I'm looking at a 1990 pickup for $700 they said it needs a new gas tank the one in it rusted through. Is their anyway to start the truck so I can hear it run without the gas tank? I'd rather not use starter fluid unless it's the only resort

 

On a fuel injected vehicle that will be fairly difficult, you need something like 70PSI at the fuel rail (completely making up the number, by the way). I wonder if you could pull the fuel pump and stick in a coffee can or something. I'd be really careful to avoid sparks, of course.

 

What does the rest of this truck look like rust wise??

 

It's closer to 44psi at the rail (goes up and down with throttle position), so you'll need a pump that can produce something like 70psi. More importantly, you'll need to plumb that pump into the fuel line in a way that will hold that pressure. (So pulling the pump to put into a coffee can requires that you somehow make up the pressurized line too.)

So hearing it run without a working fuel tank will be pretty difficult. You could try a leak-down test http://www.harborfreight.com/cylinde...ter-94190.html which will tell you "something" about how tight the block is, but even that won't be too helpful. Leak-down readings are not absolute; you really need to compare them to something.

 

the easiest alternative, and probably the least dangerous, might be to drain the tank and plug the holes from the outside, with some of that epoxy putty that's designed for that purpose, even walmart carries it.

the downside could be that the filter sock and such might be plugged up, so it'll be a ymmv.

 

I always just put some gas (or a gas soaked rag) in the intake, It will usually run off that for a short time.

 

spray some starting fluid in the throttle body and start it up. compression test it....offer him $500.

Dont waste your time trying to make it run with a tank of some sort.