P30 fuel tank removal ideas

Pogo397 · March 28, 2015, 08:22 PM

Do you have a part number. I also have a 33' imperial and having the same problem.

circleD · March 28, 2015, 08:54 PM

I don't have the # but you'll need a 0-90 ohm 5 bolt on top and a threaded stud on top. Measure your tank HEIGHT to narrow down the search. The guy at Advance is an old school Chevy mechanic and knew what parts I need. I sent the first one back and had to take the old one to compare the second one to. Use a volt meter to check the ohms because they look alike but don't read the same.

HandyDan · June 10, 2015, 11:13 AM

My gas gauge has been reading full for two years now. I'm pretty sure it is just the ground on the sender unit on the gas tank but in order to get to it, I need to drop the tank. I got under the HR last week and assessed the possibility of me dropping the gas tank by myself. Knowing that I can't do things like I used to, or is it maturity has taught me to accept the fact that I can't do everything, I decided that it would be money well spent to have my local Chevy Truck Repair Center do the honor. I took it up this morning and told them what I wanted done. The sender unit hasn't worked in two years and I have no idea how much gas is still in the tank. The generator still works, so there is at least 1/4 of a tank of year old gas. I told them to replace everything that could be replaced. I don't want to have to do this again. They said they couldn't get to it for a couple of days, but that was alright since I'm not going anywhere soon. If you are interested, I'll let you know what they find and how much they charged me. It sure would be nice to know the part number of the replacement sender unit so I could make sure they put in a part that will work.
Dan

jeno · June 10, 2015, 04:48 PM

i wouldn't mind knowing myself. guess im just nosey

circleD · June 10, 2015, 08:20 PM

I know I stated earlier I got it at Advance Auto, I just checked my Summit account and it shows that I kept one and returned 1.
It was Stewart Warner 439362-F that I kept. I'll check with A.A. tomorrow to make sure I didn't get it there.

Its VERY IMPORTANT to remember that you need a right handed arm and the correct height of the tank. I got one that looked and met the specs but was 1 3/4" from the bottom so it wouldn't have read full or empty correctly but would still hook up and fit.

mmurning · June 10, 2015, 09:04 PM

I would like to know too, I think this is something I have to have done too.

Thanks
Mark

circleD · June 11, 2015, 12:00 PM

I just checked at A.A. and I returned part# 285 5508 because it had the wrong ohm range. I have a 70 gallon tank and these were built per vehicle so measure the height. That gives you the vertical movement you need. Don't worry about the length.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE 0-90 OHMS, MINE WAS A RIGHT HAND ARM, THREADED BOLT ON TOP, 5 SCREWS TO MOUNT IT AND CAN ONLY BE INSERTED ONE WAY, THE ARM FACES THE FRONT, That Stewart Warner part was the one I used. I hope that helps.
They all look alike but you need to use an ohm meter to check.

HandyDan · July 11, 2015, 01:52 PM

I said I would report back on having the fuel tank dropped by the Chevy Truck Center. It took them almost a month to finally get it done( I told them I was in no hurry and to just work it in at their convenience). Well, to say I was a satisfied customer would be a lie. I asked them to do two things, 1. replace the fuel tank sender unit, 2. change the oil. I had checked on it several times while they had it. The service writer said dropping the gas tank would be no problem, however, when I talked to the actual mechanic, he was quite hesitant in doing it, (Didn't have the proper lift, gasoline safety, tank too heavy and large, etc.) but the service writer said to not worry, they would get it done, but it would probably take a few hours labor time at $115 an hour.
Well, when they finally called me Friday afternoon and told me it was ready for pickup I drove up about 4:30 and went to the cashier to pay the bill, thinking the whole time that this would be about $900. You can imagine my feelings when they hit me with $1895.73! I looked at the invoice and discovered they had performed the BG Fuel Injection Service (I have a Quadrajet carburetor, no fuel injection), performed transmission service, flushed the brake lines, flushed the power steering, and inspected the heater and radiator hoses ($85), dropped the fuel tank, but lost all the gas because somehow it got contaminated with diesel fuel. All this, but no oil change. I was not a happy camper, but when I went back over to the truck center (it is in a separate building) all the mechanics were gone (Friday evening everybody cuts out early) so there wasn't anyone to talk to. I will certainly be back Monday morning to have a few things explained. The bottom line, the gas gauge works, but whatever they did to the carburetor has it running way too high on idle.

Hahn007 · July 11, 2015, 03:49 PM

Dropping the fuel tank really isn't as big of a deal as a lot of people seem to make it out to be. Using a transmission jack and some plywood to spread out the load I dropped my 60 gallon tank with about 20 gallons in it with relative ease.

cncsparky · July 11, 2015, 05:00 PM

Dropping the tank isn't the hard part

circleD · July 11, 2015, 06:36 PM

Its a balancing act dropping it but very demanding on the body. Plus if you're not there when the tank is down you could miss out on other things needing replaced. I hate to hear that Dan. I would for sure ask about the fuel injection cleaning and not say a word about you having a carb. Then when they try to justify what they did call them out and demand a cheaper rate. Or ask them if they installed EFI while they had it :)rotflmao. Stay calm and catch them in their own lies Dan.

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2015, 06:53 PM

And demand that they pay for the gas! It sure as hell was not your fault the gas got contaminated!!!! I would also ask for a refund on all of the stuff they did without your permission. What they did is illegal and you could sue the crap out of them if you wanted to to. I would be really curious W% N:(

to see how they explain the injection cleaning procedure.
OH, They probably do not have a mechanic there that has ever even seen a carburetor let alone worked on one!

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2015, 07:03 PM

On a separate note, I have to drop mine eventually to change out the out lines but for the life of me I cannot see any way to get the fill tube and vent line off of the tank! This tank was put in before the coach was built on top of it and then the side cabinets were welded around all the hoses and the floor is tight above it. The lines go out over the frame rail. There is no room to access the clamps at all, none. I cannot move the tank over to the other side because it is already tight to the frame there. I am guessing the actual fittings for the lines are over top of the frame so I am thinking the tank has to come down completely below the frame on the left and then over to the left to clear the top of the right frame rail for the hoses. Nobody ever planned on working on these, use them and throw them out. I hope I do not end up having to cut out a large section of floor to get this done. Hell, they welded one cabinet support bracket right against the front of the fuel regulator! I had to cut the bracket and a section of the cabinet to get the regulator apart to rebuild it. Forget getting t out of there!

circleD · July 11, 2015, 09:16 PM

Honestly Rick, everything I encountered was so tight and like you said, they put the tank and lines in first. I couldn't even loosen any lines including the vent lines so I cut them off where I could reach them then when I lowered the tank enough I pulled it all out. Someone else posted about adding extra line during the reinstall but make sure there's clearance for it. When I reinstalled mine I but extra length on there and when the tank was sitting straight down on the jack I hooked it back up. I had 1.5 foot extra on all lines. I just pulled up as we raised it and put the extra in an open area in front of tank making sure no kinks happened.

Rickf1985 · July 12, 2015, 06:30 PM

Yea, the extra line is a good idea. I have done that with other vehicles. The fill and fill vent are my problems.

cncsparky · July 13, 2015, 08:04 PM

I had to replace both my fill and vent hose after reinstalling my 60 gallon tank due to the parts store selling me coolant hoses, not fuel hoses.
Didn't get any pics, unforturnately. But was able to replace the two hoses even with tank in. Very tight between the frame and tank, but just enough room to get a screwdriver in to tighten the hose clamps.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,9139.msg52529.html#msg52529

tiinytina · October 16, 2015, 06:54 AM

Looks like I will have a new "winter" project... Gone's tank is 80 gal... I don't have a paved surface to work on at the farm.. oh yea add winter and cold... I'll be adding some pix of items on mine I don't see here... at some point.. do not hold breath...
tina

Rickf1985 · October 16, 2015, 07:06 AM

We ought to park ours side by side and do them at the same time D:oH! I have to do mine whether I want to or not. I am in the same situation as you with no paved surface. Lots of wood blocking and a floor jack is all I am planning on.

gpw9552 · October 16, 2015, 08:59 AM

Get a couple of sheets of cheap plywood for a work surface. Keeps you out of the dirt. With low clearance wall panels might be better. You can slide on the finished side.