Gas Tank Question (post Search)

[noahrob]

Hi,

Any input you guys can give me owudl be greatly appreciated. I have 1973 K5 runnigna carb and I am going to convert to TPI. I thinkg I need a new tank with internal baffles. I also believe I need a new sending unit. (also the return line and external fuel pump)

Which tank and which sending unit?

I used the search and came up with this...

"use a FI k-5 tank becasue it has the baffles, use the K-5 FI sending unit and put the TPI pump in the K-5 sending unit"

I assume I need a 1987 or newer K5 tank for the baffles, is that correct? Like part #325948
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/bzc/0003.html


Also, for the sending unit, I need part #324068
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/bzc/0097.html


Am I even close to being on the correct track?
Thanks

 

[dyeager535]

Correct on the tank part # and sender.

You MIGHT be able to find a sender a bit cheaper used on here, but you might also get lucky locally. Pretty certain the Suburban sender will work as well. $100 isn't too bad new though, so I'd probably gravitate towards that. Should drive down the price of stock used senders, they were up near $100 as well many times.

TPI pump, just check out ebay to see what Delco ones are being sold. Mines out of a Cadillac, at one point I believe I posted the AC part # on here.

 

[noahrob]

Cool, thanks. I just spoke to Summit about tanks and they were telling me that no Blazer tanks had internal baffles or sumps or whatever...I just wanted to validate that these were teh correct parts...Thanks again.

 

[dyeager535]

Yeah, that person was a moron.

I better be nice, so "it's not good practice to use absolutes when talking about these trucks".

 

[noahrob]

One more question, I was looking at it, can I just use the new sending unit in the old tank?

 

[dyeager535]

As far as I know all the 73-91 K5 tanks have the same sender attachment method.

 

[ntsqd]

But no EFI type baffles, like the Summit tanks.

 

[noahrob]

Yeah, the "super" summit tanks...My tank doesn't leak, I think I will save the $100 and use it with a new sending unit

 

[dyeager535]

I might try some calculations/measurements if the tank is out and you wheel on steep inclines. I've idled on some pretty steep inclines (not as much as the hardcore guys of course) with less than a 1/4 tank and not starved it of fuel.

With a 31 gallon tank, that's a bit over 7 gallons, I'd want to see what kind of fuel is covering the pickup at a steep angle. (and it would actually be interesting to know )