To make a long story short... the old gas tank is leaking, and there is now a foot-wide hole in our asphalt driveway. GM says $600 for a new one, anybody know where I can get one cheaper?

E-Bay. New $200.00

Spectra makes a new one. Many sources cheaper than GM.

The tanks are fairly easy to find used, Riviera, Toronado, Eldorado and Seville used the same gas tank.

I know NAPA Auto Parts has them listed. I believe approx: $189.00. I'm not sure about new tank straps. I got my tank straps at Advanced Auto Parts, approx: $29.00 for both.

Had my friend in the business get me a new one. Price was about $115 2 years ago. Sorry I can't help you get one. There is a lot of soddering to install a new one. Unless you are good at this I would have a specialist do the install. A used one would probably go right in but you have a 15 year old part........I had the title of [sodder over repair] when in the Gm. plant. When the automatic machine broke down I could sodder in the [fill pipe] by hand at a rate of 60 an hour. The torch I used had a 3 ft. flame. The white shirts stood around in dis-belief. All tanks then had to be tested under water for leaks........Yah, I had my reatta gas tank installed by someone else....Ken

D.K.... when you say "there is a lot of soldering to install a new one" I presume you are talking about making a new one.

I have installed two tanks and there is no soldering involved. Your statement, mis-read, might scare off potential owners that need to change a tank.

Barney:> I can only say that you must have installed a used gas tank? I looked at the old one that came out of my car at the time. There were at least 2 or 3 places where pipes had to be un-soddered and put on the new tank. I guess some tanks [could] come with these pipes already installed. The one I bought did not. That might be the reason the tank was $115 wholesale. AS stated: The tanks at the Gm. assembly plant came without a filler neck. The reason, one tank might go into 4 different [brands] but use 4 different filler pipes. I don't want to scare off any owner's install. The question when buying should be [is] it ready to be installed? Ken

Barney is correct. There is NO soldering involved in replacing our gas tanks. I ahve also replaced one or two and NEVER did I have to solder any part of it. The last one was a 91 tank in to a 90. After you drop the sending unit and pump into the tank and tightan it down, all you have left is to attach the filler neck with the hose and than put the straps back on.
Where do you solder it? Gee, maybe I missed something.

I think there are 2 conversations going here. D.K.Watson is talking of soldering in the G.M. plant, and everyone else is talking about buying an aftermarket. I would expect that there would be soldering at the plant because one tank can be used on numerous cars with just a change in the filler neck.
I would also expect an aftermarket tank to be ready for installation with the appropiate filler neck already soldered in place.

I have a couple here I would let go for $20 each. Shipping might be an issue though. In Pasadena, just outside Houston, Tx.

apinyoz@comcast.net

I actually just ordered one, just in time. The car started stalling every time it began to idle. I lost half a tank of gas driving the 4 miles to the garage... $20 would have been nice though.

I would like to add my experience on the tanks on Ebay: Some of them are Silla tanks, which I don't personally like. They are too generic, don't fit all that well. I got one on Ebay, turned out to be a Silla, and it wasn't fun to put on, and I had to bend up the lip on the outer edge near the exhaust since they were touching (and wow, what a resonance that makes through the car) plus they are completely hollow inside, as I imagine all or most after-market ones are, so expect sloshing and to hear your fuel pump more with those. I found that the whole sending unit/sifter don't sit the same in the Silla, and it rattles against the bottom of the tank sometimes. Glad you got a factory one with the baffles and non-generic fit. Didn't find soldering to do on mine, I used my old filler neck and everything else. Which BTW, should be replaced on mine, it's very rusty. Anyone have a nice, rust-free one to sell?

How long does it take to get oue out of a car? I have never needed one, but this topic made for some interesting reading.

Tom

Hi,
I'm replacing my gas tank too. Fuel leaks a little when parked on a hill. Rust has attacked the rear suspension and fuel and brake lines aggressively. I replaced most of the fuel lines and now have the leak. I expect to find the upper half of the tank rusted.

The rubber fuel fill line and return line are difficult to get off! I'm working with the car on jack stands. The suspension parts are blocking hand access to these lines...

I have a new Spectra replacement tank. $204 from Spectra. I was able to get free shipping by paying for it at their show stand at Carlisle.

I planned to replace the following parts while in there:

ACDELCO Part # EP240 {DOES NOT INCL STRAINER. #25116162}
PUMP,FUEL (ELEC)
$79.79 @ RockAuto

ACDELCO Part # TS10 {#25055697}
STRAINER,FUEL SDR FUEL
$7.15 @ RockAuto

The fuel tank straps are intact but rusty; I'll replace those too.

What about replacing the sending unit? Mine reads the fuel level properly now. Should it be replaced anyway? Are new ones available?

What about replacing the pulsator, and the cushion between the pulsator and the pump?

The flexible hoses with metal end fittings that lead from the tank lines, just in front of the LH rear wheelhouse, have very rusty end fittings. These are GM #s 22530727, 22527934; see pages 3-4 and 3-5 of the Parts + Illustrations PDF. No longer available. Does anyone know of a source for these?

Carl, what year is your Reatta. I've replaced most of the items you're asking about. Mine is an 89. The following might help:

Tank strap set (Advanced Auto Parts): #18320378 $24.24.

Flexable fuel hoses still available through GM, you have the right numbers. Purchased mine July of this year: #22527934 (fuel return hose) $34.77 #22530727 (fuel feed hose) $43.07. Got mine at Buick dealer.

I would replace the pulsator also, you're already there. I got mine at NAPA Auto Parts $22.99.

The sending unit is only available through aftermarket. NAPA also has them, if you're willing to spend $300.00. If you want to replace the sending unit, I'd contact Jim Finn about a good used one. If yours is working, and looks good, reuse it.

The AC Delco numbers for the strainer & fuel pump are different for my 89 than you listed for yours. That's why I'm guessing yours is not an 89.
Hope this helps.

Drake,
Mine's a 1988. I see in the Parts + Illustrations book that the fuel pump for 1988 is different than 1989. The sender and the wheel house plastic shield are different too. The other parts are same in the book from 88-89. RockAuto lists the same part number for the 88 pump and 88-89 strainer as are listed in the parts book; maybe the strainer part number was superseded?

I looked up these parts on GM Parts Direct:
3523296 hose, tank fill & vent - did you replace this? *
3526548 pipe, tank fill *
22530727 hose, feed rr *
22527934 hose, rtn rr *
22523751 bolt, tank strap *
*GM Parts Direct says this is discontinued.

I contacted a local dealer to see if he can get the feed and return hoses.

Since the tank and lines are rusty I expect the lines leading from the sender unit are probably very rusty. But I haven't looked at this yet. Do the fuel lines come right out of the sender unit, or are there fittings at the top of the sender?

Carl,
I reused the tank strap bolts, cleaned them up & were fine.
The sending unit has steel lines (approx: 24" long) that connect to the hoses (22530727 & 22527934). Vintage Parts has over 125 of each. They are on line at www.vintageparts.org. They are pricey, but if you're looking for new, they're the only kid on the block with the ball & bat. I just checked, the one hose is $66.56 & the other is $57.74. They are also steep on shipping.

Also, I did not replace the other hoses that you listed.

This photo may help.... I went gas tank shopping at the Pick-n-pull and we pulled one from a 92 Riviera....its sending unit is on the left and is like the late Reatta we needed.

The unit on the right came from a Eldorado...it has longer steel lines with screw-on fitting that attach to rubber lines. I was unaware that the 1988 was different...the Eldorado unit may be the same as the early Reatta.
The second shot is the Eldorado unit...I don't know what year Eldorado but from the same time/years as our Reattas.

Thanks Drake.
At those prices, I'll take it all apart first to see whether I really need them.

Barney,
Please describe the lines coming off the 92 Riviera sender unit. Are those very short metal lines with some kind of rubber lines pushed on, with no threaded fittings or clamps?

I wonder if it is feasible to use a later sender on the 88 Reatta. I'd expect the shorter metal lines to be less susceptible to the rust that ate my tank and all my brake and fuel lines.

The other design, used on Reattas and Rivieras (I don't know when the change was made) comes out of the top of the tank and makes a 90 degree bend to lay flat on top of the tank. The steel lines run about 6-8 inches and have a rubber hose attached.

I had a rusty steel line on my sending unit. I cut it off and replaced it with a new line. I used a section of rubber fuel line to splice it together.

When I dealt with a rusted lines and tank on my '88 it came about in two phases. The lines above the tank went first, found a guy to rebuild the assembly/ new lines fitted.
A year later the top of the tank went, it's shaped with a dished in area for the Flange/ cover and I guess the accumulated road grit, salts and moisture did the rest.
I picked up a good as new '90 Tank in Louisiana, purchased the fuel line harness in plastic (from a '91-92 Riviera)They come with quick connect type fittings that matched the '90 Reatta tank.
I built a crossover arrangement up front. "You-Pick" Front end fuel lines off that era GM with the correct matching quick connects and then fabricated high pressure adapters with stainless mesh reinforced hose up to the fuel pressure regulator. This set-up has the fuel filter located up front at the base of the firewall instead of at the rear of the car as on the '88.
This rebuild was done around 2001 as I recall and there have been no issues since. Lot to be said for plastic lines too!

I dropped my tank and finally have it all apart. The lines on top of my tank just after the sending unit are intact but are badly rusted.

Greg,
I like the idea of the plastic lines. If I can't find a 92 Riviera or equivalent donor car, I might try to install plastic - nylon fuel lines using new parts. I can buy rolls of nylon feed and return line, and transition fittings for the 90 degree bends and ends.

Take a look at these parts:
http://www.fmsiinc.com/fuel-lines-adapters.htm
http://www.fmsiinc.com/nylon-tubing.htm

This might be a bit different than what you are using. I would do it without factory-style quick connects. There would be semi-permament fittings ("A" on the illustration on the FMSI web page) at the fuel filter and rail connections, and metal 90 degree elbows at the bends along the floor pan ("K" in the FMSI illustration). 90 degree metal elbows could also be used where the sending unit lines come out, and nylon line would come right up to there. What do you think?