Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback
Excuuuuse my language, but .... HOLY F'IN GUACAMOLE!!!
We survived last night's storm with little more than a really big lightning show. That was a relief. Today I rolled the Charger back out of the garage and went to work on the fuel tank.
The screws still wouldn't budge so I started drilling them out. The tank is plastic so I didn't drill all the way through. When I got to the point where the screw heads popped off I removed the sending unit. - Or I should say that I removed what was left of the sending unit. I know I'm repeating myself but, HOLY F'IN GUACAMOLE!!!
It was gone! Well, not really. The majority of it was rattling around inside the tank. I've never seen anything that bad before. I had expected the inside to be pristine because it's a plastic tank.
The opening was too small to reach my hand inside. - So, I tried to fish the pieces out with a magnet but all I was catching was rust flakes.
Then I turned the tank upside down and tried to grab as many more pieces as I could.
When I finally had gotten most of the big junk out I took the tank to the back lot and flushed it with water. As I sloshed it back and forth I got most of the rest out.
Then I added a grease detergent and flushed it several more times.
After that I brought it back to the garage and blew it out until most of the moisture was gone.
I could still hear a few more small chunks rolling around inside so I ran a vacuum cleaner hose inside and sucked them out.
I've still got issues with the tank. I had tried to center my drill bit as well as I could when I drilled out the screws but 5 0f the 6 are off center. I can't catch them with an easy out. I've decided to rotate the sending unit about 8 degrees and drill new holes. The old screws did not protrude all the way into the tank. Instead, the tank has a thick boss around the top and the screws bottom inside of it. I'll see if it's possible to find stainless steel fasteners. I don't expect to ever have to drop the tank again but it'll be nice to know they won't rust anyway.
Just once, I'd like to have something go as easy as what I thought.
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Excuuuuse my language, but .... HOLY F'IN GUACAMOLE!!!
We survived last night's storm with little more than a really big lightning show. That was a relief. Today I rolled the Charger back out of the garage and went to work on the fuel tank.
The screws still wouldn't budge so I started drilling them out. The tank is plastic so I didn't drill all the way through. When I got to the point where the screw heads popped off I removed the sending unit. - Or I should say that I removed what was left of the sending unit. I know I'm repeating myself but, HOLY F'IN GUACAMOLE!!!
It was gone! Well, not really. The majority of it was rattling around inside the tank. I've never seen anything that bad before. I had expected the inside to be pristine because it's a plastic tank.
The opening was too small to reach my hand inside. - So, I tried to fish the pieces out with a magnet but all I was catching was rust flakes.
Then I turned the tank upside down and tried to grab as many more pieces as I could.
When I finally had gotten most of the big junk out I took the tank to the back lot and flushed it with water. As I sloshed it back and forth I got most of the rest out.
Then I added a grease detergent and flushed it several more times.
After that I brought it back to the garage and blew it out until most of the moisture was gone.
I could still hear a few more small chunks rolling around inside so I ran a vacuum cleaner hose inside and sucked them out.
I've still got issues with the tank. I had tried to center my drill bit as well as I could when I drilled out the screws but 5 0f the 6 are off center. I can't catch them with an easy out. I've decided to rotate the sending unit about 8 degrees and drill new holes. The old screws did not protrude all the way into the tank. Instead, the tank has a thick boss around the top and the screws bottom inside of it. I'll see if it's possible to find stainless steel fasteners. I don't expect to ever have to drop the tank again but it'll be nice to know they won't rust anyway.
Just once, I'd like to have something go as easy as what I thought.
View attachment IMG_4939.jpg
View attachment IMG_4940.jpg
View attachment IMG_4941.jpg
View attachment IMG_4943.jpg
View attachment IMG_4945.jpg
View attachment IMG_4942.jpg
View attachment IMG_4946.jpg
View attachment IMG_4948.jpg
View attachment IMG_4947.jpg