The next step is to relocate the existing electric fuel pump closer to the new tank. Even though it was not mounted this way previously, the fuel pump should be mounted vertically (the inlet and outlet path should be horizontal) for optimum performance. It should also be mounted so that the inlet and outlet are lower than the lowest portion of the tank or as close to that as safely possible. Using some of the strap steel that was left over, I fabricated a bracket that mounts the fuel pump accordingly. The fuel pump is somewhat protected by the rear axle housing and the fuel tank, so it should be safe since this will be a paved-surface-only vehicle. For an off-road vehicle, this location might be cause for some concern, but with the typical ride height of an off-road vehicle it most likely would not be a problem there either.
With the tank and the electric fuel pump mounted securely, it was time to route the fuel line. This truck uses a carbureted engine, so the fuel line consists of both 3/8-inch rubber fuel hose and 3/8-inch steel hard line, but does not use a return line. I used a section of rubber hose to connect the fuel pickup fitting to the inlet of the electric fuel pump. Another section of rubber hose connects the outlet of the electric fuel pump to the hard line that runs along the inside of the passenger-side framerail. From the end of the hard line, a short section of rubber hose is used to connect an inline fuel filter and finally to the carburetor. To prevent the fuel line from vibrating or chafing, the steel hard line is clamped in place with rubber-coated line clamps in multiple locations. Now I just need to mount the fuel sender and related wiring. Be sure to ground the filler neck and the fuel level sender. Oh yeah, still gotta remove the original tank and fill the filler hole. The fun continues.
If you are using a stock-type...
If you are using a stock-type mechanical fuel pump, you do not need to change it. However, I needed to move the electric fuel pump closer to the new tank location. Two short pieces of mounting strap material were used to hang the fuel pump from the forward chassis crossmember.
Things start getting congested...
Things start getting congested toward the back end of the truck, but it does all fit with more clearance than it appears in this particular photo.
The hose near the middle of...
The hose near the middle of the photo is run between the rollover vent valve and the tank. The hose at the top of the photo runs between the fuel pickup tube in the tank and the inlet side of the electric fuel pump. To avoid kinking the hose at the end of the crossmember, I bent a short piece of steel fuel line into a "U" shape. Another short piece of rubber hose then connects to the fuel pump. The outlet side of the fuel pump then connects to a piece of hard line that runs along the framerail.
To keep the fuel line in place...
To keep the fuel line in place to prevent it from vibrating or chafing, several rubber-cushioned line clamps were installed to secure the steel fuel line to the chassis. The smaller line below is the rear brake line that will be replaced at a later date as part of a four wheel disc brake installation.
Be sure to drain the existing...
Be sure to drain the existing tank into an approved gasoline container. Then remove the mounting bolts and remove the tank. Remove any extra fuel lines that have now been replaced.
The filler neck will come...
The filler neck will come out with the tank. The grommet will be removed and discarded, and then a new piece of filler sheetmetal welded in place.