I have a 1987 Dodge Ram D150 pickup and the plastic fuel tank is cracked. I have searched high and low for a replacement. Dodge quit manufacturing the tanks in 1993. Any suggestions? Can I have a metal tank fabricated?

 

Yes, you can have a tank made. I don't think I've ever seen one of those tanks fail unless they fall out and are dragged down the road as they are very heavy plastic. I went to my normal sources and by golly, that tank DOES seem to be made of unobtainium. You will probably need to find a used one if you want original.

As a stop gap, you have a mechanical fuel pump don't you? You can put a dune buggy fuel pump in the truck until you can find the right one. I've got a small tank I use as an auxiliary tank for off road fuel. One thing to keep in mind is where you are located. Try this link to start your search;

https://www.partshotlines.com/parts/...fuel-tank.html

You'll need to do a new search, but the parts are out there. I'm going to an old salvage yard near me to see if they are still open and see if I can source some parts for a 1990 Furd truck I'm working on. If I think about it, I'll see if they are breaking any Dodge trucks.

 

Thanks!

 

Where a bouts are you located? I know of a couple of boneyards that have those trucks in them.

 

I'm swinging by one with older stuff tomorrow or the day after. Like you, I wonder where he's located.

 

I'm in the Austin Texas area.

 

Used longbed tanks should be easy to find. Shorties not so much. If searching the autowreckers you need to find a yard that isn't hack (punch holes in all the tanks for draining.)

You may be able to substitute a ford pickup metal tank with improvised mounting. Sits in the same spot and frame is the same width. They also have an aft-axle tank that should/could fit.

 

Long bed/short bed doesn't make a difference.
there were 2 different size tanks those years. A 20-ish and a 30-ish gallon. I've seen both sizes in long bed trucks, and though most short beds came with the smaller one, I believe the 30 would fit into a short bed as well

 

The parts yard I went to has several. Unless you're going to be in the S.W. Indiana area anytime soon though, it's a prohibitive distance from you.

 

It does matter... the long/big tank won't fit in the shortbed std cab truck. The long tank is far more common.