2003 Fuel Tank Availability

The fuel tank on my husband’s 2003 Tundra crapped out. Rust ate through under the cross member and shes pooched.

We’ve both searched everywhere and have been unable to find an OEM replacement anywhere in the entire country. Any that let you ‘put in cart’ get kicked back and the dealers say they arent actually available. We’ve both called a couple dozen places at this point. Now torn between an aftermarket chinesium one or rolling the dice on a take-off tank from a salvage yard somewhere outside the rust belt.

Anyone have any leads, input from experience on aftermarket tanks, anything?

His Tundra is down and hes driving mine in the meantime. (I luckily have my electrical work van to get around in but trying to find a fix)

 

You’ve been hiding this single cab from us?!?

honestly I think a junk yard would be your best best, but may be hard to find a worthy one in your area.
@shifty` has some sites, copart? Maybe?

 

I bought a Dorman from Rock Auto

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10352168&cc=1426935&pt=6268&jsn=524

 

He was eyeing that one. How long have you had it? Any fitment issues or anything?

 

Also, I have a spare tire drop down assembly if you want it(while your in there) pm me and I’ll send it out

 

Thats his baby.
315k miles, hes trying to keep her going as long as the engine keeps it up. Things been flawless.

 

He has one already that hes hucking in. Shouldve asked first, dammit!

 

No issues at all ~ 3 years. Perfect fit.

 

Awesome, appreciate the feedback

 

You can’t win if you don’t play!

 

Ah well, its all good. I appreciate it though. He said he’d sell his truck “Tell him $15k. I know what i’ve got”

 

It’s not as rusty as I expected, but I’d need some frame shots from underneath. He must take good care of it!

 

Its a South Carolina car, he got it in 2008 and he washes and undercoats the everloving shit out of the thing. I couldnt believe how nice it was when the bed came off. He had the coating recall from the dealer like five years back and they thought he had his frame replaced recently (nope, original frame).

 

Ah! You mean the dealer “rust concealment” coating!

Toyota should’ve never been legally allowed to offer that scammy shit as a legitimate frame solution but I digress….

FWIW, Dorman gets a lot of shit from people and it’s unwarranted in like 95% of cases. They genuinely make quality products and - in modern times, with aftermarket going down the shitter - still produce a decent quality controlled part. They’re the only company making quality repops for parts manufacturers discontinue (well, OK, Standard Motor Products is also!), to the point with my old GM trucks, several things like the Intermediate shaft, GM stopped making it and GM corporate literally tells you to buy the Dorman part, “its the exact same part and quality”. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy their fuel tank.

While he has the bed off, now is the perfect time to wire a backup camera if he doesn’t already have one. I’ve got a pretty solid write up on here I can link you up with if it helps, lots of pics etc.

 

Appreciate it. He was reading that the dorman tack welds for the baffles had issues so he was concerned. At this point not much choice anyway.

He just installed a backup camera to go with his new head unit a few weeks ago because he was sick of getting out ten times to hook up to his trailer (hes a carpenter).

 

I'm needing one too but Google says the 2003s have a 26 gallon tank and the Dorman is only 18ish. No issues with the fuel gauge or anything?

 

This has come up quite a few times on here, the discrepancy in those numbers. Ive run my truck to near empty on multiple occasions during the last 5 years, and looking at my MPG tracking app, I've never been able to stuff more than 22.1 gallons into it. @w666 can attest to fitment. @FlyingWolfe did y'all ever get your tank installed?

 

I had a long, frustrating engagement with Dorman support who snarkily INSTISTED...

"Okay, our tank is a copy of that Toyota number which is 18.5 gallons. Have a good day".

My response:

"I bought your tank, but not before confirming with another Tundra owner who had just replaced his. After installation I poured in ~ 5 gallons from a can, then drove 4.4 miles to the gas station. There I pumped in another 21.7 gallons of gas. So let's see~ 5 + 21.7 = 26.7. So you must be correct...your tank holds 18.5 gallons!"

I like Dorman a lot, but the guy I was dealing with was (and no doubt still is) a colossal asshole!

 

I think the math maths on that. Just wanted to see before I ordered. Anything else you recommend replacing along with the tank? I have what i assume is 341K on the original parts since j have no records. Did you coat the outside of the tank in anything as well?

 

It might be worth replacing the fuel pump while the tank is dropped. They're pretty expensive though. I'm unsure of how common (or UNcommon) failures are.

 

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2003,tundra,4.7l+v8,1418475,fuel+&+air,fuel+tank,6268
I went with the Spectra, coated it in Herculiner, new denso pump was only $110. Tank was just a little over 300... prices have gone up
Nice truck, way to keep that frame protected


The pump mount location is in a bad spot (at least on the Access Cab) and debris can build up, so I did a little preventative/Polyurethane.
Old tank.

 

Just got mine replaced the other day with the Dorman one. My mechanic didn't chew me a new one and said it went OK. He did leave the plastic shroud off at his suggestion.

 

When I replaced mine I questioned that very thing. I ended up putting it on. But I had coated the entire tank in Hurculiner too.

 

How much did the herculiner cost?

 

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...hcl0b7/p-177023397515709-c-9102.htm?exp=false