Morris Minor Owners Club

can anyone tell me how hard it is to fit a new fuel tank,should i fit new filler neck and clips as well.or should i leave it to a spechilist.i am a bit worried as i know someone who got killed messing around with a petrol tank sender unit.my dad was a fireman for 40 years and is not keen on me messing ariund with petrol tanks.thanks dale.

Sometimes easy and sometimes hard

You can drain the tank pretty easily - and if you're throwing it away then put water in it after draining to alleviate any worries.
That + disconnecting the battery should be enough precautions for anyone -> probably safer than filling up with fuel at the petrol station.

What makes it hard or easy is whether you can remove the screws from the saloon boot floor (I'm guessing you have a saloon) and whether you can remove the screws from the tank to body joint.

If you're changing the tank it's a good opportunity to replace the rubber tube connecting it to the filler. However if the tube is in good nick, then it's not essential to replace it.

Also make sure you are in a VERY well entilated area when messing with fuel / fuel tanks. Petrol fumes can be more dangerous than the petrol itself.

rayofleamington wrote:Sometimes easy and sometimes hard

I think that just about sums up every job on a Minor

Aye - best do it outdoors, and NO smoking. I just renewed the tank on my TR7 - a v much bigger job than changing a Minor tank! At least you don't have to take the rear axle off.

If there's petrol still in it and you opt to drain it via the plug on the bottom, make sure you have enough containers lined up ready to catch it all before you undo it - you don't want to be trying to screw the plug back in while a bowl overflows onto the ground.

Pump it out with the fuel pump if there is any left in the tank !

thanks for the advice i think i will get it done professionally i dont fancy tackling the job my self.

Really - it's not at all difficult - once the old petrol is out just swill some hot water through the tank and leave it overnight. My TR7 tank was changed in a long day, but then I had to virtually remove the whole back axle to get at it!

Come on guys, lighten up.
Its easy and only needs a screwdriver. I did it in about an hour. I left a little bit of fuel in and drained it out after.

On the H & S side I don't smoke and I didn't use any pwer tools.

i just siphoned my fuel out using a length of siphon tubing gaffered to a slim length of wood (could have used dowel or similar) to keep it straight as it went down into the tank

ps dale I fully understand your caution, given the accident which happened to your friend. However perhaps there was something s/he was doing which was unsafe, and which you could learn from?

As you have probably gathered from the responses to your post, many many people have done this with absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Just be sensible - no smoking, no power tools, no battery or other source of elecricity nearby, no flints and steels around (eg if you have flinty gravel underfoot then don't drop any pieces of iron or steel), and do it all in the very open air. Take everything slow and steady, and think through the potential risks of each movement. If you like you can use a piece of old blanket or carpet under the tank once it's out. And it's easy peasy in terms of actual tools and skills required. Honest.

Have a fire extinguisher nearby, and if you (and your dad) want you to be extra safe then get someone to keep an eye on you while you do the job.

And it's easy peasy in terms of actual tools and skills required. Honest.

it's only easy if the screws come out - but they normally do. I've done a few Minor tanks and only one had stuck screws - I just drilled them out and ignored them afterwards as the rest were ok.

My 1954 was the easiest of all of them - I think the 50's minors were much better than the later ones - I even got most of the wing bolts out too! My first Minor (1965) was dreadfull in terms of trying to get anything unscrewed, although it had been subjected to a very hard life!

thanks wibble i have a mate at work who is going to help me are you going to uffington

And disconnect the battery before you start!

dalebrignall wrote:thanks wibble i have a mate at work who is going to help me

Nice one

are you going to uffington

Indeedy Uffington is going to have my "Kelmarsh Cap" inflicted on it - viewing 50p a go - Sunday only

see you there wibble!

aiiiii safe journey, dude

Come on guys, lighten up.
Its easy and only needs a screwdriver. I did it in about an hour. I left a little bit of fuel in and drained it out after.

I had a 57 morris i bought for parts a year ago and it was'nt any easy task at all to take the tank out. The previous owner sparyed a ton of that protection goopy stuff on it so after i took the screws out (trust me i got all of them out) i had to jack the car up by the tank to pop it loose. The tank in my '52, though, came out with ease.