Rolling inches above the ground has its disadvantages. Damaging road debris and road bumps are bound to jump up and make their presence known sooner or later. We took notice that our ’89 S-10’s fuel gauge was reading incorrectly, so we took a peek at the gas tank only to find two rather large dents—just enough damage to explain why the fuel gauge was telling us it was full before it really was.
Follow along as we chuck the dented old tank, install a mint unit from LMC Truck in its place, and replace a few other items while we were under the truck.
1. To start, we disconnected...
1. To start, we disconnected the fuel neck from the bedside by removing the 10mm bolts holding everything in place. Once the hardware was removed, the plastic piece was snaked out and set aside.
2. The tank will drop out...
2. The tank will drop out from below, so getting the truck up in the air by either using a lift or jackstands is necessary. We also siphoned out as much fuel as possible to lighten the load
3. The tank is held in place...
3. The tank is held in place by two straps connected to the framerail. We sprayed the hardware with penetrating fluid before trying to loosen it.
4. With the straps loosened,...
4. With the straps loosened, we used a transmission jack to support the tank. The bolts were then removed to drop the tank down enough to reach up on top to disconnect the fuel lines.
5. As you can see, the LMC...
5. As you can see, the LMC tank (right) is an exact duplicate of the factory unit so it will slip right back into place without modifications.
6. We thoroughly inspected...
6. We thoroughly inspected all the rubber hoses attached to the stock tank. If any show signs of cracking, it’s best to replace them. Luckily ours were all in good shape so we just cleaned and reused them.
7. Even though we ordered...
7. Even though we ordered a new fuel pick-up/sending unit and fuel pump, it’s a good idea to remove the stock unit for reference as you assemble all the new goods. We used a hammer and a drift to turn the lock ring to free the assembly.
8. The first step in assembling...
8. The first step in assembling the fuel sender/pump assembly was to make sure the rubber O-ring and new lock-ring fit.
9. The fuel pump from LMC...
9. The fuel pump from LMC comes with all new hoses and clamps to attach it to the pick-up assembly.
10. This plastic spacer fits...
10. This plastic spacer fits on the lower mount area of the fuel pump and will keep it in the proper location.
11. Once all the hoses are...
11. Once all the hoses are installed onto the fuel pump, it was attached to the pick-up assembly. The hoses will keep the fuel pump pushed down against the plastic spacer once you tighten the hose clamps. Since LMC makes its parts to factory specs, all the wiring plugged right in.
12. The last thing left on...
12. The last thing left on the pump assembly was to install the pre-filter by clicking it in place. We made sure it’s rotated so it won’t interfere with the gas gauge float.
13. The freshly assembled...
13. The freshly assembled unit was then dropped into the tank. We double-checked that all the hose barbs are pointing the same way as the filler hole.
14. We didn’t order the strap...
14. We didn’t order the strap gaskets, so we improvised and used a little sticky foam.
15. The tank was stuffed back...
15. The tank was stuffed back into the truck just like the old one came out.
16. Since we installed a fresh...
16. Since we installed a fresh tank, we thought it was a good idea to throw in a new fuel filter too. This will keep any small particles the pre-filter doesn't grab from getting into the motor.
17. Almost done, just reattached...
17. Almost done, just reattached the hoses, double-checked all the clamps and hardware, and put the truck back on the ground.
18. To check the accuracy...
18. To check the accuracy of the gas gauge, we poured in 2.5 gallons and then checked the reading. Since this is a 20-gallon tank, the gauge’s reading of 1/8 of a tank is spot on.