[Mgs] Fuel tank removal

[Richard Lindsay]

Hi Friends,

Today I removed the fuel tank from my TD.  The tank is sound but has a
coating of surface rust.  Inside its pretty clean and it doesn't leak.

Step one was draining the gallon or so of nasty old fuel.  My wife
HATES the smell of old gasoline so I did that job while she was out
for coffee with a friend.  After the tank was empty, by removing the
drain plug, I removed the fuel outlet assembly.  The filter is
completely plugged.  I'll soak it in carb cleaner to see if it will
clean up acceptably well.  More on that later.

I also removed the fuel level switch and found that it wouldn't move.
That's a project for another day.  I'll report back on that later
also.

Here's a look at the tank, laying in the driveway, washed inside and
out with soap and water.

http://www.aubard.us/MGTD/20130508_141523.jpg

Once it dries on the outside, I'll route my shop-vac's output air into
the tank until it dries thoroughly.  Then I'll look in the tank
carefully with my bore scope and decide if it needs to be coated.  I
have a Moss kit, if needed.

Here's how the rear of the car looks with the tank removed.

http://www.aubard.us/MGTD/20130508_141536.jpg

I have since stripped the paint from the metal on the tub.  In this
picture, I had not yet sanded the metal but have since done so.  Its
currently drying with a coat of MetalReady on it, neutralizing rust.
Here's how it looked after the first strip.

http://www.aubard.us/MGTD/20130508_150441.jpg

I don't plan on stripping the wood or removing the the tank pads.
I'll just sand the wood, mask the pads, primer and paint.

And that's it for Wednesday.  Fun work on the bench coming, fixing the
fuel sensor and the fuel outlet filter.  Woohoo.

-rick