fuel tank replacement

[ceetee25]

after months of smelling fuel I decided to bite the bullet and check the tank. So had to take it out. Turned out the cross breather pipe with the expansion tank breather had snapped off going in to the tank grommet.
These individual items you cant buy...but JustKampers do the whole pipe with end pieces for £34 !!!!!
So had no choice as Brickwerks don't do any of these parts.
HOWEVER I did use braded rubber pipe for the cross tank breather after taking off the rigid shaped plastic one from JK and the reason for this was when raising the tank for re-installation this rigid plastic tube was the wrong shape to negotiate water pipes etc so if I had of continued it would have jammed itself against the pipes etc and ...yes snapped again, hence the above modification. So obviously this tank had been out before and the previous installation had indeed snapped it off.
I have seen the very good but may I say slightly optimistic instruction list for changing the tank in the Wiki and also noticed the same breather pipe on the tank in the photo so did I miss something? There didn't seem to be anyway to get to the top of the tank, having raised it into position, to have this pipe 'over' the frame and get your hands in to push it into the tank grommets.

[faggie]

you put your hand under the front wheel arch or lay on the front spare wheel tray to gain access

[Plasticman]

should have posted in wanted as these are 2 a penny and could have been sent for the post£
mm

[Simon Baxter]

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Specsavers

[ceetee25]

well done Simon thanks for that. I will put the £10 difference towards my specs!
How did I miss that one!

[Plasticman]

hehe if he had his head on right he would have linked you to a specsavers offer of a freebie test tutut
mm

[Flyingchunk]

I have this exact same problem.

Would you recommend removing the tank first?

Or exploring breather issues?

Also the fuel gauge is intermittent, so I'm guessing I need a new sender anyway?

Any insight gratefully received.

[Aidan]

any issues the tank should come out - the cross balance pipe is attached to the van so has to be popped out of the grommets on the top of the tank before the tank is removed, failure to do this causes the pipe to be damaged and then bodged when tank replaced, refitting is the reverse, the balance pipe stays attached to the van and if you vaseline the grommets you will be able to push the fittings in without much issue
you need a long pry bar and thin arms to get in over the chassis rail to pop the fittings out of the grommets and some care or you will just snap the spigots off
intermittent sender likely to be a wiring issue, maybe at the sender, maybe at the 14 pin connector at the dash, maybe the earth connection

[Flyingchunk]

Great stuff.

Thanks so much.

Looks like I'm going to be busy....