Date:         Mon, 25 Nov 2002 11:20:23 -0800
Reply-To:     Matthew Pollard <poll7356@UIDAHO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Matthew Pollard <poll7356@UIDAHO.EDU>
Subject:      How To: syncro fuel tank removal
Comments: To: Kraig Slack <KraigSlack@ipkoke.com>
Comments: cc: syncro@yahoogroups.com
In-Reply-To:  <CBC55B002329D511BD32003048215527EF6484@EFSUNIT0>
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

i found hose! 7$ a foot, only need 2 feet though.  some hose and fitting
place in spokane has it! i just found it 5 minutes ago. whew.

as for removing the tank. ugh. (engine and tranny is already removed)-
btw, the procedure in bentley is, uhm, crap.

first clean the MF'r as much as possible. I got about a gallon of dirt off
of it. caked on mud from the regan adminstration i suppose. You need to
remove the filler tube (easy), tank sender and return line. Also need to
remove the fuel line on the bottom of the tank. Super easy for that stuff.

Now it when the fun begins (you already have the straps and stuff off).
Well, the tank won't budge at all. So get a 1x2 piece of wood and start
prying on it from the driver's side above the charcoal cannister. Pry and
push and pry an push. Then have another guy with a shoe-horn like tool (i
used piece of metal the looked like a paint-stirrer but had rouned cornner
and was smooth (an old-skool tire iron actually) compress the tank off of
the driver's side frame rail while you lever it down from the top. The
tank pivots down from driver's side. You need to get something over the
sender and return line barb to protect it from the frame rail while you
"slide" it down. You have to squish the tank to get it out. It's a bitch.
once the complete fuel sender clears your a good. Then pull down and to
the left and it comes down. Ask me in a few days how to put it back in...

I would not take the tank out. No f'ing way. never again. You can
acually fix the grommets and roll-over valves by just pulling the tank
down about 1/2 way.

as for parts- two roll over valves and grommets, 1/4" fuel line (10')for
the vent system, and 8mm (5/16") high pressure fuel lines for the supply
and return line and 4' of 1/2" fuel line (tank->pump and vent at the
gas-cap). also, 18.5" of 1 5/8" ID fuel filler hose. Get some rtv for
gasoline and smear it over the gromets and all fittings, just in case. You
never want to do this again!!!!!


cheers
matthew


Matthew Pollard          "Racing with the wind and flirting with death
Dept. Of Chemistry        So have a cup of coffee and catch your breath"
University of Idaho
www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356