Project Joining the Dark side!

[crash2]

So the very last item left is the fuel feed. I drained the fuel tank and pulled it out. Here is where I ran into a snaffoo and a mistake that was on my part. I had no idea they had changed the length of the tanks on the 3rd gens.

The donar tank is too long (about 4").

 

[War-Jeeper]

guess what sam.... met with the guy who designed the shop and are having new plans drawn up 36X36 ish 2 story with living on 2nd story and the septic is also geting designed so should be ready to go soooon
i forgot to meet with the guy about the property but one of the neighbors came over and saw the buggy and they all wanna see it up at the island lol


(HyJACK OvER)

Let me know when we need to start buildin a shop! I'm down to help with that as well as the buggy!

So the very last item left is the fuel feed. I drained the fuel tank and pulled it out. Here is where I ran into a snaffoo and a mistake that was on my part. I had no idea they had changed the length of the tanks on the 3rd gens.

The donar tank is too long (about 4").

Well shoot i didnt even think to measure them before hand

So i need a 3rd gen EFI tank then correct?

 

[crash2]

I have an idea sam :awesomework:

 

[crash2]

So after some reasearch I have come to the conclusion this is a 1st gen shortbox frame which has the shortest tank of them all.

So I talked with Sam and gave the options.

1. Use the stock tank and run a frame mounted pump. The issue with this is if the tank was ever damaged trying to sourch that particular tank is not an easy task/not very common.
2. Get another tank and modify the mounts to fit it.

So after talking with Sam I decided to dump the stock tank and we would get another 1st/2nd gen EFI tank. Well after a bunch of measurements and looking at it I came to the conclusion the stock cross member will have to go away no matter what tank we go with because of the hieght of the tank on the back side. So since I have to go to that much work I decided we might as well use the tank Sam had gotten (1" longer than 1st/2nd gen EFi tank).

So I started by firing off the sawzall and removing the cross member.

I chose to leave a portion on the drivers side since the exhaust is hung from it.

So I got the tank mocked up in place and got the front side modded to fit the tank. I had to make 1 3/8" spacers and this will let the tank fit snug against the cab. I will have to put a small dent in the cab near the sender but it should be good.

So I am now working on the back mount.

 

[War-Jeeper]

 

[crash2]

Just putting along.

I got the bracket made for the back mount on the tank.

Got the tank in place and level and cut the stringers from the rear cross member/side of the frame to the bracket and tacked in place. Pulled the tank and will get them fully welded tommorow night.

 

[War-Jeeper]

I have a box of parts to bring you, but unless i bring them to you at your work today it will have to wait until tomorrow night as i have a meeting to go to tonight uke:

 

[crash2]

I have a box of parts to bring you, but unless i bring them to you at your work today it will have to wait until tomorrow night as i have a meeting to go to tonight uke:

Tommorow night is fine as I will have more stuff for ya after tonight hopefully.

 

[War-Jeeper]

Sweet!

 

[crash2]

Well I got the back mount welded up and went to make sure the tank fitment was perfect. While I was getting it into place I noticed something dripping on me---damn it was old smelly gas and it was leaking near the corner of the tank. I looked and had to scrape the black coating off the tank damn it--a pinhole in the tank. The tank wasn't scratched or even touched in that area.

So I cleaned the area off and looked at it. I removed the sender and cleaned the tank of any fuel (figured the wife would be mad if I blew myself up). So I had a couple options. The first was to use that putty stuff and I told sam I would rather replace it than use that. I had Sam get me some acid core flux and made a patch plate out of some thin guage sheet metal.

And here it is all fixed up.

 

[crash2]

So putting along on the fuel system.. Here is how I like to do the fuel system at the tank side. I do it this way for a few reasons. The first if done right you will never have an issue. The second you can use easily accessable parts typicly found at any parts store if you ever have an issue.

But here is at the fuel pump assembly with the high pressure hose removed with the metric fitting.

Now here is the beauty of it all the line size is VERY close to 5/16" hardline. So what I do it cut the metal portion of the line right at the flare (try to remove as little as neccessary) and remove the metric fitting. Simply slide the new 5/16" (Which I believe is 1/2-20) fitting over the tube and simply double flare it.

Here is what sam got me as in fittings.

There are a few different ways it can be achieved. I have been looking for a single fitting (5/16" hardline female to 5/16" barbed) but they are not easily accessable at your typical parts stores.

But thats how I do it at the tank side. Just started bending the hard lines down the frame and once I can figure out where the fuel pump wiring is on the body I will get that done also.

 

[crash2]

So trucking along...

So I got the tank mounted and the skid plate modified. There was a bit of difference on the mount points for the skid and I could have forced it into place but it would have been an easy 1" gap between the skid and the tank. SO what I ended up doing was cut the skid about 2" below the front/rear mounts and overlapped the skid to the mounts and tacked them, removed and fully welded it up. For the back bracket between the tank and skid I took the origional one and lopped one of the ears off since 2 of the holes lines up perfectly to the new tank(gotta love toys for these little things).

 

[crash2]

Well I had a heck of a time finding the wiring for the fuel tank. I ended up pulling the drivers seat out and going under the carpet and I finally found the bugger. So on the third gens they use a short harness from them forward body harness to the tank.

Since I didn't have that connector I just pulled the wiring loose at the rocker and tied into the wiring there and ran it back down the rocker and under the carpet forward the rear seats over to the tank. Got it hooked up and tested the system and the fuel pump runs and the guage reads empty (tank is empty).

 

[crash2]

So next step finish off the fuel lines. Got the front half bent up and mounted using the same setup at the ends as I did the rear.

Got the rubber portions done and threw some fuel into the tank. The guage is reading (pretty close to accurate from what I can tell). Ran the pump and only had one leak--where I forgot to tighten the fitting on the outlet side of the fuel filter,lol...

 

[crash2]

For the throttle cable I had Sam get one for an 85' EFI (they are the same between truck/runners) to match the brackets on the EFI since this is a first gen setup. It was a direct botl in deal.

I also got the crossover pipe made up using ABS material.

I tried to start it but the battery was very low so I have it on the charger.

I still have a few loose ends (reinstall the interior) to finish up but its getting really close.

 

[85b2man]

siiiiick

 

[dove'd85]

i would beef up that tank skid plate if it were me...infact if i dont relocate my tank i am going to build a beefy one out of some 3/16 maybe .250

 

[crash2]

i would beef up that tank skid plate if it were me...infact if i dont relocate my tank i am going to build a beefy one out of some 3/16 maybe .250

It will be fine for what sam will be doing with it. Once that day comes it will be ready for a fuel cell. I have never liked the idea or relocating the fuel tank. Your better off getting a good cell and placing it where ya want since they are built to be easier to locate in tighter areas than a stock tank is.

 

[crash2]

So I got home fianlly after a VERY long day.

I cranked it and it just popped/sputtered. Well I was pretty sure I got the dist in right but figured I would recheck that. Well crap it was 180 off. So I got that fixed and the thing fired right off and purred like a kitten. Ran it hot and every single guage works... I have a few loose ends to tie up but its ready to be used...

 

[War-Jeeper]

So I got home fianlly after a VERY long day.

I cranked it and it just popped/sputtered. Well I was pretty sure I got the dist in right but figured I would recheck that. Well crap it was 180 off. So I got that fixed and the thing fired right off and purred like a kitten. Ran it hot and every single guage works... I have a few loose ends to tie up but its ready to be used...

:cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer:


Walker here we come this weekend right Mike!:awesomework: