Suburban Tank Diesel

[76FSChief]

hello everyone. I am in the process of setting my rig up with a Suburban gas tank, and wondered if I am going to have to pull the pick up and pump from a Chev diesel with the same tank or the gas in tank pump is enough.

Any insight is appreciated! Thanks in advance

[lobie]

Originally Posted by 76FSChief

hello everyone. I am in the process of setting my rig up with a Suburban gas tank, and wondered if I am going to have to pull the pick up and pump from a Chev diesel with the same tank or the gas in tank pump is enough.

Any insight is appreciated! Thanks in advance

I'd like to know too. This is the next thing I will be doing.

What size tank are you using? 31 or 40 gal?

I am planing on using out for a 1990 2500 suburban. I haven't measured under the jeep yet. The 31 is roughly 29x29x13 and the 40 is 35x29x13.

I am planning on using an external lift pump and not the internal pump.

The other thing is the sending unit. I don't think the diesel sending unit has a return on it. I could be wrong. So it looks like I will have to get the sending unit for the gas version.

Btw I'm going to buy new from rock auto.

[76FSChief]

I have the 40 gallon tank and like you was going to go with an external lift pump. I hate having to open up tanks to replace pumps!!

My thoughts were an Air Dog system for pumping / filtering and using the stock GM sending unit - although the one in my gas Suburban doesnt seem to work that well.

Not knowing 100% makes me want to go the wreckers and pull the in tank stuff out of a diesel unit just to take a look. Will need the filler hose anyways.

Keep me informed of anything you find Lobie and I will do the same.

[JeepinPete]

I had a 42g Sub tank in my old Cherokee. I will have the same tank in my new Cherokee. There is no reason a gasoline pickup won't work. In a stock application, the fuel pump is held in place by a bracket that is part of the pickup, and a short length of hose between the pump and the hard line of the pickup. Simply take the pump out and replace the short hose with a longer piece. Just make sure you use a hose rated for submersion in diesel fuel.

[The PIG Smith]

I bought a burb tank from a fellow forum member.
My fab skills are limited and there was gonna be a quite a fab work involved.

These tanks are held up against the vehicle with straps.
On GM vehicles, there is a cradle of sorts to hold the tank that double as mounting point for the straps.
So, one much fabricate this cradle to hold the tank and points to mount the straps.

My tank needed all the guts...was just a large sheet metal box.
So, with the $$$ for the pickup assembly and other parts, fab up a filler neck, then fab up a way to hold it in the vehicle...I passed on this project.

[dusty]

careful on the fill neck diameter, the diesel IIRC is larger even on the surburbans than what it is on the gas and foaming is a major pain when the fill neck is too small.
also some of the later model diesel fuel tanks installed a more pourous screen on the pickup than what a gas engine came with. many of the gas screens ont he pickup are very fine and problematic in cold weather with diesel fuel. the gas fuel pump pushes at a higher pressure and lower volume than what some people believe the diesel needs. i am a strong supporter of either a gear driven low pressure high volume pump like the air dog, glacier pump, Fass or Raptor pumps or using the proper mechanical pump even in my 2003 dodge diesel the intank pump has a an entirely different screen than my 2003 work truck with gas engine and the pressure/ volume ratios are significantly different. you can damamge an injection pump or fuel return valve with too much supply pressure

[710 Burner]

Don't know about the Burb, but Chevy trucks equipped with 6.5L diesel had an electric lift pump on the left frame rail, not in the tank. The gasser in-tank fuel pump would have to high of pressure.

[JeepinPete]

The fill opening on the Sub tank is not an issue. 2" opening if I remember right. I had to neck it down quite a bit to mate up with the stock FSJ fuel fill assembly. As for fabrication, I found there was quite little to be done. Lowe's/Home Depot sells heavy galvanized strapping with holes every inch or so. Its quite malleable, so it works great to strap the tank up. Since the Suburban tank takes up ALL the room from the rear x-member to next forward x-member, I bolted the strap to the forward x-member, folded the strap back on itself on the other end, and bolted it vertically into the rear x-member. I used clip nuts on the rear since there is no way to get a wrench in there to hold a nut.

At least in a wagon, there are two floor reinforcement strips that workout pretty well. I put rubber blocks between the tank and those strips, and used slit heater hose on all metal edges that were near the tank. Worked fine for 25k miles, and quite a few off road trips. Don't bother with the GM factory skid plate. It is flimsy, and will not hold up off road (BTDT).

[The PIG Smith]

Originally Posted by JeepinPete

The fill opening on the Sub tank is not an issue. 2" opening if I remember right. I had to neck it down quite a bit to mate up with the stock FSJ fuel fill assembly. As for fabrication, I found there was quite little to be done. Lowe's/Home Depot sells heavy galvanized strapping with holes every inch or so. Its quite malleable, so it works great to strap the tank up. Since the Suburban tank takes up ALL the room from the rear x-member to next forward x-member, I bolted the strap to the forward x-member, folded the strap back on itself on the other end, and bolted it vertically into the rear x-member. I used clip nuts on the rear since there is no way to get a wrench in there to hold a nut.

At least in a wagon, there are two floor reinforcement strips that workout pretty well. I put rubber blocks between the tank and those strips, and used slit heater hose on all metal edges that were near the tank. Worked fine for 25k miles, and quite a few off road trips. Don't bother with the GM factory skid plate. It is flimsy, and will not hold up off road (BTDT).

UGHHHH...you make it sounds so stinking easy!
Like Emeril Lagasse whips up a huge meal in just a minutes on TV...I burn stuff and tastes like Ristow's canned crap.
I now retract my earlier statement of the difficulty of this project.