Battery acid/Gas tank nightmare

[M&Ms4D]

Ok kinda long backstory but hopefully someone has some ideas that can steer me in the right direction.

I have a 2017 1500 Laramie 5.7 gas 4x4.
A few weeks back my battery seemed to be on its last leg so I put in a new one from autozone. I kept the old one (another long story that would need its own thread). I have a hard bed cover so for a week the old one just stayed in transit to and from work with a long trip back from the camp mixed in.

Shame on me but kind of forgetting about it, I noticed a wet spot under my truck. It ended up being that the old battery was on its side for who knows how many days and I had battery acid leak out all over. It ate up paint in pieces of my bed and drained over some exhaust pieces and part of the gas tank.

I mixed up a big batch of baking soda/ water in a paste and with an old chip brush put it on everything I saw until it stopped bubbling. I put it in the bed and everything on the underside that I could. Then I brought it to bennys and got a car wash including the under side wash.

So at this point I’m thinking, ok crisis averted, all is good. A few days go by and I get a check engine light come on, As well as a gas cap light. And my paranoid self kinda thought I smelled gasoline more than normal.

So I bought a new gas cap, and unhooked the negative battery terminal for 20 mins to reset everything. All is good for the next week.

Now it’s time to go on vacation to Destin..... all packed up, kids in car, last step is tank up and ice down the coolers....

Here’s where it gets fun.... so I fill up the truck until the gas pump automatically shuts off. I then hear what sounds like water pouring out of an ice chest. Look down to see the gasoline pouring onto the ground from under my truck. After 15 seconds or so it stops “spilling”.

So my guess is that I really didn’t need a gas cap, I’m thinking battery acid ate up something on top of my gas tank that I can’t see from underneath. (Maybe where the full neck enters the tank???) I really don’t want to bring to the dealer bc that’s against everything I stand for.... I can do most basic stuff on my own: oil, spark plugs, brakes/rotors etc. Unfortunately I know nothing about the gas tank or fuel lines etc on it. I have a 26 gallon tank. Is it a big deal to take off the tank to inspect and see what’s going on? Should I attempt to take the bed off instead?

Basically I’ve just been taking it real easy driving around town, not putting more than 5-10 gallons in at a time since we got back from the beach haha.

Also, I’m just discovering that some of the same trucks have a 32 gallon tank.... if I’m gonna have to take all kinda stuff apart, id much rather the bigger tank.

Step 1 would be fix what’s broken sooner than later, but if it’s not much other work To swap to the bigger tank I’d love that upgrade.


Any thoughts, ideas, information would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!!

 

[NJMOPAR]

I would assume you'd have to reprogram it for the 32gal tank so the gauge reads right.
Other than that I'd think a lift & two man job is the minimum you're looking at, unless you can get the truck high enough off the ground to remove the tank. I'm sure there's other things involved.

 

[crash68]

I would assume you'd have to reprogram it for the 32gal tank so the gauge reads right.

The gauge still works without any reprogramming. The gauge maybe a little less linear but what fuel is ever linear? The biggest thing that reprogramming the truck for size of fuel tank is the distance to empty calculation will be off.

 

[tap4154]

if you look at this 26 gallon tank on eBay, I'll bet it's one of the rubber lines on top that is leaking, not the tank itself. If you can drop it down maybe you can find out which line is leaking and just replace it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274343771888

 

[LeesEvoX]

Even though the gas tank on these trucks is made of plastic. I dont think the battery acid would eat through it. that fast.

My guess as above is that a rubber hose has been eaten by it, and is causing a leak.

If you replace the gas tank with a bigger one. it will work fine (I also believe you will have to purchase a different fuel basket for the bigger tank). The only problem is the truck will think it still has the 26 gallon. So the gas light will still come on at a certain point. Even though you would still have like 6 gallons of fuel left.

IF you do decide to replace the tank. It isnt hard at all.

1) get the rear end up on Jack stands.
2) disconnect all lines/fittings from the tank/fuel basket.
3) break the bolts loose on the tank straps
4) use a motorcycle jack to lower the tank to the floor. (These jacks have a big surface area to hold the entire tank)

I also put some towels on the floor, and just slid the tank off the jack. Then pulled the tank out with the towels to avoid scraping.

 

[M&Ms4D]

I finally got a chance to pull the tank, definitely found the culprit, also definitely not what I was expecting.

the entire white plastic top of (what I’m pretty sure is the fuel pump) has cracks all over like a spider web...

 

[M&Ms4D]

In the opinions of the experts on this forum, do you think this is from my battery Acid spill or a defective part from the factory?

Also, should I replace with OEM, or is there a good aftermarket one that y’all would recommend since I have to replace anyway?

thanks for all the help so far!

 

[GIJoe2010]

I hate to say it, but since you’ve already pulled the tank and knowingly has battery acid damage portions of your truck, you’re gonna eat that cost. If you left it as it was and took it directly to the dealership after your cleanup effort you might have a leg to stand on, but since it’s all torn apart they may claim you did all the damage and deny any warranty claim you may think you have. Sorry

 

[LeesEvoX]

In the opinions of the experts on this forum, do you think this is from my battery Acid spill or a defective part from the factory?

Also, should I replace with OEM, or is there a good aftermarket one that y’all would recommend since I have to replace anyway?

thanks for all the help so far!

I got my replacement pump from autozone. Just an aftermarket one. Was cheaper than OEM, and did me just fine. Fit well, worked as needed.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Quyonmob]

Defective factory part. Mine crumbled just like that and was replaced under warranty. Same symptoms, no battery acid.

 

[M&Ms4D]

Defective factory part. Mine crumbled just like that and was replaced under warranty. Same symptoms, no battery acid.

Yea I tend to think it’s odd that that’s the only thing messed up and I really don’t see any signs of “battery acid” anywhere on top of the tank... looks like some defective brittle plastic to me...

How did you know yours was all cracked?

Part of me is a bit worried with all the cracks that I have “junk” in my tank now.
I’ll try to see if I can get a new fuel pump from warranty, if not will prob get one aftermarket. Now to decide if I want to order and go back with a 32 gallon tank while I have everything disconnected?!

 

[Quyonmob]

Yea I tend to think it’s odd that that’s the only thing messed up and I really don’t see any signs of “battery acid” anywhere on top of the tank... looks like some defective brittle plastic to me...

How did you know yours was all cracked?

Part of me is a bit worried with all the cracks that I have “junk” in my tank now.
I’ll try to see if I can get a new fuel pump from warranty, if not will prob get one aftermarket. Now to decide if I want to order and go back with a 32 gallon tank while I have everything disconnected?!

intermittent smell of raw gas for a few days, the “gas cap” error came up on the EVIC. I put gas cap in quotes as it actually indicates a loss of pressure/vacuum control in the tank venting system.

Smell of gas became constant forcing the dealer to drop the tank and inspect. All the white plastic on the sending unit was brittle to the touch and all spider web cracked.

They did clean the tank as part of the repair. No issues since (20,000mi or more ago).