My 22-year-old celeb sixer keeps me busy, and is at the age where I have systems dropping like flies. After the winter we had, I have some serious catch-up to do. I've begun a punch-list and it's not pretty. At the top of the list was the fuel system. Last time I heard, it's a bad thing to strongly smell gasoline around the rear end of your car. I was just one step away from a mobile molotov cocktail... and it's been like that most of the winter. Add that to my blown brake bomb (item #2 on the list), and my car was a jihadist's dream. I actually took to wearing a Kamikaze headband when I drove.
So, it always feels good to complete a project. Especially when you get even more done than you had originally set out to. I actually had great luck in this project (for once), as everything went just as I expected it to. My goal was to seek & destroy the obvious rustmonster attacking my gas tank (suspecting the filler neck, since that's the most common circumstance), and to inspect the entire rear-end fuel system. This complements my work 2 summers ago on the front-end fuel system where I completely refreshed the front lines, pressure regulator, injectors, and injector rail.
If you care to see how I did it. Jump. If you don't... uhh... don't!
I feared the worst, since I had to remove the rear exhaust to lower the tank. Anyone who has done any work on cars knows that exhaust bolts are almost always a bitch to remove. I consider myself lucky that I got away with snapping just 2 of them, and not having to resort to a cutting wheel. Given my fuel tank situation, I wasn't looking forward to throwing showers of sparks under there...
Once that was removed, the tank came out quite easily, just three bolts hold it up there, and it lowers right down. Gotta watch the main lines and vent lines, as they are a bit tricky to remove. I had to cut my vent lines.
The tank presented pretty much what I had expected. Ugly rot all around the filler neck. I didn't expect the three vent lines to be set up the way they were, and each of them had a small hole in the base. I considered going all the way with the tank refresh, which involves fully venting and cleaning the tank so it can be welded... but I decided I can buy enough time with a patch job. (Cold Weld to the Rescue!)
So after draining the tank, I went to work with the wire brush, using my air compressor to keep positive pressure in the tank to minimize rust falling in there. I scrubbed, and revealed the holes... and holes there were. Eight in all. Structurally the neck seemed still OK, but the rust monster has a firm grip. Ideally, the neck should go, and a new one be welded in... but I'm afraid I'm not up for the ideal fix here. So I hatched a plan using some leftover fiberglass tape from my SV Track Bike days, and some J-B Weld!
After I rust treated the exposed rust and metal, I coated one entire side of the glass tape with the cold weld goop, and used it like a complete neck bandage. I think it worked pretty damn well, really, and should last a while... but I will be sure to keep an eye on it. I just gooped over the vent lines, brushing the cold weld all around them to cover. I fear those will let go more quickly.
I gave the rest of the tank a quick once-over with my anti-rust moves, and sprayed a coat of rust-oleum over the work. I doubt that helped at all, but it looks a bit cleaner going back in. And it actually went back in much easier than it came out. I even polished the gas lines ;) So I got THAT going for me.
While I was under there, I took advantage of curing time to knock out my fuel pump inspection, where I replaced the fuel filter, and replaced my O2 sensor. I have been suspecting my O2 sensor for some time, but it's a BITCH to get to, up on top of the catalytic converter. With my rear exhaust out, my cat hung down enough to allow the work to go more easily. I had to remove the cat's heat shield, and judging by the pics, you can see it wasn't doing much shielding anyway... just rattling around down there causing trouble.
So in the end, once it's all buttoned up, I swear the car runs MUCH better - likely thanks to the O2 sensor. Smoother running, no more molotov-cocktail... a job well done! :)
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