Fuel Tank, Removing and Installing

WARNING: FIRE HAZARD! Disconnect battery ground strap when working on the fuel system. Do not smoke or create any sparks where odor of fuel vapor is present.

NOTE: Be prepared! Removing the fuel tank requires removal of the rear differential. It is recommended that an assistant help stabilize the differential when lowering from the car.

Fuel Tank Assembly:

1. Drain fuel tank.

Fuel Tank Cover Plate:

a. Remove fuel tank cover plate from underside of car.

Accumulator Supply Line Connection:

b. Slowly disconnect fuel supply line at the fuel accumulator (to relieve system pressure), and connect an additional piece of fuel hose long enough to reach a container in which to store the drained fuel.
c. Place open end of extension hose into a suitable clean storage container. Be sure container is large enough to hold all the fuel in the tank.

Fuel Pump Relay Socket Terminal ID:

d. Remove fuel pump relay from fuse/relay panel and connect jumper wire between receptacle terminals #48 and #52 to energize fuel pump.
e. Run pump until tank is empty, then disconnect jumper wire.

NOTE: If fuel pump will not operate, use a siphon pump and hose to drain the tank.

2. Disconnect battery ground cable.

Sending Unit Access Cover And Connector:

Fuel And Vapor Hoses:

3. Remove floor cover from trunk, remove fuel tank sending unit access cover and disconnect electrical connector, fuel and vapor hoses.

Filler Tube, Vent And Overflow Tube:

4. Remove vent and overflow hoses from fuel filler neck.

Splash Shield Fastening Screw:

5. Remove screw from filler neck splash shield.

Filler Tube To Tank Hose Clamp:

6. Loosen hose clamp on filler tube at tank and remove filler tube.

Exhaust Pipe Flange:

7. Remove exhaust system from the header pipe flange back.

Heat Shield:

8. Remove heat shield.

Parking Brake Cable Adjusting Nut:

Disconnecting Parking Brake Cable:

9. Loosen parking brake cable adjusting nut and disconnect cable from parking brake lever.

Parking Brake Cable Guides:

10. Pull parking brake cable through cable guides as far as possible.

Drive Shaft Rear Flange And Bolts:

11. Disconnect drive shaft rear flange from differential and tie shaft up out of the way.

Cover Plate:

12. Remove cover for left rear drive axle (A), Loosen locknut (B), and remove adjuster fixture plate from differential housing.

Drive Axle Flange And Bolts:

13. Disconnect drive axles and tie up out of the way.

Brake Lines And Retaining Clips:

14. Disconnect and plug brake lines as necessary to remove rear cross-member.

Removing Rear Crossmember:

15. Disconnect rear suspension control arms and transverse link (rear toe adjuster arm) from cross-member.
16. Support differential with a suitable jack and unbolt rear crossmember from body.

Detaching Mounting Bracket From Front Crossmember:

Supporting Differential:

17. Disconnect front differential mounting bracket from front cross-member, disconnect differential lock electrical connector and carefully lower differential out of car. This is when an assistant would help a lot (also during installation).

Removing Fuel Tank:

18. Remove fuel tank retaining nuts and lower tank out of car.

Install in reverse order. If new tank is installed, secure sound insulator strips in same locations as on the old tank. When fuel tank installation is complete, remember to bleed the air from the brake system and re-adjust the parking brake.

Replace all self locking nuts or secure with thread locking compound. Tighten bolts and nuts to the following torque specification.

DRIVE SHAFT TO DIFFERENTIAL 40 ft.lbs (55 Nm)
DRIVE AXLES TO DIFFERENTIAL
M8 BOLTS 33 ft.lbs (45 Nm)
M10 BOLTS 59 ft.lbs (80 Nm)
REAR CROSS-MEMBER TO BODY 37 ft.lbs (50 Nm)
CONTROL ARM BUSHING TO CROSSMEMBER 63 ft.lbs (85 Nm)
SUPPORT BRACKET TO FRONT CROSS-MEMBER 33 ft.lbs (45 Nm)