39 Chevy Coupe - All Steel - having issue with gas tank

took over an all steel 39 chevy coupe w/455ci olds project from my father when he passed and would like to finish it for him but need lots of help so I google'd "best hotrod forum" and wallllaaaa found this place....

couple of pics
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...6-29064907.jpg
interior...

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...6-29064945.jpg
455 olds

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...6-29065020.jpg
I really love the nostalgic dark gray primer and will keep it this color for a while....also love the wide white walls and yes also a ford 9" rear.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...28121137-1.jpg
trunk where the battery box and dead man switch is located...

really the only issue Im having is with the gas tank and the feed line.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...6-29065103.jpg
notice how the bit is halfway up tank...there is a metal tube inside running down to the bottom of the tank which i can blow air into to see bubble's in the gas from the opening of the sending unit hole. But unable to suck out any gas. I can blow but not suck....huh..."TWSS"...anyways when fuel line is hooked up to bit, nothing. but when placing the fuel line directly into sending unit hole the fuel pump has no problem and it fires right up. I used my air hose to blow through the line into the tank and no issues.
Is there a secondary hole on this inner tube? it is a 1yr old tank but was bought brand new.... just not sure where.
And if the inner tube is faulty...how can i make this polyethylene tank work. can I drill a pilot hole in top and screw in an elbow connecter with a fuel line hanging to the bottom of the tank? also another newb Q - is this considered a "Rat-Rod"?

any help is greatly appreciated

Definitely not a rat rod from the little you've shown of it...........................rats are usually field rough and rusty in appearance..........as in "ratty". This term gained some unjustified traction a decade or so ago and has faded mostly except in some limited circles.

A bit confused on you tank commentary. The picture shows a steel tank, but you mention a polyethylene tank. We talking two different tanks here? Some, most (?) newer tanks have a rollover check valve/ball in the pickup tube, could it be that portion of the pickup is installe incorrectly?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Definitely not a rat rod from the little you've shown of it...........................rats are usually field rough and rusty in appearance..........as in "ratty". This term gained some unjustified traction a decade or so ago and has faded mostly except in some limited circles.

A bit confused on you tank commentary. The picture shows a steel tank, but you mention a polyethylene tank. We talking two different tanks here? Some, most (?) newer tanks have a rollover check valve/ball in the pickup tube, could it be that portion of the pickup is installe incorrectly?

---

Thanks for the reply an my bad...yes it is a steel tank. And how do I check to see if rollover check valve is installed correctly? Sorry I am new to all this....

Usually the check is a ball in an external fitting on the poly tanks. Looking at the steel tank pictured, if it has one, it would be on the inside of the tank. Don't know if you've got visibility to that area to inspect. Also, is it possible you have one of those "sock" type filters on the end of the pickup tube? It could be it's clogged with debris that when you blow through it it acts like a "flap" in that it would allow air to push the material away, but when suction occurs it pulls the debris tight, blocking flow.

Is this an identical replacement tank for the original? Who made it?

I am not certain of this but.. I think that is for a return line. The suction should come out of the top of the tank.

From back in the 60's sometime. All tanks had to feed from the top for "safety" considerations. Even older truck fuel tanks had to be converted from bottom supply to top, local DOT would impound your truck if caught on the highway with "old style" tanks.

Check around the sending unit and see if there is another opening about the same size...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 34_40

I am not certain of this but.. I think that is for a return line. The suction should come out of the top of the tank.

From back in the 60's sometime. All tanks had to feed from the top for "safety" considerations. Even older truck fuel tanks had to be converted from bottom supply to top, local DOT would impound your truck if caught on the highway with "old style" tanks.

Check around the sending unit and see if there is another opening about the same size...

---

Thanks....I was also thinking this thouhht carb'd engines don't need a return line where fuel injected do....and yes there is another circular flat spot on top of tank but needs cut out. Or should I find a compatable sending unit that incorporates the pickup line which the new original didn't have. I emptied the tank and using a 5gallon jug as temp tank for now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OUTL4W

Thanks....I was also thinking this thouhht carb'd engines don't need a return line where fuel injected do....and yes there is another circular flat spot on top of tank but needs cut out. Or should I find a compatable sending unit that incorporates the pickup line which the new original didn't have. I emptied the tank and using a 5gallon jug as temp tank for now.

---

I'd try to find the compatible sending unit that incorporates the fuel pickup and plug/seal the fitting on the side.

I don't think you'll have to search hard - I seem to remember that Speedway has a couple and/or Tanks Inc. , CRS at the moment! :LOL:

FYI Some GM cars with Carbs do have return lines they run right from the fuel pump.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 34_40

I'd try to find the compatible sending unit that incorporates the fuel pickup and plug/seal the fitting on the side.

I don't think you'll have to search hard - I seem to remember that Speedway has a couple and/or Tanks Inc. , CRS at the moment! :LOL:

---

Went to local autozone but no luck and no local speedway.....much appreciated if you could link me to specific model....If needed it's 7" to bottom of tank from the sending unit hole.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sfort

Is this an identical replacement tank for the original? Who made it?

---

Yes identical replacement and can't find any markings on it. My dads best friend who did majority of the work and I are not on the best of speaking terms right now.

Try this - Speedway Motors - Street Rod Parts, Race Parts, Ford Flathead Parts, Sprint and Midget Racing Parts, Pedal Car Parts You can do the search....

Your description of the problem sounds like there is check valve in there, could be for roll over. I wonder how the sending unit is mounted, on top? Post more pictures of that tank, folks will be able to assist you better, not much to go on in that shot. That fitting is in a strange place.

Look at these tanks everything is happening on top of the tank; Fuel Cells & Tanks - SummitRacing.com

So a shot of your sending unit would be very helpfull

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pepi

Your description of the problem sounds like there is check valve in there, could be for roll over. I wonder how the sending unit is mounted, on top? Post more pictures of that tank, folks will be able to assist you better, not much to go on in that shot. That fitting is in a strange place.

Look at these tanks everything is happening on top of the tank; Fuel Cells & Tanks - SummitRacing.com

So a shot of your sending unit would be very helpfull

---

heres a pic of top of tank. Or did you want a pic of the actual sending unit?

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...7-02080559.jpg
like I said...there's a small circular flat spot but would need cut out for the pickup tube or do they make self tappers?

Try TANKS Inc. gas tanks for street rods and custom cars and trucks ,


try this page about half way down..
Fuel Tank Accessories

They have the pickup and roll over /vent plus some mounting plates, etc.

.

That's the money shot here is a good idea .

This guy used the sending unit plate drilled a hole to the side for the pick up tube and fitting. Look over you're sending unit and see if you have the room to pull it off. Real straight forward and you will not have to add any more holes in the tank

Fuel sending unit - Nova Tech



Borrowed from 34_40 post, if you have the room on the sending unit this is a 3/8 pick up would be my first choice

http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...prod/prd94.htm



1/4 NPT Withdrawal TANK to 24 inch High (Möller) - Reviews, Features, and Prices $16 - $18 at DealTime

Amazon.com: Moeller Mfg. 3350024 1/4NPT W/DRAWAL TANK TO 24IN H OEM FUEL CONNECTOR: Sports & Outdoors

You are working on a custom set up so plane ahead..

Thanks for everyones help.....I ordered the pick up tube, check valve, another sending unit seal and the 2hole sending unit adapter plate....hopefully this works...then plug up return line....not sure how my dads frien was goin' to make it work....

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...d/a3c184b0.jpg
the sending unit has 1bolt and just want to verify I have it wired correctly.....the pic is only for mock up....haven't yet screwed the unit to tank....but at least it's working for pulling fuel.

I won't swear by it - but - I think you've got it right. Good to hear it's pulling fuel now. Watch your ground(s) make sure both ends are clean and tight. If that's a female spade connection and it wiggles, it could cause you some reading errors at the meter.

I'm surprised that you have two wires to that single terminal, as I believe it is the (+) connection for your fuel gauge. My guess, looking at your wires, is that the green is going to the gauge, and the black is for ground but that is a pure guess. My sender, from AutoMeter, lands a single pink to the terminal shown, and a black to one of the screws holding the sender to the tank. That screw used for sender ground has to be clean, making good electrical contact. Does your fuel gauge work the way it's wired? If my guess is right you've got a dead short atop your sender right now, so you will have blown the fuse for your gauges.

Thanks....I poured a couple gallons but the meter reads as full tank. And they are closed end connectors. The tank is sitting level on floor. Ahhhhh...looks like I'm going to have to pick up an ohms meter to check this unit unless there's some other trick.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OUTL4W

Thanks....I poured a couple gallons but the meter reads as full tank. And they are closed end connectors. The tank is sitting level on floor. Ahhhhh...looks like I'm going to have to pick up an ohms meter to check this unit unless there's some other trick.

---

Ohms is the quickest check - take the wires loose and check between the black & a good chassis ground to see if it's zero'd. Then the same with the green, I think will show infinity. Also take a quick look at your fuel gauge, if you can see it easily, and check the connection color? Might not be a continuous wire, but worth a look. Remember your tank has to be grounded to the chassis for the gauge circuit to work - sitting on the floor you need to connect tank to chassis. That's the kind of thing I often forget, then scratch my head as to why I cannot get a signal....

I tend to agree with analogy.

Very nice glad to see you have your fuel pick up problem resolved. On to the sending unit, the green wire goes to the gauge, the ground is established via the sending unit mounted with screws to the tank, then the tank mounted to the frame.

Here is the way it works, power to the gauge, one lug, then the wire on the other lug goes to the sending unit. That in turn goes to the resistor that the float is connected to, as the float rises and falls it is acting like a light dimmer and the fuel gauge is the bulb.

I see a big washer there get rid of that just a nut and wire lug needed. You could cause a short with the washer and the fuel gauge will not want to work.

Keep this up and you will be driving around in no time, hotrodding is problem solving one problem at a time. Then all of a sudden you're riding around living large, way cool...

I had to save your picture to my computah.. the make it bigger so I could see what you had and I have to stand corrected. Only 1 wire (from the gauge) goes onto the post and the ground goes under one of the hold down screws that secure the unit to the tank.

With the key on, the ground circuit connected and complete, you can operate the float outside of the tank and watch your gauge change position.

.