Danny Boy

I was going to tackle replacing the fuel sending unit, along with the fuel and vent hoses this fall on my '72 98.

Does anybody have this J-36608 tool?

I know I can use a hammer and chisel or screwdriver...but this tool looks like it would make the job quicker and easier.

Also, should I worry about flushing out the gas tank or just temporarily put an in-line filter for a few months? What would be the appropriate finish for the tank...just paint it with Rustolium or leave it as-is?

Does anyone have any other tips on dropping the tank?

Thanks,

Dan

coltsneckbob

I replaced the sending unit without that tool. It was very easy to do. If you're not going to replace the tank then see how dirty or rusted it is once the unit is off. Actually if there is rust in there I would replace it.

Dropping the tank is also extremely easy - BUT - make sure u have very little fuel in there. Aside from the weight (each gallow is about 6.5 lb.) you don't want to get splashed through a vent or the filler.

Eastwood sells some nice tank paints that look like tank metal and also clear coats if the tank is basically in good shape.

jaunty75

Once you've gone through the trouble of getting the tank off and removing the sending unit, cleaning out the tank is easy. Pour any remaining gas out (you won't get it all out before you drop it no matter how hard you try, but getting enough out that the weight of what remains isn't a problem is what matters), and then reach in there with your hand (I could fit my arm up to my elbow into the opening of the tank on my '67 Delta) and a rag and get all the crud out. It's easy. Then rinse it out with a little gasoline, pour it out, and let the tank dry out in well-ventilated place.

While you have it out, put in a new sending unit. They're available for your car at rockauto.com.

Danny Boy

reach in there with your hand (I could fit my arm up to my elbow into the opening of the tank on my '67 Delta)

Good thing you are not a Proctologist by trade!

Maybe if I wait until the tank is dry, I can use a shop vac to get out the "crud"...

coltsneckbob

How the hell can u get ur arm in there............are u a skinny girl. I could hardly get 2 fingers in the holes and I am far from fat or super muscular. A brand new tank is probably about $175 to $225...OK not super cheap, but if it won't break the bank that is the best and easiest path to take.

Danny Boy

I got under the car last night and sprayed the bolts with LiquidWrench. I thought I would spray it a few times before dropping the tank just to make the job easier.

The tank looks very clean on the outside and the bolts did not look all that bad - so I am hoping it is clean on the inside.

The way the tank straps are, I cannot just drop the tank straight down (unless I can jack the car up 3 feet off the ground). The tank has to be dropped at an angle. I was thinking that when I take the vent hoses off the metal lines, I might be able to wedge a golf tee or some dowel rod in the hose to plug it up and keep gas from pouring out the hoses when dropping the tank.

How long are the wires on the sending unit? Should I try to disconnect them before dropping the tank...or is there enough slack that I can do it with the tank dropped?

jaunty75

That should work.

jaunty75

Maybe the size of the opening is different on your car? Is it different between the A and B-body cars? (I'm assuming you have a Cutlass.)


New tanks are not necessarily available for the big cars. They're not available for my '67 Delta.

jaunty75

Correct. The filler neck goes to the license plate, and, if you drop the tank straight down, the neck will catch on the opening. The tank needs to be dropped from the front and then slid forward at an angle. I loosened the two nuts on the long bolts at the rear of the tank, and then I removed the two bolts at the front end of the straps. Put something under the tank so that's maybe two inches lower in height than the tank bottom so the thank can be lowered onto it. Once the tank is resting on the support, you can remove the straps from around it. No matter how careful you are, it still ends up being a bit of pushing and shoving, but the tank is lighter than you think, especially if you've gotten most of the fuel out.


Probably not necessary. Those vent lines enter the tank at the top. Unless the tank is full or nearly full, fuel won't get to those lines unless you turn it upside down. Get the tank as empty as you can before dropping it, and this won't be a problem.

You need to remove the black one (the ground wire) as that attaches to the body above the tank right in front of it, and there is no slack in that line at all. If you try dropping the tank with that wire still attached, it will likely just be ripped out. The light-colored wire goes rearward and attaches to the wire coming from the gauge at a connector near the license plate. This does have some play, but I would still disconnect it and avoid any chance of tearing or ripping the wire or, worse, tearing the connector off the end of it. That connector fits over a little metal stud on top of the sending unit to make the electrical connection, and I'd hate to try to find a replacement for that connector.


Below are two photos of the tank I took when I had it out of the car. Note the two wires (black going forward, light brown rearward). I think your car's sending unit/pick-up will have two lines as one is a vent line that wasn't present on the '67's unless the car had air-conditioning.

Note in the second photo the rubber cover over the connector for the light-brown wire. That's what you don't want to rip out when you drop the tank, so disconnect it at the other end (you can see the plastic connector at the other end in the first photo).

compedgemarine

personally I would not recommend the shop vac unless you plan on flushing the tank and then letting it sit for a week or so with the sender out. gas fumes are far more explosive than the gas itself and shop vacs do not have sealed motors. it does not take much to cause a nasty boom. I had a friend blow up an old boat tank while cutting out the floor. he just nicked the aluminum tank but something was enough to light the old fumes. he only lived a few days after the explosion. point is be VERY cautious working around gas fumes.

coltsneckbob

Absolutely a Shop Vac could be deadly. When I took out my old tank it had less then a cup of liquid fuel in it. I left the tank in the sun for a few hours to evaporate the liquid (I was going to dispose of tank). After about 5 hours in the summer sun the liquid was gone....however it took weeks of sitting outside before the smell of gas (i.e. fumes) were undetectable.

Danny Boy

OK guys...no shop vac then. I guess I will have to do the jaunty method of contortion with a rag.