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Which Fuel pump, sending unit

Noek

Noek

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Aliso Viejo, Orange County
For an 88 K5, does anyone have any recommendations? I am trying to source a good plastic tank to replace my stock 31gal and I will need the pump and sending unit as well. I heard the EP381 sending unit by AC Delco works for the 350 TBI? Thanks!
 
new metal tank will be cheeper and last a long time .

spectra premium is best off the shelf and was oem supplyer .

rockauto for best prices .
 
TXJP said:
I did exactly what sweet K30 said on all three suggestions about 6 months ago and it had been doing great.
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I too was thinking plastic but figured.. plastic lasts longer but my 78 has original tanks.. I don't think Ill out live the metal ones
 
Noek said:
For an 88 K5, does anyone have any recommendations? I am trying to source a good plastic tank to replace my stock 31gal and I will need the pump and sending unit as well. I heard the EP381 sending unit by AC Delco works for the 350 TBI? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Don't see any reason to use anything but the stock TBI pump (Delco I suppose, even though it may now come from china) unless you have some modifications presently, or planned in the future, that might exceed the capacity of the stock TBI pump.

Apparently the 454's and 350's used the same pump, it took a bigger cam, headers, and aftermarket intake on a TBI 454 to exceed the stock pumps ability to deliver enough fuel in the case I dealt with, so I doubt even with a fairly warmed over TBI 350 you'd need anything but the stock pump.
 
Went ahead and got the Spectra setup from Rock Auto as well as a Bosch filter and new straps. Good deal and fast shipping. Ended up going with a T REX plastic tank made in the USA. Removed the bumper, hitch, and skid plate today. All of the bolts were tight and need to be replaced, as well as the hitch. I swear, every project I do seems like a simple install until I start taking things apart and realizing all of the old worn crap and how much I need to replace. The struggle......Hopefully this pump will work if I decided to upgrade to a 383 in the future. I am mixed on a modest 383 or a built 350.
 
Bizarre, but I guess those are the things you can do with plastic!

I appreciate the pics, it does look like they did something for baffles in the tank. Am I seeing it right that there are ridges cast into the floor of the tank, but also some sort of tray inside? If you had to venture a guess, based on where the pickup will sit, do you think that with very low (below 1/4 tank) fuel levels, the pump will have adequate fuel? Normal problem is when going nose-up.

FWIW my truck hiccuped on me last time I had it out and was going fairly quick over a massively potholed road. Not sure if it was an electrical issue or fuel, but the Spectra tank I have has worthless baffles, and I'd consider replacing it if something better was being made, because I've never trusted it as it got to lower fuel levels, except on pavement, where I was able to get it down to about 1 gallon remaining lol.
 
My rig is more of a street queen so I won't have to worry about off road issues and sloshing, going up steep hills, etc. I'm sorry the pictures of the inside didn't come out so well, it looks like a big 'bowl' inside the tank, but in a U shape. If you look at the picture with the tank upside down, you can get an idea of what it looks like inside perhaps. I believe the pump and sending unit will sit inside that cupped area that will trap fuel and keep it from sloshing around too much, at least that's the way I am understanding it. I drive 7 miles to work, so with a 31 gallon tank it seems like forever between fill ups. Since my sending unit has never worked, I have to log my mileage and how much fuel I put in so I'm always guestimating my fill ups. As a result, I don't ever really have the luxury of being down to 1 gallon of gas haha

The tank itself seems pretty well constructed, plastic is thick. It is made in the US which is a big plus for me always when I purchase something. I will definitely come back after I do the install to report on the tank's performance. I am really hoping my sending unit was bad and this will fix it, to avoid me having to tear apart my dash again.
 
I shot them an email inquiring about the design, we'll see what they come up with. Unless you corner real hard, and leave the thing near empty all the time, you'll probably not have an issue on the street. When I ran mine that low it was partly to see how accurate my gauge was, and how much fuel could be effectively used on flat ground, getting that close to completely empty is probably (hopefully) not the norm for anyone.

I suspect like most others who venture out of the city a bit, getting even 5 gallons more out of each tank is another 50 miles or so, and that can be important. I would certainly consider going to that tank if their baffles are better. Thanks for posting up on it, and definitely interested to hear how the rest of the install goes!
 
Wow i never understood what the baffles are for till now. Lol. My 78.. yeah huge slosh of fuel all around...


Also i dont think you want it to go low on fuel much as isnt the fuel supposed to cool the pump?
 
dyeager535 said:
I shot them an email inquiring about the design, we'll see what they come up with.
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Great idea, will be interesting to see what they reply with. The ring design that holds down the sending unit to the tank is not conventional and is interesting and confusing so I will have to call them. I’m not sure if I use the lock ring that came with the sending unit or not.

image.jpg

image.jpg
 
Please let us know what they say. That is an odd arrangement. I'm sure google will show what a "normal" GM tank gas tank/sending unit interface looks like, they were the same from maybe the 60's through at least the 90's, but what you have almost looks like the screws and tabs need moved out of the way, and something else goes in there to seal...
 
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