# Fox gas tank removal -Help!



## africanwind (Sep 14, 2003)

*As the title does NOT say* I am trying to restore-to-driveable a 1993 that sat for the last 6 years, and was started a third time a day or two ago with the following scenario:
_smoke coming up from manifold areas, most likely from solved fuel hose leak, temp. gauge rising to midway when lower hose/H20 'area' starts gushing_

*My questions to mechs more experienced with these Brazilian-made VWs ... I guess I'm asking for some tips for a guy with limited experience with these "weird Foxes", as compared to 8 and 16v Sciroccos here ... okay I'll shout it: SHOULD SUPER RUSTY H20 PUMP BE LEFT TO EXP'D MECH W/ LIFT & AIRTOOLS???*
any help is greatly appreciated (to save face with new dad-in-law who is secretly laughin' at my remark ... the best shadetree mech is one who knows when to go to "higher authorities")








_Modified by africanwind at 7:26 PM 3-14-2009_


_Modified by africanwind at 9:09 PM 3-21-2009_


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## where_2 (Jul 21, 2003)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (africanwind)*

Once upon a time, I owned an '80 Scirocco_S which had a blown engine when I came to buy it. It was also missing the fuel filler cap. Little did I know, it had been missing the fuel filler cap for quite some time, and the whole top of the steel tank was rusting. 
After replacing the engine, I managed to get the car to fire up running the old garbage gas in the tank. As I test drove the car to work out the remaining bugs in it, I had an odd little problem that seemed to grow more frequent. The car would run fine at idle. If you took it out on the highway, it might run for 15-20 minutes, then would sputter, cough and die. If you let it sit for ~10 minutes, it would run for another 15-20 minutes and sputter, cought and die. 
As it turns out, I was collecting the fine rust particles in the fuel filter in the engine compartment, and on the fine mesh filter inside the tank. I never found any information that pointed to there being a fine mesh filter on the pickup in the tank. I cleaned that filter a few times, and then finally gave up and replaced the tank... 
If it were me, I'd run the Fox for a little while, check the fuel filter by removing it and draining it out the "inlet" side of the filter into a glass jar. When I did this, I found rust particles every time, and LOTS of them. If you're NOT finding any rust, check the pickup in the tank. If the tank is plastic, then I wouldn't really worry about the junk in the tank, or dropping the tank. I'd drain it, and run the gas in a lawn mower, or hit it with Octane Boost, and 50% more fresh premium gas and burn it off through the engine. I'm running 18 month old gas in my lawn mower, it burns fine... I need to siphon the fuel out of my Corrado and burn it next... The stuff I'm running now came out of one of my boats that I had filled up prior to a hurricane heading my way. Never lost power, so I finally drained the boat tank and have been running it in the mower, generator, pressure washer, weed eater, you name it. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## jackfrost1031 (Oct 19, 2004)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (where_2)*

to drop the tank you need to remove the in tank pump first.
Open the trunk, look behind the seat and under the carpet. There will be a black cap about 3" in diameter. Remove it and then you can remove the pump. To remove the pump you need a chisel and a hammer or a big pair of channel locks. Twist the pump 1/4 turn however you can and it will pop out.
There are 4 nuts you need to remove - 2 for each strap.
The hoses should come off with the weight of the tank since you have undone the hose clamps.
There are a couple small diameter hoses on the top but you can undo them while the tank is dropped. There should be enough length.


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## africanwind (Sep 14, 2003)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (jackfrost1031)*








*sure would be nice to change the TITLE of this post ... like to save trees and such and not have to post a NEW POST







*


_Modified by africanwind at 9:13 PM 3-21-2009_


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## africanwind (Sep 14, 2003)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (where_2)*

gas tank issue - * SOLVED
*Thanks to anyone kind enough to post some HELP










_Modified by africanwind at 9:12 PM 3-21-2009_


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## jackfrost1031 (Oct 19, 2004)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (africanwind)*

does it leak?
I don't know what to treat it with. I live in the south and our gas tanks don't rust here.


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## africanwind (Sep 14, 2003)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (africanwind)*

Bumpo for lame-o that can't even fix a dead fox


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## jackfrost1031 (Oct 19, 2004)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (africanwind)*

Try the fox forum. 
Nobody ever comes here.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=71


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## africanwind (Sep 14, 2003)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (jackfrost1031)*

thanks Jackfrost!


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## frog_in_the_fridge (Jan 8, 2008)

*Re: Fox gas tank removal -Help! (africanwind)*

Any other probs u have....try :
http://www.vwclub.co.za/phpbb3/index.php
http://www.veedubz.co.za/xvforum/
http://www.speedandsound.co.za/forum/index.php


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