of course..

it saves hours of time and allows "quick check / access" at the racetrack...!!!

it is covered with the seat or floor carpet,..so, who will ever see it anyways???

 

 

almost made me spit my soda on the screen!!!

Seriously... isn't it 2 bolts to drop the tank?
Granted it can be very heavy if it's full, but I think a jack doesn't care how full it is.

 

Why not just drop the tank? Once you put a new pump in you shouldn't be messing with it anyways right?

 

Dropping the tank is a PITA, as far as I'm concerned. I've done it enough times I don't want to do it again. "just 2 bolts". Right. Just 2 RUSTED bolts, the filler neck, several connections, then jockeying the ####er around...walk in the park Add in a torque arm and a panhard bar like I have, and you betcherass I'm going to be cutting an access panel this winter to fix the leak I created when I replaced all the gasketry last year. This is my inspiration http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38784

 

Skip all that drama and just drop the 5.0L into a Volvo. It already has a bolted-in access plate in the trunk to get to the top of the fuel tank.

 

X9872634982790724 FTW

Swapping the pump in the 850 was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY easier than in the Fox.

Heja Sverige! Volvo är min traktor för fan.

 

+1 on cutting the hole.

i am young, and dropping the tank kicked my butt for about 2 hours the other weekend. i have always wanted a panel there. best car i ever did a fuel pump on was a '94 bmw. pull off rear seat panel, unscrew plastic lid, swap. done in 5 minutes!

i know many people have this "resto" view of foxes, but they are still plentiful, and somthing as descrete as a panel shouldn't bother even the most jaded melvin.

 

Cut the hole and replace it with a larger piece of metal and a gasket to keep out any moisture,etc.A few short sheetmetal screws and there you go.Personally,I don't mind dropping the tank.On the Bird,which is close enough to a Stang,it only takes a few minutes.I let the bolts soak a little in PB Blaster when I bought the car a couple of years ago.But,we don't really have any rust to speak of down here either.

 

Unfortunately, I had to get rid of my old car at the time I started this so I never finished.

 

Used to own a 1995 Acura Integra. It came with an access panel from the factory in the hatch. Also owned a CRX, there were a lot of things I always felt the engineers thought of to make future servicing easier.

Conversely working on the ole' fox at times I feel like they tried to think, how can we make this bolt or clamp impossible to get to ever again.

 

Psshhhaawww, Just do what I did....

I built a cover on a hinge to access it whenever I need. I hate dropping gas tanks. Hell, we used to pull the body bolts on the s10 blazers and raise the body upward to get to the pumps in those thing back in the day.

 

Can I have the back half of your car? I can bring my dremel over and cut it off.

 

I finally got around to doing this. Here's a write-up I just posted in the Tech Articles section

http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?p=8470863#post8470863


Anybody who's done it will tell you dropping the fuel tank just to do pump or gasket maintenance is a PITA. Add something like a Panhard Bar or Watts Link, and it's even worse.

My tank was leaking from the top, I could verify that by looking at it through the right rear wheelwell...moist stains were evident, and they were coming from the top of the tank. Unfortunately, like a dumbass, the last time I replaced the pump I did not replace the $3.99 pump retaining ring and gasket, and I had a feeling that's what the problem was.

I have full tailpipes and a panhard bar...I did NOT want to drop the tank again to fix this problem. Frankly I don't ever want to drop the tank again no matter what, so I cut an access hole and made a replacement panel. Problem solved.

I went through 7 fiber-reinforced Dremel cutoff discs which wasn't too bad, for cutting a 7x10 hole in the trunk floor. I made it big to help ensure that if I actually needed to remove the pump, I'd be able to, because as I recall it requires some convoluted maneuvering to get in and out of the tank and I wanted the room to do so if necessary. As it stands, all I needed to do was replace the fuel pump ring and gasket which were leaking and causing problems when run on track. But the panel also goes far enough forward that I can access the vapor valve and its gasket easily if need be.

First cuts; you don't want to go any further forward or much further to the right, as there is more than sheetmetal lurking beyond those points.

Cut open

You'll need to disconnect this connection above the tank/behind the rear bumper, then pull the loom up through the new hole in the trunk so that it and its grommet can be removed from the old sheet:

Then I marked the positions of the holes in the #8 speednuts, which clip onto sheetmetal providing a blind fastener so you don't have to be able to access its underside to fasten the plate, before drilling holes in the trunk floor. I made the holes slightly oversize for adjustability/lack of precision. Remember, when using speednuts, you can't just drill the holes anywhere. The clips will only slide on so far over the sheetmetal before stopping, and the hole can't be any further inboard than that point.

Then I transferred the patterns of the holes to the replacement panel by dabbing each hole with a little RTV, setting the panel over top, then drilling where the RTV transferred to the underside of the panel. I cut a hole for the pump loom grommet with a cutoff wheel, then enlarged it and dressed it with a dremel and a grinding stone. Then I coated the underside of the panel and the top perimeter of the trunk hole in light oil, then laid down a bead of black RTV to seal it against heat and fumes. I'm hoping the coat of oil will make the whole panel pull right off when the need arises, without bending it.

 

I finally got around to doing this.

My tank was leaking from the top, ...moist stains were evident,

I went through 7 fiber-reinforced Dremel cutoff discs which wasn't too bad, for cutting a 7x10 hole in the trunk floor. [/IMG]

Nice job, but let me get this straight...you used metal cut-off wheels (sparks) right over a fuel thank that was "moist" with gasoline? Did you at least have a fire extinguisher handy? For others reading this I would highly recommend removing the tank before cutting the hole to avoid possible fires and burning down your car.

 

If you think a Fox is a PITA you should try a F-body (Camaro or Firebird) True nightmare.

 

If It was a daily driver and just needed the pump changed, i'd drop the tank, I hate cutting on a car. If it's a race car and you might need to accesss the pump often, Cut away.

 

Only as "moist" as you see in the pics. In other words, stained, but not vaporous. The car hadn't been driven in days and there were no fumes present.

That said, the reason I used the dremel compared to an angle grinder like others have used was to massively reduce the spark volume, which it did. I also positioned it so the rotation fed what few sparks there were upward into the trunk, not down onto the tank.
And yes, I had a fire extinguisher handy.

 

Just drill a hole and use tin snips if you are worried about sparks. The sheet metal in our cars is pretty thin.

 

Tank jobs are not that bad to me. I had one out and back in about 30 min (half full). I was replacing the sender so i didnt have to fool with lines but its not that bad.

 

Why on earth would you cut a hole in the floor to get to the fuel pump. thats the most ghetto thing you can do. Dropping the tank is easy as hell two bolts and the screws for the filler neck and its out. spray some pb blaster on the bolts and make sure the tank is close to empty and its easy

 

Dropping the tank is a PITA, as far as I'm concerned. I've done it enough times I don't want to do it again. "just 2 bolts". Right. Just 2 RUSTED bolts, the filler neck, several connections, then jockeying the ####er around...walk in the park Add in a torque arm and a panhard bar[/b] like I have, and you betcherass I'm going to be cutting an access panel this winter to fix the leak I created when I replaced all the gasketry last year. This is my inspiration http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38784

Dropping the tank SUCKS. I've done it enough times I don't want to do it again. This job was easy and it's not like I'm cutting up some one-of-a-kind 87 4-cyl notchback with 7.5 and quads :rofl: Don't you have a door tag to take a picture of?

 

Ford thought to include an access port for the fuel pump on the 05+ mustangs.. why is it ghetto to add one to your car after the fact?

I thought about using one of the plastic covers the 05+'s use and cut a circle out to fit it one of these days

 

I do it all the time and it takes about 15 minutes. Why cut up a car and be so lazy.

 

15 Mins to drop a tank(car on the ground), (Ait tools not hooked up/REAL WORLD)check/replace the fuel pump/ put back together by youreself without any problems (Running to running again)? I have 3 words for you " HORSE ####"
Really, $250.00, Lets give it a try. No, seriously, im In. If you doubt my $$$$$$$$$$$ Commitment, Camron ( he's my black friend(he doesnt know it)will tell you), Im good for it! Get the stop watch.

 

yea , I'm 50 , and can drop a tank and have back in place in under an hour .
Pays to live on the left coast .

 

Yeah, But thats not 15 mins old man J/K.

 

Yay, yay, it's another round of Internet Dick-Swing Name That Tune!

I can change a steering rack in 25 minutes!
I can change LCA's in 20 minutes!
I can replace the gas tank in 15!
I can pull an engine in 12 minutes with a break for beer!
i can fabricate a new exhaust system blindfolded while fending off a pack of dogs!

Roll. Eyes.

The rest of us deal with rusted fasteners, seized grommets, not a lot of room, panhard bars, a lack of enthusiasm for putting the car on jackstands again, dealing with the mad wet cat that is a gas tank with any fuel in it, the desire to be able to do easy trackside repairs, etc, and frankly don't mind putting in a feature that many car companies have the foresight to build in in the first place.

And if you can change the fuel tank on a 100,000+ mile car that didn't live its life in CA or AZ in 15 minutes, never have to deal with a stripped bolt, never have to run to the parts store for the fuel line clip the last guy ####ed up, rainbows shine on you for light and angels fly out the tailpipes while you do these jobs, show me video, otherwise put the e-dick away.

 

I can change LCA's in 20 minutes!

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. I'll buy the beer. See you at my place this weekend. Been meaning to get around to doing the LCAs.

 

#### dropping a tank. I have done so many I dont care if I never do it again. I too plan on doing this to EVERY mustang I get from here on out. I actually got the idea a while back from a buddy with a PRISTINE 97 ss. Great idea. The value on his car didnt drop and neither will yours.

 

"Worker smarter, not harder." A line I hear a lot in the Air Force. This idea falls along that line. I'd encourage anyone to do this.

 

I don't get it. I've droped the tank in fox bodys multiple times and can do it in about 30 minutes. Just make sure you run the tank down to 1/4 or less and its cake.

 

Greaaaat, you can drop the tank in 30 minutes :golfclap:. Still have to put it back in

I also notice you name-that-tuners live in Florida. Makes a big difference on how easy it is to undo bolts and rubber.

But, in any case, anybody who does this really will be able to change a fuel pump in 10 minutes and won't have to bust out the jack or the stands or get on their back or be concerned in the least about how full the tank was when the pump died. :drool:

 

To cut or not to cut. I guess that depend s on your situation. For somebody like Miffy, it's probably hands down the best way to go.
For somebodies daily driver, and your replacing a pump just drop the tank and put it back up.
I guess what nmst of the guys that are saying no to, is the ones that have seen hack jobs.

I'd be truly pissed if I bought a car just to find the previous owner had hack a big ass hole in the car with his hillbilly engineering. But on the other hand, if I bought a car and the owner said, Hey I cut and fabbed up apanel for the fuel pump. He shows it to you and it done right, speed bolts, dzsus fastners or screws, fits nice, painted and looks factory, I'd be okay with it.