The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Moving the Gas tank to the bed

I just bought a 54 chevy 3100. The gas fumes in the cab are bad and I need to get a tank to mount in the bed.

Any suggestions on what model truck I should look at for an easy fit? Any other related info is appreciated.

If you are interested in mounting under the bed, I used a '67 Mustang tank.

I am looking to do an under the bed gas tank.

What all did you have to do in order make it functional? IE, mounting, electrical, fuel lines, ect.

If you have gas fumes that bad in the cab maybe you should consider finding out why? Its probably just the filler hose or gasket for the sending unit or a minor pin hole in the tank around a mounting strap?

I never thought of that. But that's a great suggestion as well.

Well now that I think about it, the gas fumes aren't bad when sitting still. Perhaps it is a really bad exhaust leak. Maybe I should be looking at the exhaust manifold gaskets what else should I consider.

I have an inside tank, with no problems with fumes. Take Don's advice and check things out.

I don't have fumes either but somehow sitting just in front of a huge Molotov Cocktail concerns me just a bit. My dog also won't get in the truck...a dog's sense of smell is about a million times more sensitive than ours.

Read Don Stoker's post carefully. The only gas fumes you should smell in the cab are fumes coming in through open windows or holes in the cab sheet metal?

Regarding the gas tank being a molotov cocktail, how many truck explosions do you think took place during the time that 80% (or more) or drivers of these trucks smoked cigarettes or cigars?

Tim, it seems the modern version of the term "common sense" has a different meaning than the one that was so often referred to when these trucks were new.

In a short time I'm sure it will morph into a common belief that all trucks originally came with a 350/350 combo in them... Common sense tells us that this is so because you only have to go to a car show to see it with your own eyes.

and why does that say anything about the gas tank?

Bill

I made an aluminum tank for 46 2-ton and it's in the stock location. No fumes at all from the tank. I did have a strong gas smell a couple months ago and one of my employee's found that the gas line at the carb had a small crack in it. So small that you real couldn't see it.... That is unless you looked at it with it running. The gas was dripping on the exhaust and burning off.

Look for leaks in the exhaust and look at the fuel line with it running. I had the original fuel line on mine and it run for a year before it cracked on me!

You mean they don't????

Here's a link to how I did my '65. Don't let folks buffalo you into not moving the tank if that's what YOU want to do. Do what you want, it's your truck.

http://talk.classicparts.com/showthread.php?p=88322#post88322/

Good luck and I hope the link helps

Nobody is trying to buffalo anyone.

The first post stated the desire to move the tank because of fumes in the cab. There should be no fumes in the cab, if there are no fuel leaks.

Anyone can do anything with their truck. However, if someone posts information that indicates there is a problem, we should hope that people might post information that identifies the source of the problem.

Well first things first, I need to get this truck in daily driving condition.

I investigated the gas tank, it's not leaking fumes, as I originally thought. It is actually exhaust fumes. I was unsure because I filled the tank up this morning.

The exhaust fumes are most noticeable when traveling down the highway. I'm going to look at the exhaust manifold gasket. The majority of the smell is under the hood

To answer the question on moving the gas tank to under the truck bed is an easy one, use the 1947/55 Suburban/Panel gas tank. It will fit under the bed easily and mounting hardware is available too.

If you are getting exhaust fumes in your cab, you can have a major and deadly problems. Carbon Monoxide is in those fumes and can overcome you if you are driving long distances with the windows rolled up tight. It may be more than a manifold exhaust leak, it could be your whole system needs to be replaced.

Another possibility is that it could be coming from your blow-by tube and your engine may need to be rebuilt. Put a CO2 alarm in your cab while you are driving and see what it does, my guess is that it will be blaring and loud. Just my 2 cents.......g

Move the gas tank under the bed and have the filling line in the bed - now there's an idea I wished I never had.

From experience - find the leak and solve the problem. Moving the tank just creates more problems.

My '65 and '66 (both daily drivers) have the tanks behind the seats and not any gas smells - not even when sitting all closed up in the hot Florida sun.

http://imgur.com/h9mEFN2

Well after doing some investigating there are 2 issues. 1. I found the leak, it's the manifold donut. Second issue is the linkage for the throttle, if I press the peddle all the way down it will get stick in the bolt in the manifold donut. Any suggestions there?

I don't see what the problem is with having it under the bed as GM did for a couple of years (47/48) with the pickup and 8 years with the panel and suburban (47/55. One of the benefits from doing this allows you to move the seat back for better leg room and cab space. I see no issues with having the tank in the cab myself, but if I had a need to move it under the bed using the suburban tank I would have no hesitations.

It looks good with the body lines too.

GMONIZ,
Where under the bed did GM have the tanks you are referring to? Were they at the rear of the bed? I'm just curious, as it seems a tank at the rear of the bed could be disastrous (think Pinto) in a rear end collision. I know some are mounted underneath but towards the middle of the truck which seems more protected (as does in the cab).
Samantha

you've got it Samantha, the tanks were against the frame rail on one side, not between the rails at the rear of the bed, same with the 55-59 panels and burbs, inside the passenger side frame rail

Bill

Deja Vu all over again:

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=624114&page=1

http://imgur.com/gWeCzfS

Well there is a leak in the tank what the heck is that screwed in deal on the top of the tank? Looks like 2 wires were cut leading to it

the 'screwed in deal' should be the gauge sending unit and the wires would be the wire to the gauge and a ground wire to one of the sender mounting screws

Bill

Thank you Bill, the gas gauge does not work, as you have already deduced. Why is this leaking fuel? What can I do to fix this?

is it that top fixture that's 'leaking'? needs a new seal easy enuff to make your own out of thin cork gasket material - but if you're getting actual fluid out there you're way over-filling the tank, which will also result in fluid running out the fill tube [past the vented cap with the brittle gasket] as the cool gas from an underground tank heats up in the truck and expands, common complaint here actually: "why does the gas puke out the fill tube and ruin my paint?"

also check the rubber hoses from the tank outlet to the fill tube and vent, they can get brittle and crack with age, or the clamps can be loose - that tubing is a special 'gas line' tube if you need to replace it, don't just use whatever fits

Bill

I assume it's hitting on the end of that flange? Can you get in there with a grinder or a file and just take a little bit off? I wouldn't think you'd need to remove much.

The engine blew on the way to work today. Ha! Guess I will be getting a new engine and transmission.

Most people when they move the tank to the rear and between the rails put the filler in the bed - you see it all the time. On my '53 the tank mounts were rusted away so we followed this lead. What a mistake! Filling the tank through the bed is a pain in the you know what, especially if you have anything in the bed. I hope others learn from my mistake. Eventually it's going to go back in the cab where it belongs.

I have had better luck with what the Vendors are supplying (looks like rubber but probably PVC) for the sending unit.

HRJ: Kudos on a well documented conversion! I'm in the midst of a similar job on my '37 (what started as a 3-spd to 700R4 to a "replace everything except the StoveBolt Six" upgrade).

There went my summer!