Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and 
- Joined
- May 15, 2020
- Messages
- 4,224
- Points
- 601
- Age
- 70
- City
- Atlanta
- State - Country
- GA - USA
- Other
- Manufacturers factory tour, maybe big dealership tour
- Vehicle Year
- 1997 1987
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Engine
- 4.0 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 97 stock, 3” on 87
- Total Drop
- N/A
- Tire Size
- 235/75-15
- My credo
- Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Now that I’m an expert (busted head and knuckles):
Sloshing gas: I got about a 5 foot long piece of 3/8 vacuum tube. If you wiggle it around you can not only get it into the tank through the fill neck, but if you watch the natural curve in the tube and you control it, and gage the length, you can get it dead center in the bottom. Then you can siphon out 99% of the diesel. it takes less time than I just talked to describe it. Tastes good too!
I had the same problem on the fuel lines. A few days before you do it, soak them in penetrating oil. Then the clips work like they’re supposed to with the little tool and a few taps. I used the right size open end wrench to back the little tool, and then I can tap the handle to tap the tool.
I also took about 2 or 3 feet of the clips off the fuel lines and the wires etc., so I had enough room to play with. are use zip ties to put it all back, overkill.
On the rear tank, after you get the four bolts out, you have to wiggle it side to side to drop it down. If I remember right, you move it away from the fill neck, and then the fill neck side drops down first. Of course you have to take the fill neck off. If you’re only problem is the pick up screen, you can actually spin the ring around and pull the sending unit out and do it without taking the lines lose. If you put in a new screen, you don’t have to get every bit out of the tank.
If you do drop the tanks: I rigged up about a 30 or 35 inch 1.5” PVC extension onto my shop vac. I got all the little pieces out, and I was able to suck the screen and something else I don’t remember onto the tip of the pipe so I could draw them out with the suction.
And the fuel gauges are expensive and actually don’t even include all the parts, you have to buy them in two pieces and they’re like $200 for the set (x2!). There’s that teeny brass contact that moves, but basically just grounds out on the steel housing. I cleaned up that housing where it contacts with my Dremel wire brush, and the thing works perfect, both of them.
On the little wire that is riveted on both ends, I wiggled those rivets back-and-forth very carefully to make sure there was a good contact, and then I used a nail set with a sharpened point, and dimpled the rivets in two places to further make sure there was a good contact.
The new pick up screens are made of correct material, so when you put them in, you don’t have to worry about them disintegrating. But some of them didn’t disintegrate, they simply fell off the tube, hence using a little hose clamp to really tighten them down.
Hey, You probably know all this, but I hope it helps. And you’re not doing it right if you don’t hit your head on the frame three or four times and bust your knuckles a few times. & Remember you can’t say ouch unless it bleeds...
Sloshing gas: I got about a 5 foot long piece of 3/8 vacuum tube. If you wiggle it around you can not only get it into the tank through the fill neck, but if you watch the natural curve in the tube and you control it, and gage the length, you can get it dead center in the bottom. Then you can siphon out 99% of the diesel. it takes less time than I just talked to describe it. Tastes good too!
I had the same problem on the fuel lines. A few days before you do it, soak them in penetrating oil. Then the clips work like they’re supposed to with the little tool and a few taps. I used the right size open end wrench to back the little tool, and then I can tap the handle to tap the tool.
I also took about 2 or 3 feet of the clips off the fuel lines and the wires etc., so I had enough room to play with. are use zip ties to put it all back, overkill.
On the rear tank, after you get the four bolts out, you have to wiggle it side to side to drop it down. If I remember right, you move it away from the fill neck, and then the fill neck side drops down first. Of course you have to take the fill neck off. If you’re only problem is the pick up screen, you can actually spin the ring around and pull the sending unit out and do it without taking the lines lose. If you put in a new screen, you don’t have to get every bit out of the tank.
If you do drop the tanks: I rigged up about a 30 or 35 inch 1.5” PVC extension onto my shop vac. I got all the little pieces out, and I was able to suck the screen and something else I don’t remember onto the tip of the pipe so I could draw them out with the suction.
And the fuel gauges are expensive and actually don’t even include all the parts, you have to buy them in two pieces and they’re like $200 for the set (x2!). There’s that teeny brass contact that moves, but basically just grounds out on the steel housing. I cleaned up that housing where it contacts with my Dremel wire brush, and the thing works perfect, both of them.
On the little wire that is riveted on both ends, I wiggled those rivets back-and-forth very carefully to make sure there was a good contact, and then I used a nail set with a sharpened point, and dimpled the rivets in two places to further make sure there was a good contact.
The new pick up screens are made of correct material, so when you put them in, you don’t have to worry about them disintegrating. But some of them didn’t disintegrate, they simply fell off the tube, hence using a little hose clamp to really tighten them down.
Hey, You probably know all this, but I hope it helps. And you’re not doing it right if you don’t hit your head on the frame three or four times and bust your knuckles a few times. & Remember you can’t say ouch unless it bleeds...
Hmmm, All I’m coming up with are politicians, no celebrities...
