'94 Suburban Fuel System

Gasoline tank/lines were leaking. Dropped tank and the whole system pretty much disintegrated. Called to find parts and am told that this is a special pressurized fuel system and only parts are factory to the tune of about $1300 (tank, lines, sending unit, no fuel pump which I will also change).

Are there alternative sources for these parts and who might they be?

Thanks for any help,

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk
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You need to find a new parts store. The fuel tank sending unit (octopus lookin' thing that houses the pump in the tank and then has the lines on the outside of the tank is pricey, but you can get it at Advance Auto

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or NAPA
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for around $250. The steel fuel lines can also be bought at Advance or NAPA, but they'll be straight and you'll have to bend them yourself. Your system runs at relatively low pressure (9-13 psi) so rubber fuel line and hose clamps will work just fine if you need to run a 1'-2' length to patch the rusted-out lines. If you use rubber hose, do NOT just slide it over the steel line; you need to go to NAPA or Lowes and get the appropriate size union, with a compression fitting on one end and a hose barb on the other.

The fuel pump is also available at Advance or NAPA for around $150. The tank can be purchased pretty much anywhere (try

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as their tanks are reasonably priced.

HTH,

Doc

Reply to
"Doc"

OK, I have had a little time to search these sites and could not find the fuel sending unit.

Doc, if you can locate a specific part number for the '94 GMC Suburban I would appreciate it.

TIA,

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Grau

I don't have the time to find part #'s for you bud; did you actually CALL an Advance or NAPA near you and ASK them? They stock lotsa parts that aren't on their website.

Doc

Reply to
"Doc"

Yep, like the thread started my local NAPA is the one who told me that the system is non-standard in the first place. They can get the fuel pump and/or the tank, but the sending unit and lines are only found from the factory in a set with the tank. It's not making sense to me, so that is why I am asking.

Any help is appreciated.

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Grau

Can the lines be repaired with compression unions or are they shot all the way to the tank?

Doc

Reply to
"Doc"

I used a little "selective demolition" to decide that the lines are pretty much toast from the tank to about midway to the engine. They weren't necessarily leaking all that way, but that was the first place that I found enough substance to feel comfortable trying to attach something.

Am I making this harder than it needs to be. I just decided to replace the whole thing guts and all since I had to do the tank and most of the lines anyway. I would probably still do the fuel pump, but is the sending unit something that could be re-used reliably. I would hate to go through this process again next year/month/week.

Thanks for the help,

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Grau

I just typed a long message and my mail client decided to take a shit before I could send it.................here it goes again, replies inline.............

Shit, sounds like mine when I bought it. I replaced everything from the sender to the flex lines.

If the lines of the sender are shot, it needs replaced, simple as that. If you have 3-4" of decent line coming out of the tank, you could use a compression union and new hose thereafter, eliminating the need for a new sender. But, I've seen lots of these trucks, and the senders are always toasted after 10 years or so. They're right in the path of the rear-wheel spray and get pretty rusted after time.

You might just have to order one from the dealership. I haven't been able to find on for your truck anywhere. Sorry I misled you, sending units usually aren't that hard to find!

Doc

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Reply to
"Doc"

Doc,

Thanks for the help anyway. It still doesn't make sense to me that you need to get the whole thing as a package to get the sending unit, but that is the direction we have gone. It is a lot of dollars, but hopefully money well spent.

Again, Thanks,

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk

Don't know about your area, but in my town I purchase a lot of things from auto recyclers. I've had very good luck with them and their parts are almost always a 1/3 of what dealer prices would be. When local/national auto parts stores don't carry the item, I always check with an auto recycler/dismantler first (find #'s in the yellow pages) before I even consider a dealer. They have computerized inventories so you can check with them over the phone and they'll have it waiting for you when you arrive.

Good luck.

John

Reply to
John W.

Problem is the senders rust out in the same place on all of em', so the wreckers' senders will be just as bad.

Doc

Reply to
"Doc"

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