98 GTX baffle question

[Mavrick331]

Hello all,

I pulled my fuel tank to clean it out after rebuilding my fuel system. Once the tank was out I pulled the baffle out and found the float and end cap in the bottom of the tank, my issue is the float tube has a 6 inch crack in the middle of it.

My question is do I even care about the crack? I can repair it but don't think it will last long term, my thoughts are as fuel level drops, it will suck a little air

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[POPPS]

If the cracks are in the on or reserve tubes, then you will have issues. You could possibly solder the crack, if it isn't in the on or reserve. That float, is your fuel gauge, maybe you will be lucky and your gauge will work. If it doesn't start for you, check the level of fuel in the fuel /water separator, it should be full.

 

[Ckrawiec]

Hello all,

I pulled my fuel tank to clean it out after rebuilding my fuel system. Once the tank was out I pulled the baffle out and found the float and end cap in the bottom of the tank, my issue is the float tube has a 6 inch crack in the middle of it.

My question is do I even care about the crack? I can repair it but don't think it will last long term, my thoughts are as fuel level drops, it will suck a little air

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Rick

As POPPS has indicated....if the crack is on a fuel tube, then you have a potential issue, if not then you should be fine BUT the float and screen probably fell out of the fuel pickup because of the crack...SO, if you wish to keep the old fuel pickup....insert the float, re-install the screen filter and clamp the tube closed with zip ties or a SS clamp OR use a soldering iron with a flat tip to "weld" the crack closed. Closing the crack (in whatever manner you decide) will probably keep the bottom screen filter in the tube then.

Fuel pikup tubes (what you called the baffle) can be found, 2nd hand already repaired (if yours is not working - typically the F1 fuse has blown and the fuel indicator doesn't work on your guage).

 

[Mavrick331]

The crack is an 1/8 inch away on the "full length" tube. not sure which one that is, as you can see in the picture I repaired the crack, but still have a couple of holes to fill. You can also see the old 95 or 96 in my backyard, next to my workshop, how I forgot about this one is beyond me, I walk by many times almost daily.... that's why you should start your day with a tall cold drink.

Anyway I took the pickup out of it and it's in excellent shape and is identical other than the float has the 2 magnets on each side versus the white one which has only 2 in the middle.

Any issues seen using this one, I think the original one would shatter if I sneezed on it, I should be able check continuity on the fuse correct??

Thank, Rick

 

[Ckrawiec]

The crack is an 1/8 inch away on the "full length" tube. not sure which one that is, as you can see in the picture I repaired the crack, but still have a couple of holes to fill. You can also see the old 95 or 96 in my backyard, next to my workshop, how I forgot about this one is beyond me, I walk by many times almost daily.... that's why you should start your day with a tall cold drink.

Anyway I took the pickup out of it and it's in excellent shape and is identical other than the float has the 2 magnets on each side versus the white one which has only 2 in the middle.

Any issues seen using this one, I think the original one would shatter if I sneezed on it, I should be able check continuity on the fuse correct??

Thank, Rick

View attachment 43367

Might be an optical illusion but are they the same length? if the electrical connection is the same, they could be swapped if everything else is the same. Make sure you orient the pickup in the same way it came out (but of course you marked all your hoses right? If not, there should be words molded into the plastic to say what each nipple is on the top...

Well, you could tell if the float/resistors are working by hooking your meter to the electrical plug pins and sliding the float (tipping the tube up and down) and seeing if the meter is registering any change in resistance as the magnets pass each point along the length of the circuit board.....no change means no worky.

 

[Mavrick331]

They are identical, length, width, electrical connection (even wire colors are the same) and end cap. Just the float differs.

 

[POPPS]

The white floater was a later update, you may have some minute metal fragments on the magnets, it doesn't hurt to clean/pull them off.

 

[Ckrawiec]

If they are identical, then by all means swap away.....test it first though...no sense putting in a broken unit UNLESS you don't care about knowing how much gas is left in the tank (I always just visually checked until I fixed my guage). Inconvenient perhaps...but you gotta play while the sun is shining