Help: Gas Leak?? Need Advice

Asked by amg7 Feb 17, 2010 at 10:39 PM about the 1988 Ford Ranger

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Hi everyone,

I have been driving my grandpas old ford ranger because it had just been sitting in his yard for like a year, so I am borrowing it while I save up some money, anyways it used to be my sister's truck and when she had it, it apparently had a hole half way up the gas tank, (my gpa says he took it out and "saudered it" but I don't know if that really worked...) and the gas gage is apparently logged down, so it shows lower than it really is?? And it kind of seems to move around..    But my gas expenses are more than they should be, SO I dont know what to do because it is not my truck so I don't want to put bunch of money into it, but i dont wanna waste a bunch of gas,   How bad is it for a fuel injected truck to run out of gas?? My sister told me to run it on empty and track the mileage until I run out because the gas guage lies and says you're on empty when you are not.  So that I can avoid filling it up to where the guage says half but is really more than half and is leaking out!   And then to just keep track of the mileage, and stay under half a tank????   
Help Please!!
Thanks!  :)

3 Answers

69,015

the gasoline in the gas tank is what keeps the pump cool when u run the gas under 1/8 tank the pump wont have enough cool gas around it to keep it cool. that is one of the main reasons for pump failure. pump gets hot and quits working. best bet is to get a couple 5 gallon gas cans and get under it and have someone fill it and look for leaks. if you have a leaking tank from rusting out there are quick fixes but eventually the rust will grow past where it was fixed and leak again.

1 people found this helpful.
85

Are you sure its a steel tank??? If so you should for sure go to the junk yard and buy a tank that has no holes, i cant believe you would drive a truck that you think is splashing gas out!!!!! I have a 94 ranger and my tank is plastic so if you can get that to fit buy a 94 ranger tank so you wont have to worry about it rusting out. As far as the gas guage goes call local shops and get quotes on fixing a guage or if you have the tools take the dash apart and try putting a different cluster from the junk yard

1 people found this helpful.
2,625

ur best bet is to take the tank out and check it over and get a used tank from a junk yard if you need it

2 people found this helpful.

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