Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
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Fuel tank installation continued:
With the sending unit correctly orientated on the tank, carefully mark the cover plate hole locations.
Using the exact same techniques that I used with the practice cutout, drill perpendicular holes into the tank platform.
Then tap them.
Test fit the new holes with screws.
After the drilling and tapping of the aluminum there is this small debris leftover on the underside of the surface. It can be seen in this picture of the underside of the practice cutout. I guess you'd call those leftover bits "hanging swarf". Good name for a comic book villain.
Need to remove all the hanging swarf before continuing so none will get into the fuel later. Use sandpaper on the underside of the platform till all the swarf is knocked free.
Take the tank to the utility sink and keep rinsing out until there is no more debris inside the tank.
Install the sending unit along with it's rubber gasket and screw it all into place.
Seeing how this is the first one of these I've ever done I thought a test was in order. Stood the tank on the end and then poured in enough water to totally immerse the sending unit. Checked for leaks. Found one.
It's a weeper right at one screw head. While the tank is in use the cover plate won't be immersed so this small leak might not be a problem but I didn't want to take a chance. Removed the leaking screw from the hole and waited till everything dried out. Then coated the hole and the screw in gasket sealant.
Wait until the sealant is tacky then put the screw back into place.
continued -
With the sending unit correctly orientated on the tank, carefully mark the cover plate hole locations.
Using the exact same techniques that I used with the practice cutout, drill perpendicular holes into the tank platform.
Then tap them.
Test fit the new holes with screws.
After the drilling and tapping of the aluminum there is this small debris leftover on the underside of the surface. It can be seen in this picture of the underside of the practice cutout. I guess you'd call those leftover bits "hanging swarf". Good name for a comic book villain.
Need to remove all the hanging swarf before continuing so none will get into the fuel later. Use sandpaper on the underside of the platform till all the swarf is knocked free.
Take the tank to the utility sink and keep rinsing out until there is no more debris inside the tank.
Install the sending unit along with it's rubber gasket and screw it all into place.
Seeing how this is the first one of these I've ever done I thought a test was in order. Stood the tank on the end and then poured in enough water to totally immerse the sending unit. Checked for leaks. Found one.
It's a weeper right at one screw head. While the tank is in use the cover plate won't be immersed so this small leak might not be a problem but I didn't want to take a chance. Removed the leaking screw from the hole and waited till everything dried out. Then coated the hole and the screw in gasket sealant.
Wait until the sealant is tacky then put the screw back into place.
continued -
