Rusty Fuel Tank Tab Repair

RivGuy wrote:

Ken, when are you going to have one of those rings ready for me?? I would appreciate a reply. I do not want to have to junk this car, it is perfect except for the gas tank.
Bob, MOcarGuy@aol.com 815 280 5076

Bob,
I just called Ken, and he was still at work. He is still trying to find the time to tweak that ring to make it perfect so that no one has any problems with it. He has a few made but like a lot of people, he has to find the time. I made him aware of your dilemma. No one wants to see an otherwise good car junked. Hopefully ken can get it right and get them out. I told him about this thread. Hopefully he will be along with an update.

Bob,
I called Ken again. He should have E mailed you.

Bob,

Sent you two PM's this evening. Please shoot me a message back.

Thanks,

Ken

Hey Ken in Ct., I really need your repair device for my 96 Riv. Do you have any available right now? A buddy tried to patch mine a few weeks ago but still the smell of gas. Now my fuel pump has shit the bed and I want to do it right. Help me please.
John Beganny
345 Richmond Road
Litchfield, Maine 04350
207 268-4791

Ken, I really need one of your adapters for my 96 Riv. A buddy tried to seal up my tank a few weeks ago but still the smell of gas. Now my fuel pump has shit the bed and I want to do it right. Please respond as I need this car. Thanks so much. I left this same message on the
thread from which it started but thought you might not see it there.
John Beganny
345 Richmond Road
Litchfield, Maine 04350
207 268-4791 (leave a message please)
or jbeganny2@roadrunner.com

I could use one of these as well.... Right now my fuel pump is being held in place by the plastic U from the spare tire carrier and a cut in half pink sandal...

Whats the status on these? I really need one

Whats the status on these? I really need one

Guessing this is a bust now

saintsnsinners wrote:

Guessing this is a bust now

I was able to obtain one of the rings and it does the job 95%, The 1st installation when fine but when tank was full there was a small amount of leakage with a new gasket, but no sealer, the 2nd try I put some gasket sealer and there is a small amount of seepage.
I think if someone were to find the proper sealer applied to both sides of gasket that may make to rings leak proof. The sealer I used was suppose to be gas proof, most are not. I wish I had used a different sealer. You will have to convience Ken to make you one and you will have to experiment with it. It is a nice piece of work.

My tank is toast.. Right now the only thing holding the fuel pump in is a the U shaped plastic from the spare tire and a cut up sandal....

Your options are pretty much:
Make a new ring yourself
Get a used tank from junkyard or car-part.com
The OEM style lock rings are on rockauto. But if yours is rotted out you'll have to make something.

If you remove your gas tank a local radiator shop might be able to repair it for you.

Just some other ideas, since Ken hasn't come back to sell these yet.

I'M sorry Derek but that is bad advice, have you tried to get a tank out? Or have you tried to find a used tank? Both are not good options.

Parts yard cut holes in all the tanks oit.here

So what has happened to Ken? It has been a while now and have we heard from him at all? Earlier he said he had ordered or received 30 blanks that he was going to process. I hope he is OK and nothing has happened to him. I tried to contact him several times but never heard back so I went ahead and tried to fix the problem on my own. Tank still leaks when full and also takes on water during rainstorms. I still need one of Ken's rings . More importantly, I hope he is OK.

RivGuy wrote:

I'M sorry Derek but that is bad advice, have you tried to get a tank out? Or have you tried to find a used tank? Both are not good options.

I have, and I know it's not easy. You don't have a lot of options.

Called every parts yard here, they all drill holes. in the tank to drain them. Parts yards are out.

Actually, there is another option.  I have only heard of it once, but it worked.  One of my Buick V8 buddies had a 97 Riviera with that issue.  He fixed it with stainless self tapping screws and big washers.  He used sealant on the screws and screwed the fuel assembly down through the plastic tank.  Not sure how many screws he used, but he never had a problem with it after that, no leaks, no smell.  He sold the car to one member here.  At one point, I tried to get that member to remove the inspection panel and take a picture of that repair so others could see exactly what he had done, but he could not get the inspection cover off (said it was glued down).

Here is the thread where I tried to get a picture but was unsuccessful.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t4779p90-write-up-fuel-pump-tank-sending-unit-replacement?highlight=Fuel+tank+rust

Start with the 8th post down in the above thread. might be worth seeing if we can contact him again. Maybe he got the cover off at some point since then.

THIS WAS THE PERFECT FIX FOR MY 1995 RIVIERA WITH STOCK PUMP AND SENDING UNIT ASSY.


Vetteworks F-body LS1 fuel pump adapter kit
Model LS1003
Manufacturer Vetteworks

 


Description Mfg Info
Vetteworks F-body LS1 fuel pump adapter kit. The kit comes with a template, lower mounting bracket and an upper clamping bracket to mount the fuel pump into position. Pump gasket is available. The adapter plate at laser machined from stainless steel.   Contact Vetteworks for more information. 253-223-4968.

That's interesting.

http://www.vetteworksonline.net/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=89

Shit, Had I known there were options I would have tried one of them.

But, I ended up buying a new OEM tank from GM at a cost of about $500.00. I already had a new OEM Delco pump assembly that I bought some years ago on an Ebay auction for $75.00 shipped.

The rest was a shit load of labor to replace the tank assembly. The whole rear cradle came down to accomidate the replacement. By the time it was all done it cost about $1,000.00 to eliminate the CEL for a Evap Leak.

In this State I couldn't get an inspection sticker without eliminating the Evap System leak which was coming from the top of the fuel tank at the fuel pump flange. When the tank was removed it was obvious where the vapor leak was.

But, I already knew where the leak was from using a smoke machine on the fuel system and it came out at the flange of the fuel pump. After pulling the inspection plate it was quite obvious that everything was rotted to the point of no return, so I ordered a new tank from GM.

EDIT: The tank cost included new tank straps, a retaining ring, fuel pump seal and shipping came out to less than $500.00.
Add the cost of a new OEM fuel pump, that I had already bought real cheap (didn't need the new pump, but figured I'd use it since we were going to take the tank out) and then I paid a local mech/friend of mine $400.00 to do the job for me due to my back not being in great shape and I came out under $1000.00.
If you are going to do the mechanical work yourself it will obviously be a lot cheaper.

I never thought of asking the body shop I do business with what they can get a new tank for. I just ordered it from Monsterparts.com when they were still in business after I looked on-line for any other source and talking to my local parts stores. When the other sources came up dry I pulled the trigger and bought from Monster.

Hey guys,

I'm going to dig into my fuel tank tomorrow night and I know for a fact my tabs on my gas tank are toasted. The lock ring is almost dust too, and it's causing fuel leakage when the tank is full/nearly full. So I've decided to go with the method that Larry posted midway through this page and use bigger stainless steel screws and washers to hold down a new lock ring I bought.

I'm going to clean up the rusted fuel tank ring as best as possible, smooth it out, and paint it with POR-15. Hopefully that will dry by morning (the morning of the meet) and i can put in a new tank seal and screw down the new lock ring into the tank.

Anyone have any other suggestions? Thank you.

Z-type wrote:

I'm going to clean up the rusted fuel tank ring as best as possible... ...Anyone have any other suggestions? Thank you.

I know you want to dig into this tomorrow, but do yourself a favor and just order a new ring. They come not rusted and pre-painted and they're cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9SNLC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Oh, I meant the metal on the fuel tank where the tabs used to be. I have a new lock ring .

Oh well in that case my only suggestion is to get some airflow going in the trunk, work in the coolest place possible. It gets pretty hot while you're jammed in there hammering away at that dirty ring . That and the fuel vapors get to you pretty quickly. A mask might even be beneficial.