Removing petrol tank

[Pdv]

I know it has been covered but I could not find it in a search.

What is the technique for removing petrol tank from a 1360 ie due to the dreded drain.

Thanks 

Steve

 

[johny]

Comes out pretty easy. Get it as empty as possible, remove spare wheel, disconnect fuel pipe at outlet hose connection, take off petrol cap and remove filler neck seal, undo fixing bolts (3 or 4 is it?), thread out of position taking care to not get snagged on drain or filler holes - a helper might be useful at this last stage....

[daverclasper]

I seem to remember the boot stay bracket needs removing (or can do)? 

[PeteH]

8 minutes ago, daverclasper said:

I seem to remember the boot stay bracket needs removing (or can do)? 

Yes!!!. I took the tank out of Plum, a week or two back to get at the overider bolts, also destroyed the neck filler seal in the process. (was well "past it`s sell by date"). Plenty of wriggling involved, the foam seal round the drain was a right PITA.

Pete

[johny]

13 hours ago, daverclasper said:

I seem to remember the boot stay bracket needs removing (or can do)? 

Youre right and it needs a piece of wood or something of the right length to prop open the boot lid! Oh and of course the fuel sender has to be disconnected... 

[Colin Lindsay]

Boot lid stay must be removed, and don't forget to unscrew the 'foot' in the wheelwell if it's a wide tank.

[Pdv]

Thanks for the replies, I didn't explain myself very well, but what I was hoping was an explanation as to how get the tank out once all fixtures have been removed, the drainplug stops the tank sliding out from the bottom and the filler neck stops it moving in from the top.

The best bit is I have done this once but can't remember how, I think I bent the filler hole to release the top and then tidied it up with a hamer and dolly afterwards.

Steve

[johny]

God it shouldnt need that as there should be enough play in the filler and drain holes to allow the tank to be wiggled out!

[Pete Lewis]

its one of those jobs you fight to a standstill and then is just pops out 

its very much a fiddle jiggle what the !!!   job

pete

[johny]

Heres the instructions for the vitesse tank in the workshop manual...

[Peter Truman]

24 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

its one of those jobs you fight to a standstill and then is just pops out 

its very much a fiddle jiggle what the !!!   job

pete

I like the WSM wording "manoeuvre" I found my Mk2 Vitesse with the big tank easier but still a pita to remove with the drain plug removed which is not always practical if their seized in. I now use a brass drain plugs/bolts to make it all easier. As for that foam and folded plate to seal the drain plug hole in the body which bright spark in the engineering dept thought that one up, a rubber grommet has replaced it!

[johny]

I wonder if there isnt differences in dimensions between cars and so the tank is a tighter fit in some than others. Still the tanks went in and I would have thought, for pressure testing purposes, with the drain plugs already fitted. However I dont recall that folded seal plate on my mk1...

[Pete Lewis]

12 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

As for that foam and folded plate to seal the drain plug hole in the body which bright spark

makes you wonder if that monstrosity was to allow a bigger hole to enable fitting/removal 

as the plate and  foam have liitle to offer in sensible design 

Pete

[PeteH]

REf; The foam seal, I was cogitating on wether a slice of 1" "kingspan" might not be an improvement?. It`s lack of much compressability may be an issue?. It does however not absorb moisture as readily?. There was no plate By the way?. The hole in the Tub is way bigger than the drain. I note that the latest tank offerings don`t have the drain, which would make fitting theoretically somewhat easier.

Pete

[Josef]

I used some closed cell foam as a seal between the tank drain and corresponding hole in the floor, so sounds close to what you’re suggesting Pete H.

[Peter Truman]

What about the oil/bitumen impregnated foam wrapped around the drain tube to fill the gap between the hole in the body and drain pipe, this would make it water tight and stop rust. 

[Paul H]

I used a piece of black plastic  sheet split in 2 with a U section in each to cover the drain plug . Slide the 2 sections together locking the  drain plug and silicone in . Easy to remove if required 

Paul 

[Pete Lewis]

just note the replacement tanks made by  Fichetts  don't have the drain spout ( good) are  only herald sized 

and don't have the silly reserve lever feature .

so on a vitesse you gain a few inches boot width for the deck chair .

the reduce range is of little consequence to most of us 

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

16 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

What about the oil/bitumen impregnated foam wrapped around the drain tube to fill the gap between the hole in the body and drain pipe, this would make it water tight and stop rust. 

Plumbers grease-impregnated tape? Might be a good idea. Never thought of that before even to protect the drain neck.

Many years ago at Stafford I bought half a dozen of the original foam seals, even then they were a hard to find part / no longer made and they're a hard-to-compress material that looks nothing like the squashed foam items I usually remove from under whatever tank I'm working on. I've never even seen the metal plate on any of my cars, but this foam doesn't seem to require any, certainly in the early stages of use.

 

[Peter Truman]

7 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Plumbers grease-impregnated tape? Might be a good idea. Never thought of that before even to protect the drain neck.

 

 

Denso Tape I have a roll on the shelf from my Water Board days used to protect flanges and their bolts, but used with Denso putty so the sharp edges don't cut thro the tape.

In fact I've used it as the seal between the front and rear body tub flanges ie in front of the seats, it ensures no water ingress and no corrosion.