jaekl wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 12:06 pm
Did you get the self tapper along the left edge? When it lays flat in the normal position, how much gap is in the front? Is it enough to move the panel forward to clear the back edge? The next approach is to pry out the right corner in the back and get it above the central member and persuade the panel to the right. Loosening the right panel allows more flexibility of the metal work.
Thank you. Mine doesn't have a self tapper on the left. But I did get the left panel out today, with much brutality sadly.
I then moved onto the right panel. As yet, no joy so I can't say what benefit that would bring. The small nuts and bolts are horrible. Totally corroded. I am now trying to drill then out, but it's proving very difficult.
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
ManyMinors wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 6:54 pm
I had mine out recently and agree - it is a very tight fit! Once you have all the screws out it is just a matter of perseverance and force I'm afraid
I think I used a large screwdriver as a lever at the rear.
I have also been using a big screwdriver and worse! Not proud of my works, but the left panel is now out.
Trying now with the right panel. It's a beast too. Nuts and bolts all corroded and access difficult for some. I can't understand why someone thought all these bolts were necessary.
No luck as yet
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
ManyMinors wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 6:54 pm
I had mine out recently and agree - it is a very tight fit! Once you have all the screws out it is just a matter of perseverance and force I'm afraid
I think I used a large screwdriver as a lever at the rear.
I have also been using a big screwdriver and worse! Not proud of my works, but the left panel is now out.
Trying now with the right panel. It's a beast too. Nuts and bolts all corroded and access difficult for some. I can't understand why someone thought all these bolts were necessary.
No luck as yet
To remove the sender just to have a look in the tank you don't need to remove the right-hand panel. You only need both panels out if you want to remove the tank.
Without the machine screws nuts, washers and spring washers, the boot shelves rattle quite badly when going over bumps. The timber swells when damp and the shelves can actually be loose when totally dry. All the fixings were missing from my shelves for years. I replaced them with stainless steel fixings to avoid the corrosion problem.
Stephen
Last edited by svenedin on Sat Apr 18, 2026 10:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Thank you Stephen. I guessed I could remove the sender with only the left panel out, but decided it would be easier with the right out too. And it would be pretty hopeless if I couldn't take out the boot shelf plywood panels... and I suspect my tank may prove past it's use by date!
OK I can understand that a couple of fixings might be helpful with rattling.
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
Finally got both boot shelves out. I didn't manage to drill out two of the bolt fixings, so I have damaged the right shelf unfortunately. I could make another from plywood, but no rush.
Removed the tank sender and found that the float was a bit stuck and in fact, there wasn't much fuel remaining! Embarrassing ...
What do you think of the inside of the tank? View is rather limited though. Photo attached.
I couldn't see where the fuel pipe connects to the tank, so not sure if there crud there.
Grateful for any suggestions.
.
Inside the tank
20260419_145224.jpg (1.62 MiB) Viewed 71443 times
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
KevinB wrote: ↑Sun Apr 19, 2026 8:40 pm
Thanks Bill. What would I use to clean out the tank?
Drain out the petrol in a safe manner. Remember that a petrol tank is extremely dangerous especially when it contains an explosive fuel vapour and air mixture. Rinse out the tank with water to dispel explosive vapour. Then get a load of old nuts and bolts or gravel. Seal up the tank with duct tape and shake it vigorously. Some people have even put the tank in a cement mixer. The nuts and bolts or gravel will clean off the loose rust. Remove the nuts and bolts, rinse the tanks and dry it very thoroughly. Or is the rust is severe, buy a new tank.
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Once you have flushed the tank with water to get rid of petrol vapour. I would not use gravel as small particles may stay in tank.
Nuts, bolts, ball bearings or pieces of chain are good agitators.
Diesel is a good solvent as its not volatile.
Shake the tank aggressively in all directions and different ways up, once outlets are taped up. Use a couple of litres then pour out and repeat the process after cleaning the nuts bolts or whatever you used.Until diesel poured out becomes clean. If you have access to compressed air blowing a rag around inside the tank once empty helps to clean out any remnants of diesel. Don't worry if tiny residue of clean diesel it will not harm once filled with clean petrol after the tank is reinstalled.
I meant pea gravel which is round stones not small particles. I should have been more specific. Anyway, I wouldn't need to use gravel myself as a lifetime of my Morris Minor has provided a fine collection of rusty nuts and bolts!
A new tank is not a completely straightforward decision. ESM sell two types of tank for a late saloon. One is 6.5 Imperial gallons and is made by Heritage. This is good quality but it lacks a drain plug. I have one of these tanks and I think the lack of a drain plug is very poor. The fit is good but misfueling happens (e.g filling with diesel by accident) fuel can go off or get contaminated so personally I think a drain is important. The other type 6.6 Imperial gallons has a flat top and a drain plug BUT Morris Minor Workshop tell me that the aperture in the car almost always needs fettling to get it to fit. Morris Minor Worship drain tanks with no drain by allowing the fuel pump to drain the tank into a container.
So you have a choice to make if you decide to get a new tank. Personally, I would try to keep your old tank if possible. Remember that oil and water do not mix. Petrol floats on water so over time water accumulates at the bottom of the tank. This is made worse by ethanol containing fuels because ethanol is hygroscopic. I would rinse the tank very thoroughly with water after cleaning, try to dry it as quickly as possible such as by sitting the tank in the sun. Diesel sloshed round inside should leave an oily coating to prevent flash rust (which happens very fast). If the rust is a bit worse than a bit of loose surface rust you could de-rust with citric acid e.g Bilt Hamber Deox-C. If the tank leaks at all it must be patched or replaced. There are professionals who can repair a tank.
From the little I can see of the inside of your tank it doesn't look bad really but I can only see a small area.
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Have look with a mirror and light, if the only corrosion is the one visible near drain plug, remove the plug and use wire brush on drill through the access you have. Flush the tank bottom and you should be good and save tank change.
Thanks Bill. Had a good look today through the sender opening and it doesn't seem too bad to me. The staining on the inside is a brown colour film that rubs off, where I could reach with a finger. My plan is to remove it next for a flush out. Possibly your wire brush treatment too.
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
If its that little corrosion I would just clean in situ unless you need to remove the tank for your fuel pipe issue. You have a drain plug so you could use a cleaning agent allow it soak the drain after manually cleaning the accessible areas.
Good luck with whichever method you choose.
Just be careful as petrol vapour is highly explosive, use brass brush not steel and if you use a drill, use a battery type with brushless motor. Sparking motor brushes and petrol vapour is a deadly combination. If you have another car you can connect a hose from the exhaust to your moggy filler neck and use it for degassing the tank of petrol vapour.
Thanks again Bill. I have today removed the tank after flushing with water, then drying it in the sun. I was surprised how stuck it was to what looks like a rubber/bitumen gasket between tank and boot floor.
The tank seems sound in terms of the steel, but quite a bit of general crud came out with the flushing. I will do the diesel wash tomorrow.
A supplier currently has new Taiwan tanks at a decent price, but without a drain plug. How often am I likely to drain the tank if it's new? So I'm tempted. Also, the new fuel pipe arrived today. Not looking forward to trying to fit that under the car. I have not found an illustration of where the clip points are as yet and I don't have a vehicle lift of course.
1967 1098 saloon (known by previous owner as 'Fitzroy')
The black stuff you found is mastic such as Dum Dum which the tank is bedded onto. The Heritage tank from ESM is the best one but it has no drain plug. I would caution over cheaper tanks as they may not fit and require the aperture to be altered. I would personally not find that acceptable. You would really only need to drain a tank if for example the car was misfuelled with diesel or if the fuel had gone off due to prolonged lack of use but you can drain using the fuel pump.
I would suggest going under the car and marking out the course of the fuel pipe perhaps with masking tape. You really ought to use a pipe bender as there is a risk of kinking the pipe if making smaller radius bends by hand. Once the pipe is kinked it's ruined. Where the fuel pipe goes through the crossmember it should have a protective sleeve to prevent damage from chafing. That sleeve can be made by cutting flexible fuel hose longitudinally and securing with cable ties.
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
At least on older models, the fuel line goes over the gearbox cross member, so it can be dropped without disturbing the fuel line. Only the wire loom goes through the cross member.
Embarrassing ...