Fuel Tank Removal?!

[David T]

The only reason to remove the tank is to clean up the frame. Do not remove it if all you want to do is clean the inside of the tank. You *could* try leaving the plate off, filling the tank and driving around a while. Someone actually did it. You can guess the results. We did find out that the tank is not all that expensive! I got on top of the tank and put my foot on it and pushed. I had to finish up with a 2 X 4. It appears when they built the car they used grease on those foam pads. With age they become glued in.
David Teitelbaum

[stevedmc]

The only reason to remove the tank is to clean up the frame. Do not remove it if all you want to do is clean the inside of the tank.

I want to get the tank out so I can touch up some areas where brake fluid has eaten away through the frame epoxy.

Gee.

[Mark D]

So I did end up getting the tank out today. I tried using a 2x4 that was about the length of the tank and using my floor jack to press up in the middle and along the edges to break the seal between the spongy foam pads and the frame. It didn't really do much since the the tank was up as far as it could go and it didn't really pop it loose.

What ended up working was taking a wooden shim (like the kind you'd use to level a window or a door) and tapping it along in between the frame and the tank to push the tank inward and unstick the 30 years of pressure that was holding it in there. I worked all the way around until I could start to wiggle the tank around.

The rearmost part of the tank has some space between the rounded corners and the frame where I could push in a round wooden dowel (broom handle) and start to rock the tank forward and back to loosen it up more.

Finally I could grip with my fingers on the rear of the tank and pull down a few millimeters at a time until the rear and was free enough that I could get my hands on the sides of the tank and pull it down.

To anyone else in the future having similar problems getting the tank out this method seemed to work pretty well, but it does take some time and patience. I wrestled with it for about 45 minutes before I finally got it out. Wedging the wood shim between the tank and the frame seemed to be the key to breaking the pressure bond between the foam strips and the frame.

I found that there was also some dirt and other debris that had worked it's way on the top of the tank that was part of the problem with getting it out. It formed a little wedge of grime that was preventing the tank from sliding out easily.

The frame was in surprisingly good shape...I'm continually amazed at how well the epoxy protects everything. If not for the brake fluid leak on the driver's side where it softened it up there would be almost no rust.

[DCUK Martin]

Do not remove it if all you want to do is clean the inside of the tank.

I've seen broken down DeLoreans because owners arms weren't long or skinny enough to reach all the way back. The only way to do a proper job, IMO is to soak it in water and detergent for weeks. And the ability to then up-end it is very useful. Of course I'm usually cleaning out tanks which have sat for decades, so probably a bit extreme!

[David T]

I have found that Acetone is GREAT for cleaning up the sludge in a tank. Scoop out as much as you can before using Acetone. It is dangerous so you must take precautions. Plenty of ventilation and no sparks nearby. If your arms are not long enough (or skinny enough) you need to get a helper or a stick with a rag stapled to the end soaked in Acetone.
David Teitelbaum