1977 Gas Tank Removal

John Davis

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It looks like my fuel tank has more than just old gas in the tank. I noticed rust flakes as I got down to the bottom of the barrel. Has anyone removed their fuel tank, and if so, can anyone make suggestions or list some dos and don'ts that they learned from their experience?

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Mikes5thAve

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Pretty straight forward. Stick a jack or something under it so it won't drop all the way when you unbolt the straps. You might also need it down part way to disconnect thd hoses and sending unit unless you can get to that from the side first. If there are screws or clips around the filler when you take the cap off you should remove those too, I don't remember what the earlier ones with the visible cap is like.
 

volare 1977

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Be careful with it. If it is the early style hump tank it is not available anywhere that I know of. Edit for some reason I was thinking F body, you should be able to find the tank you need for your car.
 
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80mirada

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Expect to replace all of the hoses to the tank. Remove the full neck before you drop it down if you can. Make sure it is as empty as possible. Be damn careful with the hardware and the straps, not to mention that the tank you have is pretty much unobtainable.
 

John Davis

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Expect to replace all of the hoses to the tank. Remove the full neck before you drop it down if you can. Make sure it is as empty as possible. Be damn careful with the hardware and the straps, not to mention that the tank you have is pretty much unobtainable.
OK. Good to know. So, removal of the full neck. That is unbolting the three screws in the fuel filler of the body, and then also on the tank? Are there three screws holding it in there also? I don't remember seeing any, but it was a cursory look over. The car was manufactured 7-1977. So this has an unobtainable tank? Also good to know. Someone said there is a foam/fiber sheet sitting on top of the tank, and I think I remember seeing it. They said this is a good reason for rust on top of the tank. Should I remove this if all is well otherwise? If so, do I choose another product for the top of the tank instead, or do I bolt it up without?
 

volare 1977

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And try and find quality fuel line hose. I bought some a few years back and the rubber cracked in less than a year. And get a new 4002010 filler neck grommet.
 
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DCAspen

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7/1977,you should have a flat tank which is readily available ,the hump tank was phased out in April of 1977
 

Aspen500

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Sitting for so long with what used to be gas, there's a good chance the sending unit/pick up tube are rusted bad as well. Maybe you'll be lucky, but senders are also available (last I checked), straps available also,,,,,,,if needed.
 

John Davis

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Sitting for so long with what used to be gas, there's a good chance the sending unit/pick up tube are rusted bad as well. Maybe you'll be lucky, but senders are also available (last I checked), straps available also,,,,,,,if needed.
I'm curious about that too. I keep getting alternating readings of a quarter of a tank, an eighth of a tank and completely empty. I feel like it should be very close to empty by this time. When I put the vacuum pumper tube into the tank, it felt like it went past a little trap door or something, and there was a sweet spot in being able to retrieve the fuel out of it. I managed to remove about six gallons out of the tank, and it was reading at it's highest point a quarter of a tank. That makes sense for a 20-gallon tank. When I banged on the bottom, it seemed empty. But then it tried to read about 40 miles to empty or the first hash mark after E. So, who knows. It's definitely giving me some interesting readings up in the cockpit. Do you know if these fuel tank sending units are still around? I know the one for my Imperial is damn-near impossible to find.
 

80mirada

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The filler neck does not have any fasteners at the tank. If it is the flat tank, you are in luck, since those are available. Get hose that is rated for fuel injection, and preferably compatible with ethanol, it will last longer. Regular hose essentially melts in the presence of ethanol.
 
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