I need to remove my gas tank for refurbishment. It looks like it is held in place with four bolts that are accessible in the trunk. There is not much gas in the tank, and I attempted to siphon the remaining gas yesterday, but had trouble, as the tube from the hand held pump was getting caught up at the bottom of the filler tube. I removed the larger vent tube, but again had trouble getting the siphon tube to make contact with the remaining gas. I unbolted the fuel sending unit, but it would not come away from the tank easily, and didn't want to force it for fear of damaging it. Do I simply need to get a screw driver between the tank and the sending unit and pry a little to get them to to separate?
Also, any suggestions on getting the tank up and away from the trunk floor? I pushed a little from the bottom with no movement. Would a jack with wood at the bottom corner(s) of the tank be a good idea to loosen the tank upwards into the trunk?
Plans are to flush and refurbish with Eastwood product or POR 15 product, and then re-paint the outside.
Remove Gas Tank for Clean out
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mullioni
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 4:12 pm
- Your car is a: 1979 2000
- Location: Greenwood, SC
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spider2081
- Patron 2024
- Posts: 3015
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:45 pm
- Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
- Location: Wallingford,CT
Re: Remove Gas Tank for Clean out
New fuel tanks are fairly affordable.
The fuel sender should come off with some gentile prying around the edges.
I resealed my tanks about 5 years ago using the POR 15 product. I don't remember why but I called them and one thing I remember is they verbally told me the acid etch can not work on the metal is there is dead gas (varnish that forms from gasoline sitting) stock on the metal. To use as hot a water as possible and a strong degreaser to clean the tank before flushing with the acid etch. I did this and it took a few washes before the water/soap solution appeared to be clean. For the acid etch I purchased 2 gallons from Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip- ... /100406369 This allowed me to position the tank in various positions with enough etching chemical in the tank to cover a large surface area. I also put marble chips in the tank ans shook them around with the etchant. All in all after a couple days i rinsed out the tank and used the sealer per instructions. All went well except a couple of the little vent hose fittings ended up getting sealed shut. What a PIA to clean back out after the sealer dries. So If I were I would blow to do it again I would blow them out with compressed air to be sure they are clear before the sealer dries.
Finally I was worried that there might be some flakes of sealer floating around so I installed a filter in the tanks output line to the FI pump.
The fuel sender should come off with some gentile prying around the edges.
I resealed my tanks about 5 years ago using the POR 15 product. I don't remember why but I called them and one thing I remember is they verbally told me the acid etch can not work on the metal is there is dead gas (varnish that forms from gasoline sitting) stock on the metal. To use as hot a water as possible and a strong degreaser to clean the tank before flushing with the acid etch. I did this and it took a few washes before the water/soap solution appeared to be clean. For the acid etch I purchased 2 gallons from Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip- ... /100406369 This allowed me to position the tank in various positions with enough etching chemical in the tank to cover a large surface area. I also put marble chips in the tank ans shook them around with the etchant. All in all after a couple days i rinsed out the tank and used the sealer per instructions. All went well except a couple of the little vent hose fittings ended up getting sealed shut. What a PIA to clean back out after the sealer dries. So If I were I would blow to do it again I would blow them out with compressed air to be sure they are clear before the sealer dries.
Finally I was worried that there might be some flakes of sealer floating around so I installed a filter in the tanks output line to the FI pump.