Fuel Tank & Pickup

[vcp]

Need to replace a rusty fuel tank on my '87 Tercel 4WD. Have ordered a new one from Lordco (here in Canada) but they don't think it comes with the pickup attached. Someone else who got the same tank from them said it did come with the pickup attached. Hmmm.

1. Anyone else know for sure one way or t'other?
2. Anyone have a lead for pickup in case I need one?

Thanks!

Van

PS. This is our 3rd SR5 - been driving them for almost 20 years. And would buy another in a heartbeat. First was a gold automatic (which I hate) but drove it until it rusted out, then sold it for close to what we paid for it. Second was a blue beauty we bought from the original owner in Seattle. Drove it for 10 years until it too got too rusty for 'presentation' purposes. It also sold for almost what we'd paid for it. (We take great care of all the mechanics - just impossible to save the bodies here in the West coast mountains.) Our current is a red one we lucked into in 2009 just before we sold the blue beauty. Photo below from a few years ago after some cosmetic efforts.

[dlb]

welcome, van. your car looks absolutely fantastic. i really like the look of the black fender lips. looks muscular, like the flares you see for a lot of trucks. one day in the not so distant future, i will have a heated garage and we will keep our cars in there. i think it's the only way to stave off rust in these moist climates. although a friend pointed out that if you drive in an area that salts the roads, you must hose the salt off every time you garage the car or else it will do even more damage than getting it salty and leaving outside in the cold.

sorry, i have no info on the gas tank or leads on a spare pickup. perhaps marlinh has something kicking around. she is near nelson so shipping would not be as bad as from the US.

[Petros]

Welcome to the forum!

Nice Tercel4wd! You should be able to swap the pick-up over from your existing one, you may have to drill out the screws and replace them. possible that the metal fuel lines have rusted out too, but usually it is protected up on top of the fuel tank. If you can not find one it might be possible to have the metal lines replaced on your pick-up by a metal working or machine shop.

[marlinh]

Where do you live vcp? I have tried in the past to get a tank from Lordco. Their supplier is Spectra and they have come up empty for me a few years ago when I was looking for one. I have since bought a car that had both the tank and pick up recently replaced locally, but I do not know where the p.o. got it from.

Many years ago when I bought a tank new it did not come with a pick up. I do have a spare tank and pick up but I am reluctant to let it go since sourcing those parts is getting harder to do.

If you live near Kelowna, they have an auto in the local Pick and Pull. They put a hole in the tank, but you can still salvage the sending unit. They are pretty cheap, I think I paid around $15 for one. Also, I believe there was a car in a Penticton wrecker affiliated with Pick and Pull you could check out.

Let us know part numbers, prices and such if you get lucky.

[vcp]

Thanks 'guys'!

Lordco in Squamish got the tank for me from their warehouse - last one. Just checked and they say no pickup attached. Tried the Penticton yard - no luck, but the Kelowna yard has one that I'm gonna have someone go in and take a look at. Thanks for the tip!

The old pickup and send unit might be okay to use but they look pretty rough and we won't know for sure until we try taking them off the old tank. And makes sense to replace them now if at all possible.

I understand about hanging onto the part, Marlin. Thanks anyway.

I'm in Whistler. Will let y'all know how it goes. (The black fenders hide some of the rust and I like the look too. Our mechanic's idea. Great guy.)

[vcp]

Here's the car they have at the Kelowna Pick & Pull - a DX, not the 4X4 wagon. They might have a couple SR5/4WD wagons, but they don't seem sure and I don't live close enough to go check. Looks like I'll have to take a chance the old fuel pickup will be okay when we put in the new tank.

[irowiki]

That is a third gen tercel so nothing will match your wagon anyway.

[marlinh]

http://row52.com/Vehicle/Index/JT2AL32W2E0143756

This one should still be in Kelowna. I saw it a few months ago. It was a DLX automatic.

[vcp]

Got the new tank in and salvaged the old pickup and send units. Hopefully they'll last. Just a note - the new Spectrum tank was not an exact match for the old one. The mechanic was able to do some adjustments and make it fit fortunately. He had patched the old one and when we got it out it looked like it might have actually survived for a while. But driving around with a lot less stress (and fumes) now, so worth it.