Fuel tank removal

[josephmoore]

Fun and games... live axle Stylus, MG Midget tank... can I get it out? Nope! Looks like the original tank filler has had an angle piece welded on which is stopping the tank coming out without me cutting away yet more of the boot floor.

Any suggestions how to cut through that filler without setting fire to anything or it taking years with a hacksaw? Was thinking of flushing through the tank with water several times and then using an oscillating saw on it rather than an angle grinder as it's non-sparking. A recipe for disaster?

I don't really want to have to chop the boot floor...

[parleys]

The easiest way would be to fill the tank with water and into the filler neck.
Then use your oscillating saw to cut through pipe. You will get a bit of water in the boot but no sparks.
Drain tank and remove.

[josephmoore]

Good plan, but I couldn't organise any power in the end.

Decided to trim a bit more out of the boot floor which did the trick. I may go the whole hog and cut the bottom of the trough out (minus a lip) to make refitting the tank a doddle - I can then screw a new bit of GRP over the hole and job's a good'un.

[josephmoore]

Midget tank is rusty in places, fine in others. The plan is to tack a couple of baffles in to help stop fuel sloshing out of the filler hose, repair the pinhole leaks in the bottom, give it a coat of POR-15 tank sealer and screw a new lid onto it ready for the start of the season. That gives me some time to think about what I want from a fuel tank long term.

First job, grind off the rest of the lid!

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=56D8A1DF