Hey guys,
I pulled a really good one and broke the return line to the fuel tank. I am looking at the thing, and it looks expensive.

This is my daily driver, and I cant be down for that long. Its just about saturday morning, and I need to get this fixed tomorrow.

What are my options? Do I have to replace that entire sending unit assembly? or is there just a top that a guy can buy?
Do i have to go to the dealer-or will napa/autovalue have it?

Also, How do you get the sending unit out on a 3rd gen truck.
I have found lots of info on 2nd & 1st genners, but nothing for the 3rd gen.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

You will need to drop the tank or lift the bed to get to the sending unit. Lifting the bed requires removeing only 4 bolts and one electrical connector and is the easiest.

Your tank module has the in tank pump and I am not sure if your module is similar to mine. Mine does not have the pump but does have a aux fitting that could be used for a return line.

I think your best way is to plug the broken return fitting and install a new fitting for the return line, maybe in the tank and not the module.

 

I suggest a two part epoxy glue. That stuff is just sick. I used a very small amount to glue a broken key back together. A guy i worked with had only 1 key to his house and kept intending to get more made but didn't. He was locking his door one day and the lock didn't turn and his 1 key twisted apart. We got the piece out, tapped it flat and glued it. Out intention was to make it work just to get a copy but once he got the copies he tried it and that key is still working today. since this is just a return line, I bet you can hold it in place, and glob it forever with this stuff. It sets fast so you wont have to hold it long. I would give it at least an hour before i drove the truck. If a tiny bit on the tip of a toothpick will hold a metal key that it wasn't suppose to stick to, then a fat glob will hold a plastic part for sure. For about $6, I would dang sure try it.

 

You might can reach where you need to get to without taking the bed off or dropping the tank.

 

Lifting the bed is not a hard thing. But I have used J&B Weld, two part 5 minute , extremely strong, and fuel does not affect it. Mix a little and make the fir , hold for a couple minutes and it will be set , then mix a good glob to wrap all around it and let it set up for a few hours. It will be there in ten years.

 

He may not have to remove the bed. I installed a big line kit by just removing the filler neck. it was a little tight but I did it. I could see where he could just remove the neck, tape the line in place then reach in with a glob on a stick and get errrrr done.

 

Just raising the bed on 4x4s will often give clearance.

Knowing the type of plastic the broken part is made of may be helpful.

I have repaired broken plastic nipples in the past by using thin stainless tubing the O.D. of which fits the I.D. of the broken nipple; used as a reinforcement to stiffen the part at the break either to allow the glue to set or even as a permanent repair, if the tubing does not appreciably restrict flow.

Damned if I am gonna make a *********** unduly rich!

If the attempt fails there's always the dealer parts department

 

So, I went to the *********** and asked about some parts.
The entire canister with new lift pump and level sender had to be purchased.

About 2 hrs worth of work to pull the tank and reinstall it. What an expensive Friday night that was.

I guess the only good that came from it is the new lift pump. I had no issues with my old one, but new is always nice.

 

If you have the old one and the broken part, I would go at it with the epoxy. It would give you a working spare.

 

the whole module has a core charge on it.