Hi All,
I've bee searching for a primer or "how-to" website on fuel tank replacement. Im also looking for parts numbers for the seals / gaskets that go where the filler pipe connects to the tank.
TIA,
John

fuel tank replacement on a 240 is quite simple.
IF the sending unit is good it is best to cut the hoses without trying to remove rusty clamps and possibly breaking the metal pipes out of the sender.
just cut in front of the metal pipes. there is enough slack in the both hoses to pull them back on and reclamp.

remove the rusty clamps with the tank off the car.

try to the this on a near empty tank for weight reasons

place rear end on jack stands

1. unclip the sender connector
2. cut the hoses as described.
3. remove passenger rear wheel.
4. the only hard part of this job is loosening the clamp bolt which holds the filler neck to the tank. this is why it is easier to see this if the wheel is off.
once you get this loosened
5. remove the 5 or 6 bolts holding the tank in
6. place a jack under the tank so it does not fall straight to the ground out of the frame until you have jiggled the filler tube out of the tank

you will find the only hard part is accessing the clamp of filler tube to tank.

to remove the sender with tank off the car is easy
use a large flat blade screw driver or pry bar and bend the locking ring inward until you break the holding integrity of this circular piece. from there just use pliers and pull it off.

"place rear end on jack stands"

As in under the axle ?

OR

At the rear jacking points so as to lower the axle ? <<< I'm wondering if this is required in order to have the space necessary to lower the tank.

Thanks trichard,
John

i usually place the jack stands under the jack points so as to allow the rear axle to float downward allowing your line of sight and hands more room to get the filler neck clamp loose.

that will be your only real problem

followed your suggestions, worked great :-)

that clamp bolt is definitely the hardest part of the job.

old tank & sludge (formerly known as gasoline) taken to Haz waste center
new tank prepped and undercoated, fuel sender & in-tank-pump in place, ready to install tank back in car.

Can't find an O-ring for the filler neck-to-tank seal. May resort to re-using the old one smeared with Hylomar. (I use it on my MG carb o-rings)

While up on the jack-stands I plan to flush fuel lines, from the fuel rail back towards the rear. Then I'll install new main pump & filter. Once I get a clean fuel delivery system in place, I'll start in on the injectors.

Thanks !

John
Raleigh, NC

Hylomar, Yamabond, all of those completely impermeable liquid gaskets do about the same thing.

If you do not have emission testing where you are, I would not even worry about it...just use the old o-ring.

I've changed the tanks in a couple of 240/260's. It isn't really necessary to go one way or the other as far as jacking points--but I chose support under the large trailing arm bushings (cradle parallel to the car) to keep the axle up and out of the way while horsing the tank out. I'd also remove the l/s tire to let in more light (important for us old guys) and for the extra room. -- Dave

I am pretty sure not many of them have been replaced as I have yet to see a reference to replacing the tank on a 240 in more than a decade of watching these forums. I am no help as a result but I am curious why it needs replaced? Was it punctured or did it rust out?

I am pretty sure there have been some posts for 9-series cars becase a popular upgrade is the later model larger tank but I doubt there is too much overlap between the two cars in this area.