Under tank fuel lines, Best way to get to them Options

[Pakis]

I am going to replace all the rubber fuel lines on my 75 1.8 and before I get to it was wondering if anyone has any helpful tips.

[Tobra]

buy nice new hose clamps, fuel filter and keep a fire extinguisher handy, do the lines from the brake fluid reservoir at the same time. Similar size, but hoses are different, blue apparently resists hydraulic fluid.

[Jeff Nelson]

Assuming it's set-up like a '73, I'd just plan on pulling the fuel tank. It's miserable trying to reach in that little opening with gasoline running down your arm, into your armpits, onto your face, etc. Sure, it can be done but why torture yourself? Removing the tank is only intimidating once. Run it low or drain it and have a helper when you lift it out and in. You might get away with just pulling it up a bit and wedging something (like a piece of 2x4) so it stays put. Anything that let's you do the work from the top is a good thing. A stick to prop the front bonnet up as much as possible is handy. While the tank is out you can clean out all the leaves and grunge that have accumulated underneath and generally see whats up under there.

Check over at the pelicanparts site in the tech article section. IIRC there is a piece on removing the tank. Have fun!

[robby750]

I agree. Remove the tank. If I can do it, anyone can. It was so much easier than I thought it would be that I removed it again two weeks later to install a sway bar.

[Tobra]

Humble, man I did my residency at Kingwood Hospital, near the barefoot triangle(Porter, New Caney and Splendora), yeah, pull the tank, I thought I said that, oops

[william harris]

It is much easier to remove the fuel tank if you remove the filler neck and charcoal filter box first. This allows you to remove the tank with the hood on the car with no clearance problems. You have to take off the filler neck to remove the wires to the fuel gauge anyway. I took mine in and out many times recently as I was reassembling the car. I took the tank to a radiator shop and had them flush it out. Be sure and remove hard fuel lines at bottom of tank first, one has a wire mesh sock as a filter attached. Make sure when they are reattached to orient in towards car. I attached the hoses to the firewall first and then after lowering tank attached the hoses to the hard lines out of the tank. While a PITA, it works and allows a relatively short hose connection. I have heard people say they connected the hoses with the tank not installed, kinda perched on the firewall between the front trunk, but this leaves a 2 foot long hose that you have to wind up and try to tuck out of the way. I did not like this approach. To tighten clamps from below, I got a 1/4 socket with a screw driver tip and this worked very well with a 1/4 drive. The access hole and dimensions are very tight. Good Luck. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif)

[Tobra]

I am also soon going to be doing this, and am trying to figure out what size fuel hose I will need. THe hoses on it are unmarked, near as I can figure, it is 7 mm and 9 mm, from looking in the shop manual, is that right? Luckily I have small hands

[Joe Bob]

Consider putting in longer than stock lines....so when ya pull it next time you will have more room when you release the clamps. USE GOOD clamps...don't cheap out.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

[marks914]

I just came in from doing the same thing. I would pull the tank, it only takes 10 minutes once the tank is empty. I ran hard lines through the tunnel, took a little work to get the front grommet back on.

The only bad thing is I found some scaly rust in my tank. Anyone have any suggestions? I used to shake pebbles and 10w30 in a nasty tank to cean it up.
Mark

[Dave Bell]

Yep... remove filler first to make things easier... I put longer lines in cars I have owed... yes they "look messy and need to be laid down upon installaton but the longer lines allow you to prop the tank up part way out now and more easily disconnect/reconnect the fuel lines for removal/installation.

After you have done it once... the process is goes pretty quick and you won't think twice about pulling the tank before working on anything buried underneath.

Getting the rubber brace pieces situated right on installation can take some joggling around of the tank but that is about the most difficult think after you have installed the longer rubber fuel lines.