Removing a fuel tank

loop · Post by **loop** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 11:35 am

I'm trying to remove the fuel tank from my 1989 polo. I've removed a large metal strap from the bottom of it but the tank still refuses to move. What else would be keeping the tank in it's current place?
I'm trying to remove due it leaking around the back driver's side somewhere.

amstrange1 · Post by **amstrange1** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:57 pm

From memory there are some more clamps at the front of the tank that you have to remove too - I might be wrong though. In order for mine to come out I had to remove one of the handbrake cable mounts too. Ignore what the Haynes manual says, it only served to confuse me - instead trust your instinct, wobble the tank to suss out where it's still being held in.

optima21 · Post by **optima21** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:26 pm

there is a bolt on on back left hand side that retains it to.

The filler neck itself is a tight fit between the wheel arch and the right hand rear suspension mounting, and its probably a bit easier to undo that and move it out of the way.

Also have you removed the tranfer pipe thats behind the rubber bit where the cap goes into the bodywork and the breather pipes?

loop · Post by **loop** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:28 pm

I've managed to get out the rubber seal around the filler cap. I've also removed one of the breather pipes from that area. How do I remove the other larger pipe?
One of the bolts at the back of the tank was missing and the other snapped off as I was trying to remove it.
Do I need to take the exhaust off? It looks like it could possibly be in the way.
Hopefully later on today my brother will be bringing his ramps over so I'll be able to get the car a bit higher.
Thanks for all the help.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:36 am

I gave up trying to remove the tank from my Mk1 Polo (had a leaker filler neck) and just fixed it in situ instead. I think there are a couple of bolts towards the front of the car, a strap thingy and a few clips but the main problem is juggling out the filler neck - very tight fit!

Good luck.

optima21 · Post by **optima21** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:55 am

I cant remember how I removed the big pipe, as I cant remember if its help in place with a clip or not. This pipe connects to the tank again just in front of the fuel level gauge hole, so it will need to be removed from there too.

if it is you remove that and then just pull it.
You dont have to remove the exhaust but if you take the backbox off the mounting rubbers it will give you more space to work in (just rest it on a brick or something.

VW only used one bolt on the back of my cars, and I think you'll probably be ok with just the strap, as I think that bolt is really used just to locate the tank when re-fitting it.

loop · Post by **loop** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:10 pm

I've took off everything I can see but the tank refuses to move.
I've removed the strap, the rear hand brake mounts, all of the pipes and a bolt at the back. But even with some quite reasonable force applied to it the tank won't move. The most I can get it to do is wobble up and down slightly.

optima21 · Post by **optima21** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:41 pm

is the filler neck getting trapped between the inner wheel arch and the rear suspension mounting?

if it is you'll have to undo the mounting bolts of the right hand bracket and move it out of the way

loop · Post by **loop** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:00 pm

It doesn't appear to be getting trapped. I'm half way to getting rid of the thing. Most of the bolts holding the hand brake mounts on snapped when I was removing so thats another thing I'd have to sort before it's MOT in February sometime.
On an unrelated note anyone want a MK2 polo? Mint condition, honest.

loop · Post by **loop** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 4:52 pm

I got the tank off, it needed some persuasion from Mr Crowbar but it finally came off.
Just need to go get a new one now.

loop · Post by **loop** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 4:47 pm

Got my new tank now, hopefully I'll get some time to fit it this weekend then I'll be back on the road.

loop · Post by **loop** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 1:14 pm

Fitted my new tank. Took a bit of fiddling and it almost fell off on the first journey but it's in okay now. The rubber seal around the end of the filler neck doesn't fit quite right unfortunately but other than that I'm sorted.