I changed the fuel pump in my 88 and there's a metal tray basket thing floating around in the bottom of the tank. What is it and why is it loose? I didn't notice it last time I did the fuel pump? It's got to be factory-installed because there is no way to get it in or out after the tank was put together.
CK5
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gas tank question
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Sounds like the factory baffle but I thought they were plastic. In any case I would attempt to get it out or reattach it somehow. It coulda easily come over and hurt the pump
....or starve the pump because it's not there like it's supposed to be which can cause early fuel pump death. In either event, reattach it preferably. Remove it at a minimum.
scottystills
1/2 ton status
88s had in tank pumps? In the gasser only?
This is why I like this place. You guys are always teachin' me stuff.
This is why I like this place. You guys are always teachin' me stuff.
yeah, my TBI Spectra tank had a pie tin in it like that. Not the best of baffling but seems to have worked well enough for Moab.
If you can't re-attach, watch for RockAuto.com sales or sometimes the parts stores. I got mine for ~$115.
If you can't re-attach, watch for RockAuto.com sales or sometimes the parts stores. I got mine for ~$115.
I guess I'm going to order a new tank. I don't see any way to attach it or remove it. The thing must have been attached to the top at one time. Other than messing with the sending unit I don't think it would mess with too much it has holes in it and doesn't float .I centered the sending unit on it trying to isolate it, but figure the first hill it'll move.
rampage
3/4 ton status
Don't know what it looks like or how it attaches, but maybe you could use a couple of these to secure it to the bottom of the steel tank.
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BX066
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I bet a button magnet would hold it in place...
...that might attract any rust too though...
...
...that might attract any rust too though......
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There are a couple opinions floating around the world from fleets that ran GM units of this era. One was the pie pan in the bottom worked as a tank to keep the pump submerged in fuel during sloshing at low tank levels. Other fleets found the pie pan was nothing more than a trash bucket where debris floating around the tank collected in it then eventually plugged up the sock resulting in pump failures. Frito-Lay actually removed the pie pans from all of their old P-chassis for that reason. Removing it seemed to help them with extending the fuel pump life. I personally wouldn’t bother reinstalling the pie pan if it came loose.
rampage
3/4 ton status
I bet a button magnet would hold it in place...
If these were your old school magnets then that sarcastic remark would hold, but with 22 lbs of pulling force and you use 3 magnets ... doubt it would move. And I would rather have rust stick to a magnet than stick to the inside of my fuel pump (if the sock was damaged).
My remark wasn't intended to come across as sarcastic...does the smiley indicate sarcasm?..if it does,then I guess I'd better be more careful where I use it...sorry!..
..
An old hard drive magnet would be strong enough to hold that baffle probably--after reading Larry's response,maybe deleting it is a better idea...
smiley indicate sarcasm?..if it does,then I guess I'd better be more careful where I use it...sorry!....An old hard drive magnet would be strong enough to hold that baffle probably--after reading Larry's response,maybe deleting it is a better idea...
These things break off apparently when the vehicle stops abruptly. I really don't think the magnets would hold ~15 gallons of fuel (half the tank capacity) pushing against a 6x10 flat surface. Obviously a guess on the tray size, but since they break free, the force is enough to break the plastic where they are held to the floor of the tank.
Having the tray floating around in there is probably not likely to hurt anything in normal use, but I'd certainly expect it wouldn't help it continue to work properly.
FWIW, the intank Spectra baffle is a POS. I just had my tank/sender out with only a couple gallons inside, and it did pretty much nothing. Therefore, slightly better than nothing. I don't run my tank that low simply because I don't think the baffle is effective.
Tank had been in the truck for ~10 years (and is back now), no sediment to speak of. I suspect the more often you fill the truck, and the conditions, will determine how much junk ends up in there.
Having the tray floating around in there is probably not likely to hurt anything in normal use, but I'd certainly expect it wouldn't help it continue to work properly.
FWIW, the intank Spectra baffle is a POS. I just had my tank/sender out with only a couple gallons inside, and it did pretty much nothing. Therefore, slightly better than nothing. I don't run my tank that low simply because I don't think the baffle is effective.
Tank had been in the truck for ~10 years (and is back now), no sediment to speak of. I suspect the more often you fill the truck, and the conditions, will determine how much junk ends up in there.
