Fuel tank service

[Danglerb]

Sorry no picts, normally I am pict person, but with Sharktoberfest on Saturday, and the generally filthy nature of working on and around the fuel tank, I never touched my camera.

I wanted to flush the tank on my US 83 5 spd since I bought it, and a fuel leak around the sender was the motivation to actually get it done.

It would be nice to have some kind of "wrench" to fit the 3" ring that holds the sender on, but a very large pair of channel locks used sideways worked fine. Fuel return line to the sender was pesky, did not want to come loose, and when examined closely it was splitting and needed to be replaced. (its crimped on, so line had to be cut)

I got no place trying to take the sender apart, and decided to leave it alone and just replace the seal at the top and clean the outside where the seal goes.

Wow lots of dirt working around the tank, falls down in your eyes and generally makes a mess. Lot of grime too, and gas eats latex gloves, so I had to work dirty handed and don't like it. Fuel tank cover comes off with two nuts, and 4 bolts holds the support frame on. Passenger side rear bolt was a PITA, mostly because I grabbed a universal 6 pt socket which is too wiggly and clumsy, better choice would have been a wobble extension and regular socket.

Support frame on the 83 has a steel channel for the fuel line and fuel pump wires to go up the side of the tank. It was packed with dirt, but easy enough to peel the guts out and partially drop the support frame.

Discovered I needed to disconnect the fuel line either at the filter output or where the line connects up in the fender. Smart choice is at the filter, so I pulled the wheel and went after the hard choice. Seemed reasonable at the time, but despite spraying the fitting I was making no progress. I applied my knowledge of righty tighty, lefty loosey, then got some help. I was counter holding correctly with two line wrenches, but much more of a whack was needed to break it loose.

Same thing for the fuel pump and filter "rack" that attaches to the support frame with 4 rubber isolators. I took off the nuts and lock washers fine, but the flat washer was glued somehow to the frame an took some force to remove them.

Last thing to come out is the grommet around the filler neck where the cap goes on, then a big hex head bolt is all that is holding in the tank.

I pulled all the hoses off the tank and removed the strainer. Looking from the top through the hole for the sender I could see a handful of dirt in the bottom, so I decided against good advice to stick in a water hose and flush it out. (drained all the fuel before removing the tank to lower the weight etc.) I sprayed in some Power Purple general purpose cleaner and let it and water slosh around some, then sat so it drained sprayed the hose around inside a bit. Once it looked clean with no mess in the drain I left it in the sun to dry.

Tons of cleaning parts including two other support frames in case I needed something, then just assembled it all with new rubber parts and put it back in.

Other than cleaning it took me a fair amount of time to remove all the old rubber strips glued to the support frame to protect the plastic tank from metal frame edges. I found some nice closed foam shelf liner at Home Depot, but despite it being very nice, mistake to use it as it is much firmer and thicker than the factory foam and made installing the tank a much harder tighter fit.

One of the hardest parts was putting the new vent line on the tank that runs from the filler neck to the main tank and passes through the rear bumper structure. Sprayed all of it good with silicone lubricant, but the hose would not slip on more than about half way on either fitting, and one of them must be done with the tank almost installed to get the hose through the bumper.

Next on the pesky list are the boots over the fuel pump wires, one was rock hard and very time consuming to remove and put back on. had to do it twice too since the nice silver powder coated support frame I got from BrendanC is the new style that passes the fuel line and wires through a bracket.

With a lot of help finished it up tonight, Friday, about 6:30 PM and drove it home for a bit of a wash before driving it to SharkToberfest in the morning.

[surfdog4]

does anyone have a trick for getting that fuel strainer out from the bottom of the tank? I've dropped the tank but i can't get that *&%& strainer unscrewed from the bottom (I assume it unscrews because of the hex-head)

Now the hex-head is stripped, i can tell the gasket is rotten, but i'm afraid to force it because i can see the plastic flexing as i torque on the strainer.

I'm about to declare defeat and just RTV the whole thing

Thanks!

[MPDano]

I guess i got lucky as mine unscrewed normally. Counter-clock to loosen.

[surfdog4]

mine is so stuck that i was afraid i was going to strip the plastic tank...eventually the hex head rounded and the strainer hadn't budged

[Danglerb]

I used LOTS of kroil, tapping, etc. My understanding is that the threaded sleeve is just knurled on the outside to hold it in the tank, once it starts to slip nothing will really hold it securely.