78' FJ40 CCOT Gas Tank install Issues

[ScottS]

Hi all,

I have been trying to find some troubleshooting tips for getting the gas tank bank into my 78' FJ40. For most, it seems like a painless install that has been done many times and shouldn't be a cause for issue. Obviously, that hasn't been the case for me.

I ordered a replacement tank from CCOT, their version instead of OEM, and I have it installed. However, I am unable to get the tank properly aligned and it won't quite settle where I need it. When I put the cover on over the tank, the rear mounting points are about an inch above the bolt holes and not amount of shimmying and cursing seems to want to get the thing to settle.

So, points of issue that I suspect:
- Could I have installed the rubber fuel fill neck incorrectly? Resulting in the filler neck holding the tank up too high?
- the rear heater hoses run side by side under the edge of the tank along the transmission hump. Could I have routed these wrong?
- I put the OEM rubber strips down on the sides of the depression that the tank sits in, I didn't think this required a lot of precision, but maybe I put them somewhere that is causing the tank to bind?

Any guidance, suggestions, or help is appreciated. Thanks for the help. I just bought this 40 off my girls Dad and he was about to dump it. It had been rusting away on the side of his house and I couldn't bear to see such a big part of their family history sold off. Once I have the facilities, she is gonna need a tub replacement, but for now I just want to get her back on the road and play around with her.

Thanks again.

Scott

 

[ScottS]

 

[UZJ40]

Do you still have the old tank to compare and take measurements?

 

[ScottS]

Yeah, That is what I am going to do next. But they look virtually identical, so I would be surprised if CCOT made a replica tank and messed up the dimensions. At least, I would be surprised if that happened and I didn't find evidence of it with all of the searching I have done on this topic.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

^X2^ compare new to old- CAREFULLY.

I've had NO dealings with CCOT - but, I'm 95% sure that I've seen others' complain that some of the CCOT 'replica' parts don't fit.

 

[Healey]

'78 here also, and I encountered similar problems with my new CCOT tank this past summer. The tank cover doesn't really fit down on the bolt holes at the back - close, but not quite. I had to adjust a couple of times to get the tank to to sit down close to where it needs to be. No rubber in the bottom of the tub depression, or they make the tank sit too high.
I finally got it to sit pretty good, but it was a real pain. The rubber fill neck - what a pain also. It's all in there now, but it took some work and 'persuasion' to get it to fit. Nice tank though.

 

[ScottS]

OK, well it is nice to hear that someone else had similar struggles. I won't have a chance to get back and work on in until Thursday, but I will let you know if I run into any more kinks. Just trying to minimize hammering things into place.

 

[ducktapeguy]

I believe I have the same tank, but installed on a 1975, so don't know if this will help. I remember it was a close fit, but my tank sits all the way down into the floor and the cover fits fine even with some thin 1/8" weatherstripping underneath. You can check through the floor drain to see if the tank is seated all the way, if it is then it's possible that the top cover might be hanging up on something. I think there's a piece of rubber edging on the seam of the tank, I do remember it's was a pretty tight with the cover and I thought I'd have to remove it, but it ended up working fine.

The fill neck was a pain though.

 

[sggoat]

OK, well it is nice to hear that someone else had similar struggles. I won't have a chance to get back and work on in until Thursday, but I will let you know if I run into any more kinks. Just trying to minimize hammering things into place.

I put one of CCOT's tanks in my 77 about 3 yrs ago. I don't remember any major issues getting it to fit(I didn't like the thin-looking coating on the outside of the tank, so I prepped and painted w/POR15, then used their tie-coat primer and several coats of Rustoleum black. I put down several strips of the rubberized drawer liner mesh to cushion the bottom(tried to minimize the contact surface so water wouldn't stay) The top cover was a little dicey to get it aligned, but not a big prob.-(I think most of it was the thicker weatherstrip foam I used) No issues I remember with the fuel neck. I did have the tank cleaned and flushed before I installed it-(just to be sure)All in all, it was a fairly straight-forward install.
I do have a small amount of black flakes in the glass fuel filter-but nothing to warrant replacing the filter as yet.

 

[ScottS]

Thanks for the feedback, very useful and helps me regain confidence in the face of fuel tank adversity.

I have been using the drain plug to visualize if the tank is settling properly and I am not happy with where it sits currently. It is obvious that I need to adjust something, I am starting to think it is the placement of my OEM rubber strips, in order to get the tank to properly settle. The drain plug is visible through the port, but is too far forward and towards the drivers side. I need to get the tank to settle in towards the fuel fill neck (rear passenger side). I am hoping that some playing with the rubber strips gives me the extra wiggle room I need.

I didn't flush the tank before installing it, now I am thinking that I will. While I am at it, I will give it another coat of primer and some undercoating rubberized spray to protect it and dampen any vibration. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[Healey]

I just remembered - the tank came with an trim piece molding on the outboard side edge. Probably for older model cruisers that didn't have tank covers(?) No way would the tank cover even start to fit with that trim piece on the tank. So, I removed it and proceeded.

 

[ScottS]

I just remembered - the tank came with an trim piece molding on the outboard side edge. Probably for older model cruisers that didn't have tank covers(?) No way would the tank cover even start to fit with that trim piece on the tank. So, I removed it and proceeded.

Thanks Healey! I took that trim piece off on this attempt and I used a hammer (would have preferred a rubber mallet... but tools at hand were all that were available) to bend in the edge with a trim piece a little bit. I also had to fix a decent sized burr/overlap on the rear drivers side top of the new tank that was catching on the tank cover. Lastly, I removed most of my rubber oem tank pads (hopefully the rubberized undercoating I used provides a good enough cushion). Once it was all said and done, I got my tank to fit in pretty well. It still doesn't line up very well with the drain plug/drain port, which is frustrating. But, my tank cover and seat rails all installed without much of a hassle so I am happy enough with the outcome.

At the end of the day, my cruiser is so dang rusty, that I am just happy when I pull a bolt and it doesn't shear off. Or I grind off some rust and there isn't a hole hiding there. Someday a rebuild, but for now, at least I have a rust free tank. Thanks for everyone's help and input.

If you see me rolling around Salt Lake in a rusted out rattle can matte tan 40, say hi.