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MG MG Y Type - Fuel Tank Installation

I finally have some time to get the fuel tank back in the YB. It's been apart for several months and it's driving me crazy! But try as I may, I cannot get this fuel tank back in the car. I do remember it took some unnatural movements and a bit of force to get it out.

The problem is the filler neck coming in contact with the edge of the hole in the boot floor before the rear stud is able to line up with its hole in the cross member tab.

Is there a trick to this puzzle? I'm feeling a bit defeated at the moment!

Thankfully I coated the tank in POR 15 or else it would be terribly scratched up by now!
Steve Simmons

From memory Steve I beleive mine went in fairly easily. I am presuming you dont have the long filler tube attached?

The biggest problem is you really need to be in front of the tank, on the right and on the left at the same time to get it all lined up. If you are doing it single handed, get a friend (not the wife) to help.

Put the tank in on a slight slant so that the tube side goes up first. Dont be afraid of a little brute force. It is certainly easier though if the car is well clear of the ground and on a ramp - maybe that is why I found it so easy.

Paul
Paul Barrow

The car is on a lift and the exhaust out of the way. It absolutely won't clear no matter what I do. I can get it into position without any problem, but getting the stud through the hole is impossible so long as the filler neck is sticking up through the hole in the boot floor. If I put the stud through first, then the filler won't be able to maneuver up through the hole in the boot. The only way I see this working is with the body off, installing from above. I'm sure this is how the factory did it. I guess they never saw the need to clean out and repaint a fuel tank!

If I can't figure anything else out, I may have to cut a slot in the rear tab for the stud to slide in from the side. I would REALLY like to avoid that. The other option is to bend or remove the tab on the cross member and then bend or weld it back, but that's even less appealing.

By the way, I already made the wife help. I didn't realize that was against the instructions. Oops! :)
Steve Simmons

<<The only way I see this working is with the body off, installing from above>>
This is how many restorations began..... Sorry not to be able to offer any useful advise.
Willem van der Veer

OK Steve, what you need is more clearance. Lower the tank out of the way, and then remove the guide plate that is bolted to the trunk floor. This will give you more room to play with for the filler neck so you can get the tank in position and loose bolted.

Then replace the plate in the trunk floor, then tighten up all the way around. That should work for you.

Paul
Paul Barrow

The plate is already out, assuming this is the plate with the rubber gasket under it. It looks roughly the same size as the opening in the floor. I'm still pressed against the back of the hole while trying to get the stud through the cross member tab. :(

Is it possible the body on my car is a tiny bit too far rearward?
Steve Simmons

Steve, no, they are just a swine. Its a busted knuckle job. If you can wait until GOF and are close by we can look at it maybe. You have to work on the basis that it came out so it should go back in. It is very frustrating, although when it pops in you will wonder 'what the he%% did I do to get it in?'

Life's mysteries #635

Paul
Paul Barrow

I'm 300 miles from GoF, so unfortunately that wouldn't be an option. That and I can't awit that long to drive the car! :)

BUT... I spent the day working on it again and now it's in the car. It didn't go in the way I wanted, but it's in and other than a few small marks on the bracket no one will ever know what I did except you guys.

There was simply no way it was going back in because reversing the leverage used to remove the tank was physically impossible. So... I heated the tab with a torch until red hot, then bent it back about 10-degrees. I mounted the tank quickly using only the side bolts, then heated the tab again and bent it back to its original position. Crude, but effective.

Now I just need to buy the rubber bits - boot floor seal, connector hose, etc. Is the connector hose a standard size? I can try to get that locally so I can at least get the car on the road!
Steve Simmons

Good Job Steve.

As for the boot floor seal - cheap and very effective fix - get an old inner tube from your tire shop and use that. They will give you an old one if you ask.

Costs nothing , and hey presto, you are saving the palnet and being a tree hugger!

No idea on the standard or otherwise of the hose, but again, a quick trip to a good hydraulic shop with the filler neck and they should be able to sort you out with an off cut of petrol grade.

Do this and you can beat Al Gore!

Paul

PS Apparently according to NASA, Mars is going through global warming too - must be all the cars that are being driven up there. Can we send Al there instead?
Paul Barrow

This thread was discussed between 15/04/2008 and 17/04/2008

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