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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

Fuel Leak - now everything tastes like Diesel !!
Everything tastes like Diesel Crying or Very sad

Brimmed the tank yesterday, went to work & home again - No Probs.
Got a shout in work today that diesel was dripping out of car.
Took it home to drain the tank and managed to syphon off 25litres - forget what a lovely job that was!!

Can't tell yet where the leaks coming from yet - do the tanks have 'form' for spontaneously leaking- I think i must have lost about 12litres.

New tank needed Question


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Post #221050 22nd Mar 2013 2:05am
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WarPig



Member Since: 05 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
On my 110 300tdi my tank is in two halves (top & bottom) that are pressed together. When I had a new chassis fitted I had a new tank fitted as I was advised that disturbing the original may cause a leak between the two halves. Could this be where yours is leaking from or is it a different tank on a 90?
Post #221084 22nd Mar 2013 11:10am
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Diablo



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 335

1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Keswick Green
A 90 is a similar affair (on the under seat tanks anyway).

That would be my first suspect, followed but a quick check of all the 'sealing' points (by that I mean where the filler and breather attach)

Could also be the base - the guard has a habit of trapping mud and cack between it and the bottom of the tank, and thus promoting rust
Post #221097 22nd Mar 2013 12:26pm
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

WarPig wrote:
my tank is in two halves (top & bottom) that are pressed together. ........ Could this be where yours is leaking from ?


I think you might be right, although its hard to say with the tank still in the vehicle.
I have read that removing the tank is a PITA and replacements are about £100.

I'm convinced that if I did it i'd be battleing with air locks in the fuel system Crying or Very sad - not sure about how easy it would be to purge the air out.

Timing is perfect of course, just when I was going to sell the disco Rolling Eyes
Post #221099 22nd Mar 2013 12:36pm
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

Diablo wrote:
...Could also be the base - the guard has a habit of trapping mud and cack between it and the bottom of the tank...


Oh yeah......tonnes of it, making an 'insitu' diagnosis just that bit more dificult.

Really loking forward to lying underneath it later in the snow Confused
Post #221101 22nd Mar 2013 12:44pm
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Diablo



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 335

1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Keswick Green
To remove it, there are the filler and breather hose at the back to disconnect, the 2 fuel lines on the top (remove drivers seat inspection panel) and the 3 wires.

Then there are 2 bolts (or nuts and bolts) at the rear of the tank, and there's a bracket holding the front up, which can be removed from the chassis by undoing 3 bolts if needed.

Then it's a case of wiggling it about and cursing.

Might be easier if you take the floor panel out too.
Post #221123 22nd Mar 2013 1:23pm
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

cheers diablo, Thumbs Up

I have removed the fuel lines, sender cables (only 2!!??) and had to dremmel the jubilee clips on the filler and breather pipes where they connect to the external fuel filler.

All the bolts securing the tank are, surprise surprise, rusted like mad Evil or Very Mad

They all seem to be in little recesses so the dremmel can't get into them and the grinder would be too big. Big Cry

I can only see one bolt at the front holding the bracket to the chassis - do you have to remove the floor plate to access the others. Question
Post #222199 26th Mar 2013 12:02am
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Diablo



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 335

1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Keswick Green
There's one bolt holding the front of the tank to the bracket, three holding said bracket to chassis. No sure if it's necessary to remove the bracket, but might be easier to get the tank out

http://www.yrmlandrover.com/epages/BT3575....s/006-0001

That's the bracket I'm on about. Don't think the floor is necessary, but will give you better access

As for the 2 sender cables - you presumably don't have a low fuel light then?
Post #222266 26th Mar 2013 11:21am
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

Thats right - no fuel light!

Have ordered a new tank / sender / gaskets (£105ish delivered).

Will have a proper go at removing the tank over the weekend - if the feckin' bolts will shift Exclamation Exclamation
Post #222293 26th Mar 2013 2:46pm
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Diablo



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 335

1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Keswick Green
Give it a spray with penetrating fluid (such as plusgas), now. give it a few doses (one a day) and it might be easier come the weekend
Post #222323 26th Mar 2013 3:58pm
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

on the third dose already!! Thumbs Up
Post #222504 27th Mar 2013 12:39am
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mikeh501



Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

United Kingdom 
my 200tdi 90 tank leaks also. pretty sure its not the tank though. Have you checked the filler and breather hoses?

Looks to me that the the two halves of the tank is actually quite low down. mine leaks to about 3/4 full so i cant imagine it would be the seal otherwise it would be more empty!

when i had the floor and seats out, the tank actually looked in good nick just with gunge all over it.
Post #222534 27th Mar 2013 10:12am
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LCJ



Member Since: 07 Sep 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 201

The bolts are awkwardly placed, but I managed to get to all of mine without taking the floor pan out.

The tank is also a little so and so to get in and out - the seam of the tank sits above the chassis rail and takes a fair bit of force to push past the edge of the chassis. Ended up getting mine so far before it needed a healthy dose of size 10! Pops in easily enough with requisite welly though!
Post #222619 27th Mar 2013 5:36pm
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

new tank arrived today.

another dose of penetrating oil on the bolts tonight and i'll crack on tomorrow morning.

wish me luck boys - i'm going in Wink
Post #223095 29th Mar 2013 2:32am
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frenchy



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 133

All you have to do is undo 6 bolts.......how hard could that be????

Well I started at 12 and gave up at around 7 tonight.

So far.......
Jack the car up at the front and removed the last of the diesel in the tank via the drain plug.
Put the surplus diesel into the disco
Jacked up the rear and took off the rear wheel to improve access.
Boiling water onto the rubber filler & breather hoses to soften them up and removed from the filler tube. Thumbs Up

Angle grinder on the two rear tank retaining bolts as these had seized / rusted solid.
Tried to drill out the front retaining bolt until the drill bit snapped off half way through. Mad
Angle grinder on the top of the bolt therefore to remove.

Tank now free to move but is wedged in place by its natural shape as it fits into the chassis / bodywork.
Try as I might I CANNOT remove the front mounting bracket - all three bolts are seized tight and the shape of the bracket and surrounding bodywork / chassis / suspension components means the angle grinder, dremmel or even a normal hacksaw can't get at any of the bolts. Evil or Very Mad

So its beat me today.
Will have another go tomorrow but can't think of any clever ways of progressing apart from hours with a junior hacksaw Big Cry
Post #223328 29th Mar 2013 10:42pm
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