9 replies to this topic

[Dylpants80]

Hi everyone. I've purchased a new fuel tank for my van but I'm having problems fitting it. It seems to tight. Anyone else had any problems?Are they normally a tight fit?

[absx2]

Unfortunately they are very tight fit and generally they need a fettle here and there.

The angle of the neck never seems exactly right and the mounting holes need elongating to pick up on the screw holes.

It`s best to have a trail fit before painting.

[nev100]

Yes, definitely need fettling....

I trial fitted mine before paint. I had to re-cut fixing holes and move rear valence upstand back. Otherwise it would never have squeezed in between that and sub-frame.

When I did fit after paint, standard screws pulled plugs out of valence...!!
I fixed using Rivnuts in the end.

Also, the neck alignment needs to be taken into account.

Sorry for all negative comments but from my experience they're definitely not a direct swap without quite a bit of work.

You'll get there....just needs time and thought..

[IronmanG]

I had to elongate the rearward holes plus also reduced the thickness of the gasket considerably to allow the neck to come through far enough to get the cap on

[Dylpants80]

Thanks for the replys guy's. Ye been a bastard of a job but got there in the end. Had to drop the subframe and do some adjustments here and there but turned out alright.

[Hunter2]

Now I don't feel so bad.  I had the tank in and out so many times I lost count.  Eventually I took a dremel to the hole in the floor to address the angle of the filler neck and had to 'tilt' the tank slightly (washers as spacers) to get the neck to line up in the the hole.

 

Note the rear of the floor, filler panel and rear quarter panel were original so I attribute the fitting issues primarily to the NEW tank.

 

Finally got the neck & rubber centred in the panel opening.

 

 

 

 

[bpirie1000]

Yes proper pain in the derier. The little plastic clips don'tlook like they would hold much but they are fairly good to be honest. I looked at all sort of things but glad i went with the sommerford fittings and can not complain.

[sonscar]

Lovely colour,Steve..

[nev100]

Ha ha....

Yes, nothing ever seems to be easy with these blighters...!!

I test fitted my tank whilst doing a complete nut and build restoration.

Had the subframe in place, moved rear valence, re-did the holes. (I drilled holes, then squared them off with a file)
Trial fitted...all good.

Then after paint it was no-where near. I was checking I hadn't dreamt I'd trialled fitted it..!!

Eventually got it fixed in with Rivnuts, washers to angle neck over...

A right sod of a job....but solid now.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

I must have got lucky when I changed the tank on my pick up in the mid 1990s as it was an easy swop.  Maybe it was the genuine Unipart parts? 

 

More recently on my van it was a horrible job as previous posters have described.  At the time I blamed it on whoever welded up the back end of the van but maybe it's more common to have problems than I was aware of and maybe I really did just get lucky with my pick up.