Post by boldsmobile on Jan 4, 2009 21:47:02 GMT -6
I had previously posted several basics steps of my recent repair and decided to do a bit more of a detailed write up along with a pic.
I didn't want to buy a new tank and didn't want to risk a used tank being just as rotted. I decided to try and fix my tank.
Best to start with as little gas as possible in the tank.
1. Remove all trunk carpet. I can guarantee you will spill gas in your trunk and you don't want to have the smell lingering.
2. Remove silver plate from trunk floor. Thats the pump service panel. Top of tank is under this plate. 7mm screws.
3. Use an air gun and blow off all the junk from the top of the tank. Disconnect both fuel lines from to of pump.
4. Pull little blue retaining pin from electric plug. The little blue pin not the big blue piece on the back of the wires.
5. Pull electric plug.
6. Remove Fuel Pump retaining ring or whats left of it. All the ears on my tank were rotted so the ring came off without having to turn it.
7. Lift pump straight out unit you hit the sock. Tilt to get it past the sock and let gas drain out. Than you need to turn and tilt it again to get past the float for the sending unit.
You must build a new metal retaining ring. I used 1/8" thick steel. Look at pic to see the new ring. Sorry don't recall OD and ID but you can measure once pump is out. See pic and part labeled "Replacement retaining ring".
8. Drain gas - YOU MUST EMPTY THE TANK COMPLETELY. Wipe up whatever gas you cant siphon. Clean top of tank with a rag and wipe all dirt, gas and everything from the top of tank. It must be clean for adhesive to work.
9. Drill four holes in the top of the tank and be sure you drill through the metal area - as noted in the pic called "Gas Tank metal ring". This is the metal ring that once had the retaining ears on it. I drilled 4 - 9/32 holes. You must drill through the metal section.
10. Completely vacuum the shavings from the inside of the tank and also wipe. I sprayed a little carb cleaner on a rag and wiped the tank spotless.
11. Get 4 - 1/4 x 20 stainless steel pan head screws along with 4 stainless washers. I don't remember the length but maybe around 1.5" long. Longer wont hurt but not so long they will hit the silver cover plate. Use stainless so they wont rot in that harsh environment.
12. Place washer on screw and than put some sealer around washer. Reach into tank and put screw into hole from the bottom up. Pull on the screw from the top and make sure its seated to underside of tank. See pic for "1/4 Stainless Pan head".
You MUST use the glue shown in the pic. Walmart sells it for 1.77 a tube in the automotive section. I tried 3-4 other adhesives or sealants and nothing holds up to gas. This stuff works. Its also removable. You need at least two tubes for the job.
13. Hold screw long enough for adhesive to set and be able to hold the screw on its own.
14. Repeat for 3 other screws.
15. Wait for adhesive to dry - i waited 24 hours. Don't get adhesive on threads.
16. Next day , make sure pump is clean and dry. Remove rubber gasket. Hold it upside down and put adhesive on underside where it sits on tank. Place gasket on top of adhesive. Put more adhesive on top of gasket.
17. Put adhesive around lip of tank where pump sits.
18. Lower pump into tank. Tip so float can go in and turn and than tip to get sock in. Go easy and don't bend float or damage sock.
19. Pump needs to go in with fittings facing left. There is a little rib in the pump and a notch in the tank that line up.
20. Hold pump down and drop new retaining ring over pump. Pump is spring loaded so you have to push down with a little force. It might be a tight fit between body of pump and hole in tank as you slide it down.
21. Drop a washer over a screw. I didn't use stainless washers because the stainless will bend. Thats why my washers are rusty in the pic. Now put a nut on screw. GO SLOW as you don't want to twist the screw loose from adhesive. Get nut far enough down so washer is flat on retaining ring.
22. Add three other nuts.
23. Take a pair of needle nose vise grips and hold screw from the threads. Use wrench to tighten nut. Don't let vise grips spin or you will break head of screw loose from glue and it will leak. Don't hold vice grips real tight because you don't want to botch threads.
24. Tighten all four nuts.
25. Double nut screws so they wont back out.
26. Take more adhesive and completely cover all around outer edge of pump. You can see from the pics i used a full tube to seal off the top side. Do be afraid to completely cover it. Do not get any on the plug, lines or fittings. The extra sealant i sued is the shiny looking stuff in the pic. I completely covered all i could because water will come up from under car and sit in the low spot around pump edge.
27. Let sit for 24 hours. Reconnect lines and plug and blue pin - my pin isn't in pic. Replace silver cover but keep rug out of trunk until you know its leak free. You will know on your next fill up. Fill the tank completely. If you have a leak you will smell gas or drive it around after fill up and than pull cover off and see if there is any gas on the top of the tank.
28. I would change fuel filter within the next tank of gas.
Its not real pretty but it works. Don't try it if you aren't brave. Don't try it if you are going to cut corners. Not everyone may have the skills or patience so i wont be responsible for a failed attempt. I have done this twice so far - once for the original install and a second time because my brand new pump quit after 7 months.
Again its not pretty but it saved me the cost of a tank. For some folks it could save them from getting rid of their car.
Good Luck !!
I didn't want to buy a new tank and didn't want to risk a used tank being just as rotted. I decided to try and fix my tank.
Best to start with as little gas as possible in the tank.
1. Remove all trunk carpet. I can guarantee you will spill gas in your trunk and you don't want to have the smell lingering.
2. Remove silver plate from trunk floor. Thats the pump service panel. Top of tank is under this plate. 7mm screws.
3. Use an air gun and blow off all the junk from the top of the tank. Disconnect both fuel lines from to of pump.
4. Pull little blue retaining pin from electric plug. The little blue pin not the big blue piece on the back of the wires.
5. Pull electric plug.
6. Remove Fuel Pump retaining ring or whats left of it. All the ears on my tank were rotted so the ring came off without having to turn it.
7. Lift pump straight out unit you hit the sock. Tilt to get it past the sock and let gas drain out. Than you need to turn and tilt it again to get past the float for the sending unit.
You must build a new metal retaining ring. I used 1/8" thick steel. Look at pic to see the new ring. Sorry don't recall OD and ID but you can measure once pump is out. See pic and part labeled "Replacement retaining ring".
8. Drain gas - YOU MUST EMPTY THE TANK COMPLETELY. Wipe up whatever gas you cant siphon. Clean top of tank with a rag and wipe all dirt, gas and everything from the top of tank. It must be clean for adhesive to work.
9. Drill four holes in the top of the tank and be sure you drill through the metal area - as noted in the pic called "Gas Tank metal ring". This is the metal ring that once had the retaining ears on it. I drilled 4 - 9/32 holes. You must drill through the metal section.
10. Completely vacuum the shavings from the inside of the tank and also wipe. I sprayed a little carb cleaner on a rag and wiped the tank spotless.
11. Get 4 - 1/4 x 20 stainless steel pan head screws along with 4 stainless washers. I don't remember the length but maybe around 1.5" long. Longer wont hurt but not so long they will hit the silver cover plate. Use stainless so they wont rot in that harsh environment.
12. Place washer on screw and than put some sealer around washer. Reach into tank and put screw into hole from the bottom up. Pull on the screw from the top and make sure its seated to underside of tank. See pic for "1/4 Stainless Pan head".
You MUST use the glue shown in the pic. Walmart sells it for 1.77 a tube in the automotive section. I tried 3-4 other adhesives or sealants and nothing holds up to gas. This stuff works. Its also removable. You need at least two tubes for the job.
13. Hold screw long enough for adhesive to set and be able to hold the screw on its own.
14. Repeat for 3 other screws.
15. Wait for adhesive to dry - i waited 24 hours. Don't get adhesive on threads.
16. Next day , make sure pump is clean and dry. Remove rubber gasket. Hold it upside down and put adhesive on underside where it sits on tank. Place gasket on top of adhesive. Put more adhesive on top of gasket.
17. Put adhesive around lip of tank where pump sits.
18. Lower pump into tank. Tip so float can go in and turn and than tip to get sock in. Go easy and don't bend float or damage sock.
19. Pump needs to go in with fittings facing left. There is a little rib in the pump and a notch in the tank that line up.
20. Hold pump down and drop new retaining ring over pump. Pump is spring loaded so you have to push down with a little force. It might be a tight fit between body of pump and hole in tank as you slide it down.
21. Drop a washer over a screw. I didn't use stainless washers because the stainless will bend. Thats why my washers are rusty in the pic. Now put a nut on screw. GO SLOW as you don't want to twist the screw loose from adhesive. Get nut far enough down so washer is flat on retaining ring.
22. Add three other nuts.
23. Take a pair of needle nose vise grips and hold screw from the threads. Use wrench to tighten nut. Don't let vise grips spin or you will break head of screw loose from glue and it will leak. Don't hold vice grips real tight because you don't want to botch threads.
24. Tighten all four nuts.
25. Double nut screws so they wont back out.
26. Take more adhesive and completely cover all around outer edge of pump. You can see from the pics i used a full tube to seal off the top side. Do be afraid to completely cover it. Do not get any on the plug, lines or fittings. The extra sealant i sued is the shiny looking stuff in the pic. I completely covered all i could because water will come up from under car and sit in the low spot around pump edge.
27. Let sit for 24 hours. Reconnect lines and plug and blue pin - my pin isn't in pic. Replace silver cover but keep rug out of trunk until you know its leak free. You will know on your next fill up. Fill the tank completely. If you have a leak you will smell gas or drive it around after fill up and than pull cover off and see if there is any gas on the top of the tank.
28. I would change fuel filter within the next tank of gas.
Its not real pretty but it works. Don't try it if you aren't brave. Don't try it if you are going to cut corners. Not everyone may have the skills or patience so i wont be responsible for a failed attempt. I have done this twice so far - once for the original install and a second time because my brand new pump quit after 7 months.
Again its not pretty but it saved me the cost of a tank. For some folks it could save them from getting rid of their car.
Good Luck !!
