firelt90bronco
Ask me about my job
I ordered a gas tank for my 90 302 and I need some tips on how not to make this a pain in the ass to do.
Gas Tank
- Thread starter firelt90bronco
- Start date
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mbtech2003
New member
one make sure it's empty two use lots of pb nut buster on all the bolts before u remove them and three use a serp. belt between the straps when reinstalling. don't use what they used :wacko:
Seabronc
New member
Ditto. Also, it easier to raise and lower it by using a floor jack to hold it while you work on straps and to lower it under control. Don't forget to disconnect all hoses. Hope you thought of getting a new sender for it since they are a PITA to change. Some people have cut out the floor of the truck to make an access hole for the purpose of getting at the sender. Then use a piece of sheet metal, or a chunk of metal from the floor of a donor pickup bed to replace the floor metal with.
Good luck,
>-
Good luck,
>-firelt90bronco
Ask me about my job
Thanks Seabronc, I'm not sure why you would use a serpentine belt to put in between the straps. Is it to rig a shock barrier for the tank? I am going to replace everything on the tank while its on the ground, I'll wait until spring when its at least 50 outside. I'll also do the pump and get everything ready to put up and connect.
mbtech2003
New member
they use a fabric as a buffer between the straps. thats the problem it holds in the moisture so presto rust happenes. the serpentine belt helps elimate the moisture a little better >-
>-firelt90bronco
Ask me about my job
What if I treat the tank with an anti-rust agent instead of wasting more $$ on a belt?
mbtech, that's some good advice!!!
f90b, I just removed the gas tank from my 84 a few days ago and can give you some tips on removal, as well as rust prevention. First, pre-soak all bolts holding the skidplate or any straps since they will be ultra-tight. The hardware is mild junk and will EASILY strip out, or you will round off the nuts trying to remove them. I removed the rear bumper and pulled the wiring harness out of the way to get to the bolts holding the skid plate. I used a 1/2" breaker bar and 6-point 15mm impact socket to turn the bolts above the frame crossmember, while holding the nut from below with a 6-point 15mm wrench. I also had a 5-6 ft long cheater pipe on both tools and some super strength. After some loud pops and groans, the 8 bolts holding the plate were removed. I stripped 3 nuts, and used grip pliers to hold onto those.
If you have a skid plate underneath the tank supporting it's weight, the less gas inside the tank the easier time you'll have. Either run it out thru the motor until empty or use a siphon. The tank weighs ~35 pounds empty, and the plate ~25 lbs. With 10 or more gals of gas, you're looking at 150+ lbs of weight that you have to fight with. A floor jack with some wood planks works great for supporting the tank and skidplate. I found it easier to remove the filler tube hose from the tank first, then the wiring connector and fuel line after lowering the tank 8-10 inches. In any case, you need to unhook all lines and wires to lower the tank to the ground, just be careful not to rip out or break any wiring or hoses.
The tank in my 84 as well as that in the 88 showed signs of rust right where the rubber strips go in the skid plate. Water collects in that recess and tank movement while driving appears to rub on the plate or strips. A thick piece like a motor belt should raise the tank out of this recess and insulate agaianst movement better.
I also advise changing your fuel pump and sending unit if they are original or very old. I used a wood block to hammer the ring securing the fp and su until it was loose, turning it counter-clockwise. Don't use a screwdriver or anything metal that will make sparks to be safe. A brass punch will also do.
Coating the outside of the tank with bedliner or rustproofing it is a good idea, too.
It is definitely a PITA to remove the tank. I found a few friends (spiders, wasps), lucky it was cold!!!
f90b, I just removed the gas tank from my 84 a few days ago and can give you some tips on removal, as well as rust prevention. First, pre-soak all bolts holding the skidplate or any straps since they will be ultra-tight. The hardware is mild junk and will EASILY strip out, or you will round off the nuts trying to remove them. I removed the rear bumper and pulled the wiring harness out of the way to get to the bolts holding the skid plate. I used a 1/2" breaker bar and 6-point 15mm impact socket to turn the bolts above the frame crossmember, while holding the nut from below with a 6-point 15mm wrench. I also had a 5-6 ft long cheater pipe on both tools and some super strength. After some loud pops and groans, the 8 bolts holding the plate were removed. I stripped 3 nuts, and used grip pliers to hold onto those.
If you have a skid plate underneath the tank supporting it's weight, the less gas inside the tank the easier time you'll have. Either run it out thru the motor until empty or use a siphon. The tank weighs ~35 pounds empty, and the plate ~25 lbs. With 10 or more gals of gas, you're looking at 150+ lbs of weight that you have to fight with. A floor jack with some wood planks works great for supporting the tank and skidplate. I found it easier to remove the filler tube hose from the tank first, then the wiring connector and fuel line after lowering the tank 8-10 inches. In any case, you need to unhook all lines and wires to lower the tank to the ground, just be careful not to rip out or break any wiring or hoses.
The tank in my 84 as well as that in the 88 showed signs of rust right where the rubber strips go in the skid plate. Water collects in that recess and tank movement while driving appears to rub on the plate or strips. A thick piece like a motor belt should raise the tank out of this recess and insulate agaianst movement better.
I also advise changing your fuel pump and sending unit if they are original or very old. I used a wood block to hammer the ring securing the fp and su until it was loose, turning it counter-clockwise. Don't use a screwdriver or anything metal that will make sparks to be safe. A brass punch will also do.
Coating the outside of the tank with bedliner or rustproofing it is a good idea, too.
It is definitely a PITA to remove the tank. I found a few friends (spiders, wasps), lucky it was cold!!!
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firelt90bronco
Ask me about my job
What about tank expansion? Wouldn't the bedliner cause the tank not to expand in heat. One time we filled the tank on our minipumper at the firehouse when it was about 16 outside and the next day the floor was full of gas when the tank sat in a room temperature bay.
You shouldn't have a problem as long as the tank vent can release pressure. FOr a fuel-injected system like yours, may want to loosen the cap if you expect a drastic change in temps while parked. Also, if you use a regular primer and paint, that will flex more than the bedliner stuff. Just some options depending on your climate.
