Fuel Tank: Description and Operation

The fuel tank is located at the front of the vehicle in front of the heating unit. Its contents are 91.5 or 71 liters (24.2 OR 18.8 gallons), and it weighs 6.5 kg (14.3 lbs). The tank is of blown polyethylene (synthetic) and its internal and external surfaces are fluorinated, i.e. during manufacture the tank is flushed in a fluorine gas mixture in a process chamber. The gas reacts with the plastic surface and gives an extremely thin, teflon-type surface coating that is impervious to fuel vapor, thus eliminating any possibility of unpleasant odors.

The fuel tank is shaped in such a way that it can be removed without removing the transverse wall.

The fuel tank is held in place by a single restraining strap.

The expansion tank is mounted directly onto the fuel tank with three screws and has two connection pipes. The tank fuel level sender is located on the right hand side of the tank, and the connection to the filler neck is on the left of the tank.

The filler neck has a dished end filled with a seal and is screwed into the left hand fender. A blow-molded plastic filler neck is located in an elastic rubber gaiter. The upper part of the neck is made of metal and its shape varies depending on whether it is used for leaded or unleaded fuel. The filler neck is connected to a viton hose which is impervious to fuel vapor.

The noise reduced fuel pump is filled under the tank below the vehicle floor and is accessible across a separate cover plate.

The fuel circuit remains virtually unchanged; it runs from the fuel strainer screwed into the fuel tank to the pump, on to the fuel filter, and then across a Z-shaped plastic tube (that must not be kinked) routed below the intake housing to the pressure regulator. The return line ends next to the pump, feeding the fuel back into the fuel tank.

All connections of the pump and tank are accessible via the separate cover plate. The fuel lines are made of steel tube with press-filled rubber hoses. The connecting joints are downstream of the fuel pump and in the engine compartment. The fuel lines are routed in the ribbings along the floor pan and the tunnel of the vehicle, and are held in place with rubber mounts and synthetic clips. The vent lines are made of polyamide.