Fuel Pick Up ?

[m-37Bruce]

I have recently found that if my fuel tank is not more than 1/4 full, the pump can't pick up enough fuel. A guy at work, my HVAC guy is a shade tree mechanic, he said that is designed to keep the pick up from sucking up accumulated moisture that is below the gas/fuel, does this sound right? My pick up looks like a steel cup, but it has microscopic walls and bottom, very smooth.
On a brighter note, my truck is running and running quite well!

[Brett]

Bruce,

It sounds like you are describing the in-tank fuel filter. The pick up tube is probably rusted or cracked inside, allowing it to suck air below 1/4 tank. I would get rid of the intank filter, and add an inline filter if you don't already have one. The pick up tube can be replaced with 5/16" steel fuel line. I just can't remember if it is attatched to the plate with a flare nut or if it is soldered into place.

Brett

[greeno]

Yeah, pop the pick-up plate off and redo the pick-tube. Your old in-tank filter is probably rolling around the tank somewhere like mine was. I just ran a 5/16" fuel line straight from the pick-up plate down into the tank, and it is a flare nut connection.

[m-37Bruce]

I had the tank boiled and relined last year, So I guess I'll delete the pick-up and drop a line about a half inch from the bottom. I added a marine filter and electric fuel pump, wish I had done it sooner!

[Brett]

Bruce,

The early models with the firewall mounted filter had a pickup tube that was shaped like an upside down question mark with the inlet paralell to the bottom of the tank. I'm guessing this was so that if you smashed in the bottom of the tank the pick up would deform and not pierce the bottom of the tank. The later models accomplished the same thing with two 90 deg bends in the tube. I ran out to the garage before typing this to look through parts piles. I thought I had an early style pickup tube on its way to VA, but I think I must have thrown it in with a gas tank I sold to Snowdad a couple years ago.

Brett

[m-37Bruce]

Thanks for thinking of me, I could bend one the same way or add some elbows to make the bends?

[greeno]

I couldn't figure out what the bends were for, thanks Brett!