replacing gas tank

I need to replace my gasoline tank. I plan do it myself. Can anyone give me instructions on how change the tank.

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Pc1958
I need to replace my gasoline tank. I plan do it myself. Can anyone give me instructions on how change the tank.

Hey Pc, welcome to the joint. I've not had the pleasure of doing this charming job but I've heard it's a real handful.

What year and model do you have, and do you have the Bentley book??

Also, are you sure it's the tank and not something (easier to fix) else?

Cheers, Rick

1987 BMW 325is. Yes I have a Bentley book

The mechanic say there a rust around the goose neck.

Is the tank leaking yet? If not you may be able to patch it up for a few more years. If not, it has to come out for repair or replacement.

Removing the tank involves removing the exhaust, heat shields and drive shaft. It may also require loosening or removing the rear subframe.
Add to the list, the wiring and plumbing to the fuel pump and vapour return lines.

This is all relatively easy to do if you have a hoist but it will be a pain in the ear to do it on jack stands.

One of the regulars here has done this before and can expand on what I've said. He may also have a source for a new tank that could save you a lot of $

Here is a picture showing the underside of the car...


The tank is the two parts showing just ahead to the rear wheels. You can see the parts that need to be removed to drop it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2011 02:23PM by Archeo-peteriX.

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Archeo-peteriX
One of the regulars here has done this before and can expand on what I've said. He may also have a source for a new tank that could save you a lot of $

Are you lookin' at me??

Yeah, I did this last summer. My tank had a leak at the top for a few years, and I got tired of only being able to fill it 2/3 full. As Peter says, the job is a PITA, but it's not too difficult. You need to get the car up on jack stands fairly high, then remove the exhaust and rear drive shaft. The hardest step when I did this in my iX was pulling the rear drive shaft. There's supposed to be a collar nut that allows you to telescope the drive shaft to pull it out, but on mine it was rusted solid. So to pull the drive shaft, I had to drop the rear diff enough to slide the drive shaft flange off the studs. I think that on a regular 2WD E30, this step would not be as difficult.

Once the exhaust and drive shaft are out, pulling the gas tank is pretty easy. It's just held in with five easily-accessible nuts. Once I got my tank out, I saw that in my case the leak was a small rust hole in the vent tube that runs across the top of the tank.

The second-biggest PITA of this job is lifting the new tank into place while lying on your back underneath the car. The tank doesn't seem all that heavy until you're trying to position it into place.

Sorry, I don't have a source for a new tank. I got mine from an ad in the classifieds on e30tech.com. With a used tank you do run the risk of pre-existing rust, but new tanks are so expensive that I think it's worth the risk.

__________
Dave
'91 325iX

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Dave_G

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Archeo-peteriX
One of the regulars here has done this before and can expand on what I've said. He may also have a source for a new tank that could save you a lot of $

Are you lookin' at me??

Yeah, I did this last summer. My tank had a leak at the top for a few years, and I got tired of only being able to fill it 2/3 full. As Peter says, the job is a PITA, but it's not too difficult. You need to get the car up on jack stands fairly high, then remove the exhaust and rear drive shaft. The hardest step when I did this in my iX was pulling the rear drive shaft. There's supposed to be a collar nut that allows you to telescope the drive shaft to pull it out, but on mine it was rusted solid. So to pull the drive shaft, I had to drop the rear diff enough to slide the drive shaft flange off the studs. I think that on a regular 2WD E30, this step would not be as difficult.

Once the exhaust and drive shaft are out, pulling the gas tank is pretty easy. It's just held in with five easily-accessible nuts. Once I got my tank out, I saw that in my case the leak was a small rust hole in the vent tube that runs across the top of the tank.

The second-biggest PITA of this job is lifting the new tank into place while lying on your back underneath the car. The tank doesn't seem all that heavy until you're trying to position it into place.

Sorry, I don't have a source for a new tank. I got mine from an ad in the classifieds on e30tech.com. With a used tank you do run the risk of pre-existing rust, but new tanks are so expensive that I think it's worth the risk.

Too bad, it's no 2002; six bolts in the trunk and out the tank comes from the top

1987 BMW 325is, Yes I have a Bently book.

IIRC there is a guy out east in Canada that sells new e30 gas tanks.

How much is the gasoline tank?

This is the place, their site is no longer up though so I don't know if they still exist.

[www.411.ca]

James

Thanks James