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Need help with the ridiculous fuel system
- Thread starter Goomba
- Start date
Will L.
Well-Known Member
I have made many different fuel tanks for different rigs over the years. Never low cost but doable.
What is the 6.5 in that you need a tank for, what capacity, come into play. There are folks that can do plastic, Aluminum, steel and stainless steel are more often done as custom. If you need it as a fuel cell or bladder style is also something to consider very early in planning.
I will say after the years of making them, I wanted an auxiliary tank for my hummer (up to 1995 was single,96 and newr got an auxiliary), So I just bought the premade plastic tank for about $175 because it is way easier and same cost as diy from steel for it in the tight area it has to fit.
What is the 6.5 in that you need a tank for, what capacity, come into play. There are folks that can do plastic, Aluminum, steel and stainless steel are more often done as custom. If you need it as a fuel cell or bladder style is also something to consider very early in planning.
I will say after the years of making them, I wanted an auxiliary tank for my hummer (up to 1995 was single,96 and newr got an auxiliary), So I just bought the premade plastic tank for about $175 because it is way easier and same cost as diy from steel for it in the tight area it has to fit.
I currently own a 2000 chevy 3500HD cab and chassis regular cab with LPAK tool box and 10' dumping bed. I purchased the truck 8 years ago and have been fighting with the fuel system since. Water in the rear tank until moving the fill tube location, injector pump breakdowns due to water filters clogging transfer pump failure several times computer malfunctions all while loving the way the truck works for our business
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Take multiple pics of how you are set up. I might be able to offer suggestions. Besides having had a ase master cert in truck equipment (amongst others) I was partners in owning a truck equipment shop.
How you fuel a dump is a common place of error. We used to fix the issue for many companies that had the truck built at our competitors because it was cheaper up front price. By the time they learn they have a $40,000-$100,000 paperweight, they brought it to us and spent way more than they would have doing it right the first time.
In Nv and many other states it is legal to raise a bed and use safety support in order to fill the tank(s). The labor and nuisance is often the choice over custom tank or bed modifications required.
Has someone modified one or both of the factory tanks? Their base design was good, never had issues with the tanks themselves until many years later and the introduction of ethanol/methanol into the fuel which delaminates the coating inside the tanks over time. For the solution to that, stripping the interior of the tank or simply new tanks to replace them, eliminating the internal screen (aka sock) and using a pre filter exterior of the tank. As it sounds you have already learned a quality aftermarket water separation systemis a worth while investment. While doing all that upgrades to the final filter and lift pump make sense since they are poor to moderate at best. The Airdogg and Fass both come across as good options. You do need to modify tank inlets for them both and new lines. External fuel pressure gauge tapped at the ip is a must but pays for itself even in stock setup so that is a no brainer.
Modified tank access is no biggie compared to new tanks. New tanks obviously mean built to handle the additional lines and larger sizes. If you choose custom new tanks, using the old ones as a beginning pattern saves a lot of time often.
There is not many, or any that I know of, custom mass made tanks for these trucks because the factory ones are so low cost to replace. Rock auto has stainless steel ones for $300. Custom build stainless is going to cost $1000 in any shop, maybe more depending where you are. So replacement is where to start usually. Custom out of mild steel is around $600. But then you need to coat the interior...so square one in a few years possibly.
Not trying to sound like a jerk, but if you were a certified welder and fabricator you wouldn’t even ask. So understand to LEGALLY build a fuel tank for on road use in the USA you have to hold an ‘R’ stamp certificate, not just 6G or 6 position. So other than backyard bobby, you aren’t going to be paying some cheap hourly rate.
In real world not court room, Any decent fabricator can build a descent custom tank. Be leary because many get the ‘solution’ of tank outside the frame rail or other dangerous ideas. And since your truck isn’t tested for it, you become liable more than the welder/fabricator. Even when you sell the truck and the next owner has it- since you commissioned it.
How you fuel a dump is a common place of error. We used to fix the issue for many companies that had the truck built at our competitors because it was cheaper up front price. By the time they learn they have a $40,000-$100,000 paperweight, they brought it to us and spent way more than they would have doing it right the first time.
In Nv and many other states it is legal to raise a bed and use safety support in order to fill the tank(s). The labor and nuisance is often the choice over custom tank or bed modifications required.
Has someone modified one or both of the factory tanks? Their base design was good, never had issues with the tanks themselves until many years later and the introduction of ethanol/methanol into the fuel which delaminates the coating inside the tanks over time. For the solution to that, stripping the interior of the tank or simply new tanks to replace them, eliminating the internal screen (aka sock) and using a pre filter exterior of the tank. As it sounds you have already learned a quality aftermarket water separation systemis a worth while investment. While doing all that upgrades to the final filter and lift pump make sense since they are poor to moderate at best. The Airdogg and Fass both come across as good options. You do need to modify tank inlets for them both and new lines. External fuel pressure gauge tapped at the ip is a must but pays for itself even in stock setup so that is a no brainer.
Modified tank access is no biggie compared to new tanks. New tanks obviously mean built to handle the additional lines and larger sizes. If you choose custom new tanks, using the old ones as a beginning pattern saves a lot of time often.
There is not many, or any that I know of, custom mass made tanks for these trucks because the factory ones are so low cost to replace. Rock auto has stainless steel ones for $300. Custom build stainless is going to cost $1000 in any shop, maybe more depending where you are. So replacement is where to start usually. Custom out of mild steel is around $600. But then you need to coat the interior...so square one in a few years possibly.
Not trying to sound like a jerk, but if you were a certified welder and fabricator you wouldn’t even ask. So understand to LEGALLY build a fuel tank for on road use in the USA you have to hold an ‘R’ stamp certificate, not just 6G or 6 position. So other than backyard bobby, you aren’t going to be paying some cheap hourly rate.
In real world not court room, Any decent fabricator can build a descent custom tank. Be leary because many get the ‘solution’ of tank outside the frame rail or other dangerous ideas. And since your truck isn’t tested for it, you become liable more than the welder/fabricator. Even when you sell the truck and the next owner has it- since you commissioned it.
The current set up is still factory for a diesel front 22 gallon up under the cab and rear 18 gallon was replaced with plastic four years ago after the thing collapsed. This is the third $2500 bill for the fuel pump and delivery system so a $1000 custom tank is obviously the better answer aside from picking a new truck out and five years of $1000 a month to own more rusted junk
red
Being a lake bum in Texas
On the 3500HD's the factory front tank should be about 20 gallon, rear 32 (mine only has the rear).
Sounds like the issue isn't the tanks themselves, but a fuel quality problem (contaminated with water). Is that more accurate?
If so, what changes have been done to the fuel filter setup or is it still the stock single filter?
Sounds like the issue isn't the tanks themselves, but a fuel quality problem (contaminated with water). Is that more accurate?
If so, what changes have been done to the fuel filter setup or is it still the stock single filter?
Will L.
Well-Known Member
TANK COLLAPSED?!!?
whoa pilgrim. You have major issues not the fault of the tank.
And you mentioned water then replaced pump- again not the fault of a tank. Right there the expensive FASS lift pump and filter system would have paid for itself because if you run enough water through their separator to limits- it will stop flow and engine will quit running instead of pushing water through.
unless you are willing to have the custom tank hang below the height of the factory one- you normally loose volume because the crazy formation on top of a tank to squeeze in a few extra gallons cant be duplicated.
NEED those pictures to see what you have for options.
Thinking back, I remember one truck we did, f550 that we put 4 custom tanks in. The driver had to operate a rotating switch to go from one tank to the next as each one got low. His was for long distance driving/towing. So you can do multiple individual controlled units. Your system has priority supply system and changing that becomes a pain. So keeping the electrical system as is - probably the better choice. But understand doing it that way might create problems to work out also.
And btw- whatever mechanics you are using- if they couldn’t figure out why you are destroying tanks, pumps, etc- quit using them. They might be good on other vehicles but are obviously lost in this one. 6.5 is unique in many ways but wow, it would be cheaper if you paid their wages to learn on this forum.
Post the pics, and what area you are in. Might be a descent shop near you. Hummers run this engine and have other unique components that get destroyed by inexperienced mechanics- so it is common guys ship their hummer across multiple states to get them to a good shop.
whoa pilgrim. You have major issues not the fault of the tank.
And you mentioned water then replaced pump- again not the fault of a tank. Right there the expensive FASS lift pump and filter system would have paid for itself because if you run enough water through their separator to limits- it will stop flow and engine will quit running instead of pushing water through.
unless you are willing to have the custom tank hang below the height of the factory one- you normally loose volume because the crazy formation on top of a tank to squeeze in a few extra gallons cant be duplicated.
NEED those pictures to see what you have for options.
Thinking back, I remember one truck we did, f550 that we put 4 custom tanks in. The driver had to operate a rotating switch to go from one tank to the next as each one got low. His was for long distance driving/towing. So you can do multiple individual controlled units. Your system has priority supply system and changing that becomes a pain. So keeping the electrical system as is - probably the better choice. But understand doing it that way might create problems to work out also.
And btw- whatever mechanics you are using- if they couldn’t figure out why you are destroying tanks, pumps, etc- quit using them. They might be good on other vehicles but are obviously lost in this one. 6.5 is unique in many ways but wow, it would be cheaper if you paid their wages to learn on this forum.
Post the pics, and what area you are in. Might be a descent shop near you. Hummers run this engine and have other unique components that get destroyed by inexperienced mechanics- so it is common guys ship their hummer across multiple states to get them to a good shop.