Removing Fuel tank

[kstrutt11]

I've just been having a prod around prior to the MOT and have noticed one of the top diff mountings has failed, hopefully this won't prevent it getting a MOT but it obviously needs replacing.

To replace it it looks like I have to remove the fuel tank, this is where my problems start, my car is a convetable and to get the tank out inside the car I will have to remove the hood, roll bar, hood tray, and all the rear trim. I am wondering if I remove the brace in the boot can I pull it out into the boot?

[stugilmour]

Yes, should be removable through the boot. This is easiest way on the stock coupe setup. Undo two strap nuts, remove filler rubber 90, remove fuel line on base of tank from underneath car, and remove vent lines. Lift straps and pull out tank. You may require a replacement rubber ell; mine is so hard it won't refit correctly. Not sure how hard it will be to refit the tank if you can't access it from the car interior; I had a helper assist with positioning while installing it.

[peterako]

Yes.

If you carefully bend up the straps after unboltingt them in teh boot you can pust the tank back far enough to access the mount bolts.

You'll need to:
Drain the tank (There is a drain plug undernest somewhere....read on...)
Disconnect the fuel line under the tank (Awkward)
Disconnect the fuel guage sender leads
Disconnect the filler pipe
Disconnect the breather pipes
Unbolt the two sraps in the boot.

Push tank backwards.

Sorry, I'm going from memory so I MAY have missed something.

We drained much of the tank by syphoning...then the rest through the fuel pipe fixing under the tank (definitely NOT recommended).

But, once the tank was shifted backwards changing the mounts was relatively easy

Best of luck!

Peter

[kstrutt11]

Thanks gents, doesn't sound like too big a job, The filler pipe is only a year or 2 old so should come off ok, I'll use the electric pump and a long length of fuel line to pump it dry.
Looking closer after cleaning it up it looks like one of the bolts has come loose and there is a small crack in the chassis around one of the nuts as well, so I may have to get the welder out, access looks pretty good with the tank out though.

[Craig Elliott]

I'm not 100% sure you need to actually remove the tank at all - this may not be the case with a soft top but I've managed by just undoing the straps and carefully lifting the tank up an inch or so. Obviously it's best done with very little or no fuel in but I've managed to be able to get to the diff mounts this way...

On your car, how much space is there above the tank?

Craig

[kstrutt11]

There is around 2 inches above the tank so it may be possible, but I will need to get it out to repair the crack anyway.

[kstrutt11]

On close examination the chassis was not cracked just a bit bent, so following Craig's method I undid the straps, lifted the front of the tank by a couple of inches and simply removed the diff mount for which there was plenty of access, I straightened out the deformation in the chassis and put it all back togehter, in total it took less than an hour.

So thanks Craig for the advice and I recommend this method to anyone else.


Kevin