The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Fuel Tank pickup screen

Hey bolters! About a month back, I was not getting fuel to the fuel pump. So I pulled the pickup out of the tank and low and behold it was plugged. After it was unplugged, it ran fine. My question is, My fuel pickup tube was missing the filter screen. Dont know if it fell off, disintegrated, or never was one, but has anyone seen aftermarket parts for this? I seen one at Carter's for about 15 bux. I would prefer to find it locally. (BC BOLTERS have any idea?) I didn't measure the diameter of the pickup tube to see if a new screen would just push on. Thanks guys! OH and it's a 1954 Chev 1 ton. with a 235.

you probably could find the same as Carters from the Old Car Centre in Langley - I believe they're the same from about 47-72

Bill

thanks red!

Jim Carter's screen/sock - labelled as being used/useful from 1954-66; and, Classic Parts has the sock/screen at the same price labelled as starting in 1954 and used through 1987.

I am not sure if a "sock" was used on the pickup-up tube that was part of the sender unit in 1954, but, that tube supposedly works.

There was no need (or place) for that "sock" in earlier regular cab trucks (49-53) because there was no pickup tube. The gas drained from the bottom of the gas tank. Here is the 49-53 sender with no pick up tube.

I do not know when Chevrolet started using those socks/screens, but my 1954 Suburban did not have one on its pickup/sender (I put one on it, though). I'll find out this summer if my 1954 Chevrolet and GMC regular-cab fuel-tank pickup tubes have the socks. I'll put one on the tube in each tank, even if they were not used.

Grocery store has a 99 cent sifter/strainer, take off the fine screen, pucker it up and hose clamp it on there. or plumbimg dept has stuff with screens. Don't need original on something no one can see. Make sure you have a long tube shape or a lot of surface area like the ones they sell so that if some of it gets blocked there is plenty more clean screen to flow gas. Stainless Steel, copper or aluminum is good. The household stuff you find will probably be stainless steel. The local store remedy is cheap, long lasting and no shipping or waiting. Don't forget, you have a fuel filter or two, right? The pickup screen just needs to catch tank "sludge" and pieces of the old screen

Beauty Idea!!! thanks for all the hints and tips.

Hey Rollin',
A few years back, I had the same problem of not getting fuel to the pump in my '69. Figured the sock was plugged with rust, so I blew air back thru the gas line.....problem fixed!

Fast forward a few weeks, and my truck developed a sudden stalling/dying problem.
I'd pull over, check/change the inline carb gas filter(looked clean to me), and it would start right up and run fine!
Then a week or two later, it would die again! Change filter, and it would start right up!

After several months of this, I tried changing the fuel pump, moved the gas lines(thinking Vapor Lock),changed the carb... etc. etc. Still it would die on an irregular basis!
I drove it one day to Houston(almost 300 miles) and it died right as I reach town!

Fed up, I pulled the tank.
Like you, I found the sock was GONE!

Drained tank, and found that the sock was floating in the gas!
Every once in a while, it would get sucked up against the pickup tube, and kill the truck!
After sitting a few minutes(while I changed the carb filter!), the sock would move
away from the tube, allowing the truck to start back up!
LESSON LEARNED!

Hope this helps.