic tank from a newer truck and your current sending unit, or a new replacement steel tank which fortunately are still being made and not real expensive.

Plastic tank would be my ultimate end-all solution but changing crossmembers isn't that appealing.

I am just glad I made the cut to have the bigger hole in the top of the tank.

 

[BLOODBANE]

When I was running the Pro-Jection I got a tank from a 87 or so and put it in my 84. Just change the sending plug and splice into your existing wires. My Gauge works like it suppose to (you cant find a new sending unit for the early Ranger tanks anyway).
It bolted in stock location with a little persuasion (it was tight is all). When I went back to the Quadra-Jet, I used a Mr.Gasket adjustable in line fuel pressure regulator (can be bought a AutoZone, Carquest, just about anywhere). The in tank fuel pumps from that era are a low pressure and it goes to the high pressure pump on the frame rail. I still had to run only 2-3 psi for the carb (the Pro-Jection wanted around 140psi). I dont have to many fits with them, but I do have to change them out from time to time (a couple of years in between). I did not run a return line with the carb and just plugged off the return line on the pump.

hope this helps some....

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When I was running the Pro-Jection I got a tank from a 87 or so and put it in my 84. Just change the sending plug and splice into your existing wires. My Gauge works like it suppose to (you cant find a new sending unit for the early Ranger tanks anyway).
It bolted in stock location with a little persuasion (it was tight is all). When I went back to the Quadra-Jet, I used a Mr.Gasket adjustable in line fuel pressure regulator (can be bought a AutoZone, Carquest, just about anywhere). The in tank fuel pumps from that era are a low pressure and it goes to the high pressure pump on the frame rail. I still had to run only 2-3 psi for the carb (the Pro-Jection wanted around 140psi). I dont have to many fits with them, but I do have to change them out from time to time (a couple of years in between). I did not run a return line with the carb and just plugged off the return line on the pump.

hope this helps some....

Sure.

It is running great with a aftermarket fuel pump on the frame so far though.