Replacing Fuel Tank

It's a sad fact that rust will affect everything eventually, and the fuel tank is no different. The main seam splits, the stub pipe rots off and before you know it, your precious cargo of motion lotion has spilled all over your driveway.

It's a hell of a job, but it'll be that little bit easier with our handy guide.

Tools

• Jack and Jackstands
• Allen key
• 13mm spanner
• 13mm socket
• 10mm socket
• Wrench and extension bar
• Slotted and cross-head screwdrivers
• Plenty of latex gloves

WARNING: It's bloody obvious but it needs to be remembered. NO SMOKING while working with the fuel system!

Procedure

First thing is to get the car in the air. You can do this with your jack and jackstands by using the approved jacking points, or you can use ramps or an inspection pit.

Drain the fuel tank. It should have a drain plug on the drivers side (you need an Allen key,5 or 6 mm if I remember correctly). If the Allen key is going to get ruined, use a pair of vice or mole-grips, or self locking pliers to turn it.

Remove the exhaust (when its cool obviously).

Remove the heat shield that sits above the exhaust, by undoing the ten 13mm nuts.

Undo the four nuts that hold the prop shaft to the diff and then the 3 bolts that hold the front of the prop to the gearbox and finally the 2 bolts that hold the centre bearing housing. Pull down the centre bearing carrier and remove the rear of the prop from the diff and do the same with the front of the prop and place the prop out of your way.

If you have 2 metal strips just in front of the tank (air deflector plates)-remove these also (held in place with plastic nuts and a screw). If the screw wont budge, just pull the strip down slightly.

Lift/remove the rear seat and lift the carpet to reveal either 1 or 2 access panels - unscrew these. Beneath these you will find fuel pipes and electrical connections, undo the wiring plugs (poss. 1 in each hole (if a 2 hole tank) these are for the fuel pump and the fuel senders (there are 1 either side on the 2 hole version) a small flat head screwdriver should split the clips that hold the fuel lines (best to replace with new jubilee clips-much easier to do up) separate the fuel lines (mark them if it makes you feel better)

You now have to undo the hoses beside the fuel filter (again, mark them if you feel it would be easier for you to identify which pipe goes where for when you come to put it back together). You have to remove the fuel filter from its jubilee clip to gain access to the bolt that holds the filter hanger bracket.

Undo the bolt above the fuel filter, then undo the bolt/nut at the other side of the tank also. That’s two down, three to go. I found it best to remove the 2 at the back of the tank (above the rear beam) first and support the tank and THEN remove the final nut (in the centre at the front). The tank should now be in a position to be removed (you need to fiddle it about a bit to get it out).

Once removed, give the top a clean/sweep down to remove crud etc. Remove the metal sleeved rubber grommets and fit them to your new/replacement tank. Remove the pass side fuel sender (screws out-might need a little leverage-use a screwdriver/small flat bar etc) and fit into new tank (if you have new seals, USE THEM).

To remove the fuel pump. first remove the 4 small nuts on the top and lift out the 2nd sender unit. then unscrew the fuel pump just as you did with the 1st fuel sender and fit into your new tank (again if you have new seals, FIT THEM) once the pumps in, refit the sender unit (Haynes-fitting is reverse of removal).

Transfer the plastic fuel lines to the new tank. (Do not damage the copper pipe), if the clips on the original tank are dodgy/in need of replacement, you can use plastic tie raps to hold the plastic lines Just don’t tighten them to too tight.

You should now be ready to refit the tank

Get the tank back up into position and support it.

Connect up the fuel lines on top of the tank to those still on the car (jubilee clips are much easier/faster than the originals) and refit the wiring plugs to the fuel pump and sender units

Everything else should be pretty straight forward when it comes to refitting.