DIY - Removing the gas tank from under the car (to access the fuel filter, etc.)

[CTScott]

Why would you want to do this? Well, removing the back seat to access the top of the fuel tank can be a bit of a hassle, even a drop of gas spilled on the carpet will stink for a long time.

Before you begin, depressurize the fuel system by pulling the EFI fuse (in the under hood fuse panel) and cranking the starter a couple of times.

1. Lift the rear and properly support the car! Since this will involve being completely under the bottom of the car you must properly support the car. Good quality jack stands or a lift are your best options.

2. Remove the heat shield that covers the front right corner of the tank. Using a 10mm socket remove the bolt and nut that mount the heat shield.






3. Loosen the hose clamp on the fuel filler hose, to the rear left. Disconnect the fuel filler hose from the tank and siphon out as much fuel as possible. This will significantly reduce the weight of the tank. Use a proper siphoning device to avoid getting a mouth or lung full of gas.


4. While you are back there, release the safety clip (by opening it and sliding it towards the rear of the car) and disconnect the fuel filler overflow hose by squeezing the blue buttons and pulling.


5. Move the the front of the tank and locate the orange safety clip on the fuel line connector. Release the safety clip, and before releasing the line have a container ready to catch the fuel that will spill out when the line is disconnected. Release the line by squeezing the blue buttons and pulling.


6. Support the front of the tank. This can be done using an extra jack stand, pile of boards, etc. The rear will sit on the rear axle beam, so it doesn't need to be supported as the front does.

7. Once the front is supported remove the four 12 mm bolts that mount the tank. Once the four are removed, lower your front support about 4" to give yourself access to the top of the tank.


8. Look closely for giant spiders. I nearly put my head through the floor of the car when I started reaching up and ran into this one.


9. Once the spiders are taken care of, Release the vent hose by squeezing the bottom of the green locking tab and lifting it. Once it is lifted, pull the hose off of the tank.


10. Also, squeeze the top of the sending unit connector and pull it off. The hose with the yellow locking tab does not need to be disconnected, as it is just the short hose that you disconnected from the front of the tank before dropping it.


11. Now the tank is free. Hold the front of the tank, remove your support and then lower the tank while pulling it forward off of the rear axle beam.

12. Once the tank is removed opening the top can be difficult. I have rotated it off using a piece of wood and a hammer, but that takes quite a bit of time and often results in breaking off some of the tabs on the cover. I recently had a brainstorm to make my own tool using a piece of pipe. This homemade tool works perfectly and was made of scrape pipe. I just took a piece of 1" pipe, and cut one section in half to make two 3" long semi-circular sections. I welded those to a 12" section of pipe with the inner tips of semi-circles 6-3/4" apart. This fits perfectly onto the tank top and makes it very easy to remove or tighten the top.

[alanwagen]

Nice writeup, but too much for me. I will take it somewhere if I ever have to on this problem.