Fuel Tank being a c*nt

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:25 pm

It takes a LOT to get me wound up, but swapping this fuel tank has got me close to it.

All 5 mounting bolts removed, fuel filter and hoses unclipped, pump and sender out and top hoses disconnected. But the tank itself doesn't want to drop out of the car. It's dropped down maybe an inch, but it simply won't come out of the car.

Have I got to drop the whole rear beam (again!) to make it come out?

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:33 pm

I heard its a beam off job.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:34 pm

Taken the breather hose off?

Double check that all the pipework is dis-connected,no need to pull the beam off.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:38 pm

Everything's off under both inspection hatches. The only thing that's not undone is the filler hose, because I can't even get to the jubilee clip around the stub pipe so I've undone the other end of the rubber hose from the filler pipe, so that the tank's free to move.

Does it require some brute force or levering, cos I'm ready to kick the sh!t out of it.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:45 pm

Is there a breather bottle under the drivers side arch? Is that connected any way

Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:55 pm

You really need to disconnectd the filler pipe to get it to drop properly.

I have changed 2 tanks in the past without dropping the rear beam. From memory once everything is disconnected you drop it from the front.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:19 pm

mick_318is wrote:You really need to disconnectd the filler pipe to get it to drop properly.

I have changed 2 tanks in the past without dropping the rear beam. From memory once everything is disconnected you drop it from the front.

This is correct. It has to drop at the front first, to get the filler stub and rear flange of the tank off of the top of the beam.
Shouldn't need any force. It's a bit like removing a six pot engine and box - there's enough room without forcing anything - just!

Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:39 pm

Did you take the prop off

If its even slightly crusty around the filler you'll need a new tank, they always crack

Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:41 pm

Alright. If it comes to the worst I'll attack the stub, but it's definitely not pressing enough up against the beam for the front lip to drop.

Do the mounting arms that carry the back end of the head-shield also need to come off? Those are the only nuts that are seized solid here.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:50 pm

Martinaston wrote:Did you take the prop off

the heat shield brackets can stay on the tank, a bit of wiggling around and it should come down ,

Sat Apr 21, 2012 7:39 pm

Martinaston wrote:Did you take the prop off

Yeah, prop came off a while back

Well, the rear half did - the centre collar was so loose that the prop came apart in my hands.

Martinaston wrote:If its even slightly crusty around the filler you'll need a new tank, they always crack

Replacement tank, enameled and stone-chipped, is ready to go in, so I'm prepared to batter this one to pieces to get it out, if necessary

It's split at the rear seam, like they all do.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:59 pm

Lots of wriggling should do it, the front edge has a habit of digging in. If your brave enough you could chop the filler off

Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:32 am

Yeah, it was the front edge that didn't want to come down. Lots of prising with the crowbar and a few stout whacks with a rubber mallet got it dropped eventually though.

What a c*nt of a job that was!

Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:53 pm

Its just as much fun trying to get all 5 bolts back in while shuffling back and forth on your back and holding the tank up

Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:19 pm

Well, it seems I've got some welding to do on the inner sill before I put the new tank in, so I can postpone that little chore for a week or so...

Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:16 pm

My tank is going back in this week, no doubt I'll be contributing some profanity to the atmosphere during it!

Once I've located the 2 missing spacers and grommets

Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:32 am

mine was a pain there was alot of swearing comming from under the car that day, i used a trolly jack with a plank on wood gaffer taped to it to hold the tank in place while i screwed the bolts in

Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:06 pm

do this on biiig ramps or a lift, 10 mins single handed!

Prop in-situ but no beam or anything else in the way

Took me longer finding the 2 bloody spacers I put somewhere safe (on top of the loudspeaker at the shed door obviously!)

Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:05 pm

Have you got the car supported by A frames on the rear beam ? if so jack it up and put the frames under the rear jacking points instead, this allows the beam to drop a bit on the bushes thus giving you a lillte more clearance, and yep you do need to take the filler pipe off the tank, ( If you can't get at the jubilee screw you may have to break the clip in situ )