1047495
okay, I did this a month a go, and it kicks ass. I did it to my 97 TJ w/ 2.5L and "15gal" tank.
It takes about two hours, and it costs me five bucks or so to put real hose clamps on (optional, but a good
idea). I'll provide step by step here for those interested.
** Make sure your tank is below 1/8th. As you will be lowering it and reaching inside.**
HEADS UP - I'm writing this from memory, so read the whole thing first and understand it *before* you
start. I tried to explain everything for a novice, but if I wasn't clear, my e-mail address is at the bottom.
Don't let the length of the instructions fool you, I tend to be long winded. It should only take two hours
or so.
1.) Remove battery cable.
2.) Go to the forward, drivers side corner of the gas tank, disconnect the electrical line (first!).
There is a clip which must be pressed, then wiggle the connector till it comes loose.
3.) At same location, disconnect the fuel line (some leakage is okay, make sure you did #2).
There are two nylon clips which must be pressed, one on each side. I recommend rapping a rag around
the connection first to prevent getting sprayed in the face (experience is a great teacher).
4.) Same place, disconnect the other hose (I think it may be rollover, or vaccuum, or whatever, just disconnect
it).
5.) Go to the drivers side of the tank, undo the plastic flap behind the wheel, fold it back.
6.) Same location, disconnect the filler tube (larger of two) and the relief (right name?) tube.
Depending on how the clamps are positioned, it may be easier to undo the lower or upper on each tube.
Just undo one each and pull the hose off that neck. If a hose is attached to the tank (AND unattached
to the filler mouth) thats okay. You can remove all the clamps once the tank is removed.
7.) Place a hydraulic jack under the center of the tank. position it so it will take the wieght of the tank as you
remove the bolts. ie., *don't* lift the jeep by the tank, just make sure they are almost touching.
8.) On the foward side of the tank are three nuts holding it in place, undo them.
9.) On the rear of the tank are six bolts. *ONLY* undo FOUR of them! The two with the longer bolts sticking
down are for the tank strap tension adjustment, do not mess with them. They hold the skid plate (metal)
to the gas tank (plastic).
10.) Make sure everything is disconnected and lower the hydraulic jack. Pull the tank from under the jeep.
11.) As you look down on the gas tank, you will see a large, white (nylon) nut holding the fuel pump assembly
in place. It needs to be removed. I recommend a 1" square wooden rod and a rubber hammer. A
craftsman strap wrench may also work. I used a screwdriver and a hammer. There was some minor
damage to the teeth on the nylon nut because of that decision, don't make my mistake.
After the nut is removed, lift the assembly out of the tank. CAUTION - the bob for the gas guage
sticks off the side of the assembly and must be extracted carefully.
HEADS UP - The assembly holds ~1 quart of gas and the filter (on the very top) holds a little as well.
With the hose from the filter held high, tip the assembly on its side to pour the quart of gas back in to
the tank. ** The gas will come out of the metal tube *below* the top of the assembly. Hell, admit it,
your going to make a mess.
Carefully set the assembly aside somewhere it will not get damaged.
12.) As you look down at the tank, on the drivers side are two necks (for the filler and relief tubes). You
will now reach inside the gas tank (through the fuel pump hole) and feel the two tubes sticking down
in to the tank from the necks. One has a ball plug on the end (filler). Do NOT cut that one. It prevents
gas from sloshing back out of the tank.
Using a short, serrated knife (NO power tools, dremel, etc) cut the tube *inside* the tank that goes to
the relief neck. It is the most forward of the two. Cut it as close to the wall of the tank as possible
without damaging the tank. Remove the excess tube from the tank.
REASSEMBLY
13.) Make sure the rubber gasket (~6" diam) is in place for the fuel pump assembly. it may have fallen in to
the tank during disassembly.
Carefully reinsert the fuel pump assembly without damaging the bob arm. Seat the assembly so the
fuel filter (and hose extending off of it) are pointing to the forward, drivers side corner of the tank.
Using the 1" square wooden rod and a rubber hammer, tighten down the nylon nut (white, 6"diam).
NOTE: Make sure it does not cross thread, it likes to do that.
14.) Put the tank back in position under the jeep. Make sure the vaccuum line, gas line, and electrical
connection are hanging off the forward, drivers side corner of the tank.
15.) OPTIONAL - Now would be a good time to replace the hose clamps on the filler and relief tubes (2" diam
worked for me, four of them).
16.) Lift the tank a little so the lowered hydraulic jack can be centered under the tank.
Using the hydraulic jack, raise the tank a little, jiggle it (is that a good word?) so things line up, raise
some more, jiggle some more. Make sure all of the bolts mate through the holes of the skid plate.
17.) Replace the three forward nuts first, they are the most difficult to seat. Do NOT tighten yet, as the four
rear bolts probably aren't lined up yet.
Go line up the four rear bolts and thread the four rear nuts.
Double check that the filler and relief tubes are positioned to seat on their necks and that the electrical
line, gas line, and vaccuum line are accessible for reconnection.
Tighten all bolts in a circular pattern (like lug nuts on a wheel) so the gas tank seats properly.
18.) Seat the filler and relief tubes on their necks and tighten the hose clamps.
NOTE On mine, the lower filler tube clamp was attached to the tube and caused a leak. Since the neck
is really long ( 1 - 2 inches) I trimmed some of the filler tube off just behind the clamp. There was plenty
of excess for the new clamp to hold on to. It fixed the leak.
19.) Reconnect the vaccuum line, gas line and electrical connection.
20.) Double check all connections and bolts.
21.) Replace the flap behind the rear wheel.
22.) Reconnected the battery cable.
23.) *WITHOUT* starting the engine, turning the ignition on. Let it sit for a minute or two. This will let the
fuel pump repressurize the line.
24.) Go fill up. <grin> Write a thank you to Chrysler for giving you the ability to save $550 dollars. That's
$300 dollars for the fuel tank, and $250 for the fuel pump.
NOTE: Your gas guage will read close to full for the first ~125 miles (2.5L engines). Empty will still be the
same. You should now have a 19 - 20 gallon capacity depending on how close you were able to cut the tube.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Well, folks, that's it. Like I said, I'm long winded and like to err to the side of caution. So it's easier than it
looks. Hope this makes your Christmas a little more merry. Don't forget to ask Santa for a strap wrench,
rubber hammer, and a 1" square wooden rod <grin>.
If you have any questions, e-mail me at jcooper(at)nevernight-dot-net
jcooper.[addsig]
okay, I did this a month a go, and it kicks ass. I did it to my 97 TJ w/ 2.5L and "15gal" tank.
It takes about two hours, and it costs me five bucks or so to put real hose clamps on (optional, but a good
idea). I'll provide step by step here for those interested.
** Make sure your tank is below 1/8th. As you will be lowering it and reaching inside.**
HEADS UP - I'm writing this from memory, so read the whole thing first and understand it *before* you
start. I tried to explain everything for a novice, but if I wasn't clear, my e-mail address is at the bottom.
Don't let the length of the instructions fool you, I tend to be long winded. It should only take two hours
or so.
1.) Remove battery cable.
2.) Go to the forward, drivers side corner of the gas tank, disconnect the electrical line (first!).
There is a clip which must be pressed, then wiggle the connector till it comes loose.
3.) At same location, disconnect the fuel line (some leakage is okay, make sure you did #2).
There are two nylon clips which must be pressed, one on each side. I recommend rapping a rag around
the connection first to prevent getting sprayed in the face (experience is a great teacher).
4.) Same place, disconnect the other hose (I think it may be rollover, or vaccuum, or whatever, just disconnect
it).
5.) Go to the drivers side of the tank, undo the plastic flap behind the wheel, fold it back.
6.) Same location, disconnect the filler tube (larger of two) and the relief (right name?) tube.
Depending on how the clamps are positioned, it may be easier to undo the lower or upper on each tube.
Just undo one each and pull the hose off that neck. If a hose is attached to the tank (AND unattached
to the filler mouth) thats okay. You can remove all the clamps once the tank is removed.
7.) Place a hydraulic jack under the center of the tank. position it so it will take the wieght of the tank as you
remove the bolts. ie., *don't* lift the jeep by the tank, just make sure they are almost touching.
8.) On the foward side of the tank are three nuts holding it in place, undo them.
9.) On the rear of the tank are six bolts. *ONLY* undo FOUR of them! The two with the longer bolts sticking
down are for the tank strap tension adjustment, do not mess with them. They hold the skid plate (metal)
to the gas tank (plastic).
10.) Make sure everything is disconnected and lower the hydraulic jack. Pull the tank from under the jeep.
11.) As you look down on the gas tank, you will see a large, white (nylon) nut holding the fuel pump assembly
in place. It needs to be removed. I recommend a 1" square wooden rod and a rubber hammer. A
craftsman strap wrench may also work. I used a screwdriver and a hammer. There was some minor
damage to the teeth on the nylon nut because of that decision, don't make my mistake.
After the nut is removed, lift the assembly out of the tank. CAUTION - the bob for the gas guage
sticks off the side of the assembly and must be extracted carefully.
HEADS UP - The assembly holds ~1 quart of gas and the filter (on the very top) holds a little as well.
With the hose from the filter held high, tip the assembly on its side to pour the quart of gas back in to
the tank. ** The gas will come out of the metal tube *below* the top of the assembly. Hell, admit it,
your going to make a mess.
Carefully set the assembly aside somewhere it will not get damaged.
12.) As you look down at the tank, on the drivers side are two necks (for the filler and relief tubes). You
will now reach inside the gas tank (through the fuel pump hole) and feel the two tubes sticking down
in to the tank from the necks. One has a ball plug on the end (filler). Do NOT cut that one. It prevents
gas from sloshing back out of the tank.
Using a short, serrated knife (NO power tools, dremel, etc) cut the tube *inside* the tank that goes to
the relief neck. It is the most forward of the two. Cut it as close to the wall of the tank as possible
without damaging the tank. Remove the excess tube from the tank.
REASSEMBLY
13.) Make sure the rubber gasket (~6" diam) is in place for the fuel pump assembly. it may have fallen in to
the tank during disassembly.
Carefully reinsert the fuel pump assembly without damaging the bob arm. Seat the assembly so the
fuel filter (and hose extending off of it) are pointing to the forward, drivers side corner of the tank.
Using the 1" square wooden rod and a rubber hammer, tighten down the nylon nut (white, 6"diam).
NOTE: Make sure it does not cross thread, it likes to do that.
14.) Put the tank back in position under the jeep. Make sure the vaccuum line, gas line, and electrical
connection are hanging off the forward, drivers side corner of the tank.
15.) OPTIONAL - Now would be a good time to replace the hose clamps on the filler and relief tubes (2" diam
worked for me, four of them).
16.) Lift the tank a little so the lowered hydraulic jack can be centered under the tank.
Using the hydraulic jack, raise the tank a little, jiggle it (is that a good word?) so things line up, raise
some more, jiggle some more. Make sure all of the bolts mate through the holes of the skid plate.
17.) Replace the three forward nuts first, they are the most difficult to seat. Do NOT tighten yet, as the four
rear bolts probably aren't lined up yet.
Go line up the four rear bolts and thread the four rear nuts.
Double check that the filler and relief tubes are positioned to seat on their necks and that the electrical
line, gas line, and vaccuum line are accessible for reconnection.
Tighten all bolts in a circular pattern (like lug nuts on a wheel) so the gas tank seats properly.
18.) Seat the filler and relief tubes on their necks and tighten the hose clamps.
NOTE On mine, the lower filler tube clamp was attached to the tube and caused a leak. Since the neck
is really long ( 1 - 2 inches) I trimmed some of the filler tube off just behind the clamp. There was plenty
of excess for the new clamp to hold on to. It fixed the leak.
19.) Reconnect the vaccuum line, gas line and electrical connection.
20.) Double check all connections and bolts.
21.) Replace the flap behind the rear wheel.
22.) Reconnected the battery cable.
23.) *WITHOUT* starting the engine, turning the ignition on. Let it sit for a minute or two. This will let the
fuel pump repressurize the line.
24.) Go fill up. <grin> Write a thank you to Chrysler for giving you the ability to save $550 dollars. That's
$300 dollars for the fuel tank, and $250 for the fuel pump.
NOTE: Your gas guage will read close to full for the first ~125 miles (2.5L engines). Empty will still be the
same. You should now have a 19 - 20 gallon capacity depending on how close you were able to cut the tube.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Well, folks, that's it. Like I said, I'm long winded and like to err to the side of caution. So it's easier than it
looks. Hope this makes your Christmas a little more merry. Don't forget to ask Santa for a strap wrench,
rubber hammer, and a 1" square wooden rod <grin>.
If you have any questions, e-mail me at jcooper(at)nevernight-dot-net
jcooper.[addsig]
