Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Intank fuel pickup/sensor where to get?

[DMannon]

Where's the best/quickest place to get a replacement fuel pickup and level sensor that goes in tank (for my 02)? I've been looking on Ebay and have some emails out to some likely vendors. Is the same canister used in the gas trucks?



Apparently, the former owner of my truck hit the bottom of the tank hard enough on something that the fuel pickup inside the canister came loose. The bottom part of the canister was free floating so the pickup might or might not be fully immersed in fuel. Pump was cavitating like crazy, affectinf fuel pressure, and fuel level guage was kind of ambiguous.



I took it apart last night and sort of got it put back together, but as there were some parts floating around inside, I'm not sure it's done correctly. I'd be a lot more confident in the middle of nowhere knowing I'd replaced it.



Any options for aftermarket upgrades, like Vulcan's Draw Straw? How does that work with the level sensor?



Good news is the tank is spotless inside, super clean, no debris or algae gunk...

 

[DMannon]

Anybody out there who did the in-tank pump replacement have their old sensor/pickup they'd like to sell?

 

[Jeff Knight]

there is one on E-bay. Its item#300021214607

 

[DMannon]

Dang! RattlinRam beat me to it! :-laf



Any others out there?

 

[Cummins724]

I just installed the vulcan draw straw & it was a easy task. Most of the internal parts come out & discard anyways. The straw comes with full details & pictures so you can't mess up the install. I wouldn't do the in tank pump. I would go to auto zone & get a holley blue or black pump & mount it inline. All the fittings needed to convert to 1/2" are available from vulcan & if you need a list of parts needed, let me know. I've also got holley pumps. I thought my pump was bad & tried one on, but it was gelling fuel that was my problem. pump is new.

 

[Jeff Knight]

There are 2 more on E-bay #110024091338 #110024091913

 

[BJonesUSA]

So does the Draw Straw incorporate the factory fuel level sensor? I already have the in-tank retrofit and am wanting to ditch it... .

 

[DMannon]

I looked at Glacier's tank pickup; it seemed elegantly simple. I called Rich and he said I'd be much better off with the stock pickup. Let me just say right now that if everyone ran their business like Richard, this world would be a better place.



In the stock pickup, the pump return dumps into the bowl that the fuel pickup sits in, so when you're close to empty, there's fuel around the pickup when you're on an incline. Rich said that with his pickup, you might suck air on an incline, due to the lack of baffling in the tank.



Looking at the stock pickup, and figuring out how it works (which, admittedley, took some time on my part), it's a pretty slick unit. I think it's biggest fault is it fragility to the bottom of the tank getting smacked hard.



In fact, I'll venture to say that one of the first checks we should do when diagnosing low LP pressure is to check the fuel flow at the VP inlet. If it's coming out foamy, you're getting air in the line. Then work your way back down the line eliminating leak posibbilities. If your fuel lines aren't leaking, your LP is cavitating and there's probably something wrong in your tank, either a plugged or dislodged pickup. This was Rich's suggestion and led to me dropping my tank.



This would definitely account for sudden erratic fuel pressures. Just my $. 02.



If Vulcan's Draw Straw fits into the stock pickup, and maintains the pump return in the pickup bowl, that seems like it would work.



One thing I don't like about the stock pickup is all that complexity inside the tank. I also would prefer to see any filtering outside of the tank. A plugged pickup would definitely cause the pump to cavitate. Dropping the tank is a PITA, and would be close to impossible on the side of the road with a 1/2 full tank.

 

[Cummins724]

So does the Draw Straw incorporate the factory fuel level sensor? I already have the in-tank retrofit and am wanting to ditch it... .

Everything works like stock, only things that come out are the restrictive lines. When I installed mine I noticed the stock pickup was rusted & leaking. The draw straw is a nice kit & easy to install if you follow directions carefully.

 

[Cummins724]

With the vulcan draw straw, you drill 3 holes in the bottom of the housing one 1/2" hole which is where the old pickup goes through the housing [round it out to except the bigger line] & 2 more for return flow. You discard the upper screen [2screens in stock pickup] which is only a restriction slide the hose in & cut to length. It's that easy just put it back together & you're done.

 

[DMannon]

The 99s must have a different pickup than the 02s. Mine is completely plastic, the pickup line is 3/8 plastic tube with a loop that acts as a spring to keep the cup at the bottom of the tank. The end of the pickup is a canister with a filter screen cassette in it that clips into the bottom of the cup. The cup slides a little inside the upper housing. Clipped on the bottom of the cup is a ring with two very fine membranes and a little valve affair that opens to suck fuel when the cup is low. Most of the time, the pickup is pulling fuel out of the cup.



Does the Draw Straw sit right on the bottom of the tank or in the cup? Can't find any installation manuals on Vulcan's site.

 

[Jeff Knight]

I used an in line filter from Vulcan which is serviceable. I cut the fine screen out of the bottom of the canister. I snapped the filter on the bottom to keep the pickup off the bottom of the tank. The 99's have metal lines coming out the top of the module. Jeff

 

[Cummins724]

The 99s must have a different pickup than the 02s. Mine is completely plastic, the pickup line is 3/8 plastic tube with a loop that acts as a spring to keep the cup at the bottom of the tank. The end of the pickup is a canister with a filter screen cassette in it that clips into the bottom of the cup. The cup slides a little inside the upper housing. Clipped on the bottom of the cup is a ring with two very fine membranes and a little valve affair that opens to suck fuel when the cup is low. Most of the time, the pickup is pulling fuel out of the cup.



Does the Draw Straw sit right on the bottom of the tank or in the cup? Can't find any installation manuals on Vulcan's site.

Thats how mine is setup everything inside comes out the bottom [clip on] screen is the only thing that stays. The original draw tube [coil] comes out & the valve, ring & the plastic part on the end of the pickup comes out too. The only thing that stays is the breather tube & the fuel level sensor everything else is gone. The new draw straw goes through the bottom of the canister & sits in the bottom cup [screen] & it is cut at a 45 degree angle so it can't lose suction. It is a nice setup & made of aluminum, so no more rust.