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fuel tank replacement..

sidriptide

nobody of any consequence
ok so i waited too long to replace the tank that i knew was bad in my 87 XJ... started out as just being "wet" on top of the tank.... today it was drip-dripping away from a new spot.. somewhere around the 1/2 mark.. i got gas today and stopped at 3/4 as usual but thats not good enough anymore.... i need to find a new steel tank tommorow and i need to prepare myself to see just how bad the new england winters have been to my 17 yr old rig above the tank.... is the repalcement of the tank as "straight forward" as it seems? anything commonly go wrong like breaking frozen straps or anything?? this will at least let me replace the exhaust hanger and install the tank skid i have been waiting to do because i had a tank leak i was going to get "around to"..... think i'll do that mod on the ven ttube too while im in there...
any tips before i start throwing tools at this thing??

mike
 
You can throw in a replacement or go with one of the bigger armoured aero tanks. Get a new strap kit too.
 
When I dropped mine to do the pump, the strap bolts were already rounded off. A pipe wrench took them off but was sort of a pain and you could barely turn it. Just get a strap kit like RichP suggested. Reconnecting all the wiring wasn't a real pain but does require some squeezing into tight spots and working in wierd positions and will take some time. As if nothing on an XJ makes ya do that! Take your time with the wires too. I had to redrop the tank slightly as one connection was intermittent.

Sarge
 
hmmm.. 'splain the "armoured aero tank".... never heard of these.. obviously an aftermarket item.. i'll do some searching later tonight

mike
 
Coming from NH... new straps will be a must. Also make sure you have a brass punch handy to remove the retaining ring that holds the sending unit into the tank. No steel punches, you want to avoid sparks in this case. Try to make sure the tank is as empty as possible too. A floor jack will definitely help. Water is approximately 8.5 pounds per gallon and I imagine gas is around the same. Other wise it's a pretty straight forward job. What is this vent modification you are talking about?
 
I've done a couple, and never managed to do it without shearing off the strap bolts. The straps themselves were fine, even on my old rustbucket 87, but you should definitely have a couple of those bolts handy unless you're equipped to fabricate them on the spot. They have an odd head, like a big bent-over nail. The straps are quite visible, so you can check the condition before you start and decide whether you need them.

If you don't have a brass punch you can use aluminum on the sender lockring.

90NHXJ, I think the vent mod referred to involves shortening the vent tube inside the tank so it is easier to fill up.
 
Have you spied exactly where the leak is comming from? It is common that the o-ring that seals the fuel pump opening will get hard, crack, or simply slide out of postion and cause leakage at a half tank or more. I would hate to see you replace a tank when all it is, is a gasket. The o-ring can be had at the dealer for around $5 and is about 4 inched in diameter. Another source of leaks can be the rubber grommet that the fuel tank vent installs into that is on the top of the tank. If the bolts are not rusted and you have found a replacement tank, the job should be an hour or less. Personally I would try a junk yard for a tank, but I live in Colorado and things don't tend to rust out as much here. Around here a tank from an 88 can be almost like new.
 
sidriptide said:
hmmm.. 'splain the "armoured aero tank".... never heard of these.. obviously an aftermarket item.. i'll do some searching later tonight

mike

Aero makes replacment tanks, from stock to oversized and armoured which has a built in HEAVY skid plate. I seem to remember when I last looked it was like 25 or 28 gallons. If fills the empty spaces that stock tank don't :D
 
old_man said:
Have you spied exactly where the leak is comming from? It is common that the o-ring that seals the fuel pump opening will get hard, crack, or simply slide out of postion and cause leakage at a half tank or more. I would hate to see you replace a tank when all it is, is a gasket. The o-ring can be had at the dealer for around $5 and is about 4 inched in diameter. Another source of leaks can be the rubber grommet that the fuel tank vent installs into that is on the top of the tank. If the bolts are not rusted and you have found a replacement tank, the job should be an hour or less. Personally I would try a junk yard for a tank, but I live in Colorado and things don't tend to rust out as much here. Around here a tank from an 88 can be almost like new.

i havent dropped the tank to se yet but when i lifted it in april the top of the tank was "wet" so i stopped short of installing the tank skid.. knowing full well i would have to replace the tank.. the floors above it are pretty non existant so im confidant the tank is beyond reasonable repair... $$ talks so i'll just go with the stock replacement tank and cover it with the skid i already have...

thanks for the help guys..

mike
 
The straps are available and not too expensive. The XJ J-bolts cost $10 each and are dealer only, but more than likely you won't be able to save the old ones. If you want to try, get a rethreader die and run that up the threads before you start removing the nut. I just bought a pair -- gotta confirm, but I think the thread is either a 5/16 or 3/8 fine thread.

A friend of mine in Waterbury has a source for replacement tanks. Let me know if you want me to ask him foir a price.
 
old_man said:
Have you spied exactly where the leak is comming from? It is common that the o-ring that seals the fuel pump opening will get hard, crack, or simply slide out of postion and cause leakage at a half tank or more. I would hate to see you replace a tank when all it is, is a gasket. The o-ring can be had at the dealer for around $5 and is about 4 inched in diameter. Another source of leaks can be the rubber grommet that the fuel tank vent installs into that is on the top of the tank. If the bolts are not rusted and you have found a replacement tank, the job should be an hour or less. Personally I would try a junk yard for a tank, but I live in Colorado and things don't tend to rust out as much here. Around here a tank from an 88 can be almost like new.

I note that SDRiptide is from Western Mass. I bet his tank is rusted out. One of the problems here is that corrosive muck and salt come to rest on top of the tank and eat holes in it from the outside, and condensation eats it out from inside, especially at the seam. The tank on my 95 rusted out a couple of years ago, but it turned out to be only a small hole in the top. so I patched it with epoxy and fiberglass. It's held well so far, but I wouldn't recommend that treatment for anything larger than a pinhole, and any location other than the top. I don't think there's any way to fix a bad seam.
 
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