Re: Fuel tank cleaning/removal

[srubano@xxxx]

You can get the tank out by working it from the back of the tank out 
first (the narrow end). The front of the tank (wider part) is wedged 
in and has a lip under it (where the tank shield sits on). Remove the 
coolant lines, don't spread them apart. They are made of aluminum and 
can/will fracture if bent. The rear of the tank has to go down first 
then you need the slide the tank out a little for the front of the 
tank to clear that lip. I did it just by pounding the top of the tank 
with the palm of my hand. Try not to use anything sharp to pry the 
tank out with, you could puncture the plastic tank. 

You don't really have to remove the tank to clean it out. Go to your 
local auto store and get a gas pump and pump the rest of the fuel out 
and then go to Home Depot and get a can of Acetone and some rubber 
chemical resistive gloves. Use the Acetone on a rag and wipe the tank 
out, your arm can fit into the fuel pump opening. VERY IMPORTANT: 
Make sure you wear the chemical resistive gloves because your skin 
will absorb the acetone and make you very ill...absorb enough of it 
and it can cause blood poisoning.

To remove the fuel baffle it's fairly simple. Remove the one nut that 
is on the stud in the tank very carefully. That will release the fuel 
baffle. To get it out of there you'll need to remove the wire 
retainers remove the plastic baffle bottom (snaps off) and squeeze 
the plastic baffle together to get it through the fuel pump opening. 
While you have it out, inspect the Fuel pump screen, if there are any 
tears in it replace it. Allot of cars didn't come with the baffle 
bottom so if you don't have one, now's a good time to order one and 
install it. It keeps water and debris from the pump screen. It helps 
if you have the shop manual.

Hope this helped.

Steve


--- In dmcnews@xxxx, Delorean17@xxxx wrote:
> Hello List,
> I am replacing my fuel distributor and cleaning the injectors 
etc but I 
> have not started the car yet. Since my car sat I would like to 
pull the tank 
> out and clean it. How do I go about cleaning it? I removed the 
pump, and 
> the tank really doesnt look that bad inside but the gas has a 
orange/yellow 
> tint to it with a few small particles on the bottom of the tank. I 
will also 
> be replacing some of the fuel hoses running to the back. does the 
tank need 
> to be professionally cleaned? How do I go about removing some of 
the 
> components inside the tank? any help would be greatly 
appreciated. 
> I have the tank shield removed but I can not get the tank to 
come out. 
> The fuel pump and filler line is removed and the tank is empty. 
any ideas? 
> I've tried kicking it out from the top but it wont move an inch.
> 
> Thanks list
> David