Fuel tank removal: obsticle 1. Update! On obsticle 2 now!
#11
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fuel tanks
I've done 3 on this vintage bonneville / 88 / lesabre. You get real good at it!! I undo the rubber mounts on the exhaust, and disconnect from the manifold - just two nuts. Then slide the whole exhaust out, much more room now. If the sending unit is rotted, then just cut the straps and replace them, they are probably half rotted too. Remove the clamps at the tank for the fill hose, juice them up with WD40 or similar. Let it sit for a bit, then I gently rotate the hose on the tank with channel lock plyers - once the hose is unstuck, it comes off easy. Lower the tank, you might have to loosen the plastic lines from the frame so you don't kink them, but since the sender is bad, once the tank is on the ground, simply cut whats left of the lines from the sender. Tank is now free, and you have lotsa room to now finesse the rotted lines out of the plastic line. I've never had to replace any plastic lines. By the way, the lines are nylon... and by the nature of nylon (especially the particular resin that is used in these lines, which is called 6.6 nylon), hot water will temporarily absorb into the nylon and soften it - making it easier to work with. If you can get the lines into a pot of boiling or near boiling water and let it sit for several minutes, it becomes a lot easier to manipulate the lines and get that rusted and swelled steel lines out. The nylon will return to normal in a few minutes when left out in the air. This trick also works when splicing these nylon lines. By the way, typical engine degreaser can dry out nylon - so keep this stuff away from the lines up near the engine if you use this stuff. The lines can split and make your engine bay a big bonfire. Take the time to check all the electical connections while you have this apart, and, you can hook up the sender and run the float up and down to see how the guage works, this is easier than dropping the tank again because the sender is bad. Also, no one here has ever talked about silikroil.. the website is a bit cheesy, but it is by far the best loosener I have ever used - 100 times better than pb blaster. I've juiced up front and rear hubs on 10-year-old rust belt cars in the evening, and by the next morning just use my torx bit on my 3/8 ratchet and take the bolts off.. Just my two cents worth.. Mike
#12
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Re: fuel tanks
Originally Posted by TROYPORT
If the sending unit is rotted, then just cut the straps and replace them, they are probably half rotted too.
Remove the clamps at the tank for the fill hose, juice them up with WD40 or similar. Let it sit for a bit, then I gently rotate the hose on the tank with channel lock plyers - once the hose is unstuck, it comes off easy.
Actually, I was also curious... where did you guys put the jackstands for holding the car up? I originally put them under the rear crossmember... but after thinking about it, I thought they would be in the way of the tank removal. I was also considering putting them at the jacking points, but that also seems like a bad place. Also, I usually use the rear crossmember to jack the back of the car... but since the crossmember is kind of high, my jack really can't push the car up as far as I'd like to see it go. Obviously, I can add blocks and such... but is there a better place to jack up the rear of the car that I am cluelessly missing?
I realize there is only so high to go without a lift... but from my previous tank dropping experience, I know height makes the job easier... and its harder to add height once you are fully committed.
Thanks.
#13
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ramps
I got my hands on two brand new railroad ties and cut them on an angle, making two sets of identical very heavy duty ramps. Also, the incline is not too steep, so putting a car up on all 4'* is easy, and these things are so wide and strong, no worries about anything bad happening. This gives me tons of room to work..
I knew a guy who worked for the railroad, so, he got them for me at cost. The ties from landscaping companies are usually smaller and much more expensive.
Mike
I knew a guy who worked for the railroad, so, he got them for me at cost. The ties from landscaping companies are usually smaller and much more expensive.
Mike
#14
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Re: ramps
Originally Posted by TROYPORT
I got my hands on two brand new railroad ties and cut them on an angle, making two sets of identical very heavy duty ramps. Also, the incline is not too steep, so putting a car up on all 4'* is easy, and these things are so wide and strong, no worries about anything bad happening. This gives me tons of room to work..
I knew a guy who worked for the railroad, so, he got them for me at cost. The ties from landscaping companies are usually smaller and much more expensive.
Mike
I knew a guy who worked for the railroad, so, he got them for me at cost. The ties from landscaping companies are usually smaller and much more expensive.
Mike
#15
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UPDATE!
So Saturday, I got the tank swapped. I decided to use a 6x6 block of wood to extend my jack'* range... I definitely needed it.
Tank was light and a one person job, as I really had it completely empty (car was stalling as I got back home). The worse problem was the gas filler hoses... it took two more hours just to get them off the filler tube. I had to bend them backwards to clear the parking brakes lines... which otherwise didn't give me trouble. Neither did the exhaust. I only had it pulled about 5ins over to the right. In fact, since I had the exhaust on a hook, I was able to rest the tank on the exhaust pipe as I positioned it!
Once I started the car, gas sprayed down my entire driveway. I got underneath and it turns out the nylon hose for the pressure line is too far gone, I suppose stretched out from the rust on the sender. In fact, that may have been the original problem... but I'm glad to have changed the sender and pump, as it was only a matter of time... completely rotted. The rest of the tank and car were pretty clean... except for the gas filter front connection, which is seized, and I will have to cut it off.
So next weeks saga: replace the nylon fuel line. Luckily I can just reach up to replace it without dropping the tank.
Does anyone know this part number? I have to get the part ASAP.
Thanks for the past and future help everyone.
BKNJ
So Saturday, I got the tank swapped. I decided to use a 6x6 block of wood to extend my jack'* range... I definitely needed it.
Tank was light and a one person job, as I really had it completely empty (car was stalling as I got back home). The worse problem was the gas filler hoses... it took two more hours just to get them off the filler tube. I had to bend them backwards to clear the parking brakes lines... which otherwise didn't give me trouble. Neither did the exhaust. I only had it pulled about 5ins over to the right. In fact, since I had the exhaust on a hook, I was able to rest the tank on the exhaust pipe as I positioned it!
Once I started the car, gas sprayed down my entire driveway. I got underneath and it turns out the nylon hose for the pressure line is too far gone, I suppose stretched out from the rust on the sender. In fact, that may have been the original problem... but I'm glad to have changed the sender and pump, as it was only a matter of time... completely rotted. The rest of the tank and car were pretty clean... except for the gas filter front connection, which is seized, and I will have to cut it off.
So next weeks saga: replace the nylon fuel line. Luckily I can just reach up to replace it without dropping the tank.
Does anyone know this part number? I have to get the part ASAP.
Thanks for the past and future help everyone.
BKNJ
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Hate to tell you, but you will have to drop the tank to get the nylon line off of the sending unit. When my nylon line first started to leak, I tried every which way to get it off, but couldn't. Managed to cut the line off, but when I went to put the new one on, couldn't get enough room to push it on. Off came the tank!
#17
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Originally Posted by bill0425
Hate to tell you, but you will have to drop the tank to get the nylon line off of the sending unit. When my nylon line first started to leak, I tried every which way to get it off, but couldn't. Managed to cut the line off, but when I went to put the new one on, couldn't get enough room to push it on. Off came the tank!
Granted, it'* VERY HARD to do... especially with my left hand (I'm a righty), and the rear tire where my head needs to be... but its possible. On a lift, I could do it easily.
It sounds like some fuel senders have much shorter steel lines. Both of my hang (the rusty old one and the shiny new one) at least 4-5" off the side of the tank.
However, I could still use the part number, if someone has it. My mother is picking up the part and I don't want her coming home with muffler bearings.
BKNJ
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Glad you were able to do it without removing the tank. When my nylon line sprang a leak, I couldn't get enough force onto the clear plastic line release to get it off. Plus, there was a lot of rust on the line. Once I got the old one off, I was able to push the new one on (or so I thought). When I went to drop the tank a month later to put the new sending unit in, I found that I had not locked the line. Just lucky I didn't have a major leak.
Don't have the PN for the supply line ($45) since I did this a year ago, but it was interesting that the GM dealers on my side of town were out of stock. The nearby dealer told me that GM had changed vendors for it and thus was the reason. He found one on the other side of town which I went the next morning to get. When I got there, that dealer said he'd had two calls for the one that he had, which was the only one he had. Glad I went the first thing in the morning.
No problems since!!!
Don't have the PN for the supply line ($45) since I did this a year ago, but it was interesting that the GM dealers on my side of town were out of stock. The nearby dealer told me that GM had changed vendors for it and thus was the reason. He found one on the other side of town which I went the next morning to get. When I got there, that dealer said he'd had two calls for the one that he had, which was the only one he had. Glad I went the first thing in the morning.
No problems since!!!
#19
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Bill, saw your comment in your signature about the Bonneville stawag... I recently got a '95 Caprice wagon in so-so shape. As I slowly fix it up, I'm seriously thinking of swapping in much of a Bonneville interior, Bonneville wheels (yes, with bolt adapters), a post-2000 Bonneville header and striped taillights... oh, and lots of 9C1 parts.
That way I can have a phantom 1995 Pontiac Bonneville 9C1 Safari Wagon.
Obviously, if I ever make progress on that, I'll post copious pictures...
BKNJ
That way I can have a phantom 1995 Pontiac Bonneville 9C1 Safari Wagon.
Obviously, if I ever make progress on that, I'll post copious pictures...
BKNJ
#20
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A final update: Yes! Its done!!!
It turned out, I was so worried about the O-rings inside the nylon flexible fuel line, that I failed to realize that there is supposed to be a big black sleeve that holds them in place! If your O-rings are falling out, your missing that sleeve.
Mine was stuck on the sending unit, the rust had is wedged into place permanently, so the line replacement couldn't be avoided.
So, if you take your lines off your sending unit, don't leave any black sleeve behind!
During my test drive, my front wheel bearing started making noise. I smell another $300 weekend coming up!
Thanks for everybody'* help.
BKNJ
It turned out, I was so worried about the O-rings inside the nylon flexible fuel line, that I failed to realize that there is supposed to be a big black sleeve that holds them in place! If your O-rings are falling out, your missing that sleeve.
Mine was stuck on the sending unit, the rust had is wedged into place permanently, so the line replacement couldn't be avoided.
So, if you take your lines off your sending unit, don't leave any black sleeve behind!
During my test drive, my front wheel bearing started making noise. I smell another $300 weekend coming up!
Thanks for everybody'* help.
BKNJ
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