bkwapisz
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2009
- Messages
- 441
Today I delved into the tedious job of pulling my 12gal tank on my ranger and replacing that pesky inoperative fuel level sender. Seemed easy enough, disconnect fill rubber tube and breather tube, which have access througha handy access panel, remove 2 brackets holdgin it to the floor, and move out the tank to access the sender. (All this done after emptying the remaining fuel...)
So after about q hour of trying to get the tank out, it occurs to me that most likely they installed the tank BEFORE they put the top half on because there's no way in the physical universe we occupy that I can ge that tank out without breaking something. However, if I jocky the tank slightly, I can get the sender closer the access plug I used to get the fill/vent tubes undone. Problem is that the access bezel is held on with some overly long SS screws, so I removed all 6 of those and took off the bezel to avaoid another nice laceration to the forearm.
AFter another hour I managed to get a 1/4 ratchet down the hole and gingerly remove the 5 bolts that hold the sender down to the tank. Talk about having to be a contortionist. If only my arm had one more joint. Anywa got it out and noticed the gas-logged cork "float" wish is more like a sinker now, as well as the exposed variac that is the sender itself. Not fried, but after 22 yrs in service it's done. Go to install the new one and everythig lines up nicely, but the new rubber gasket is holding the bolts just tight enough where I can't get enough finger strength with my fingertips to get them started. So I carefully start them with the ratchet which has about 1 degree of swing room and my hands start cramping up from all this contorting.
I managed to get 4-1/2 tightened down and the last one is jsut taking forever. Decided to button it up and work tomorrow.
As of right now, I'm sitting here and my forearms are on FIRE from the milliions of nice fiberglass pieces embedded in my skin. As I'm complaining to my wife about this she goes in to the kitchen and hands me a roll of duct tape (which we RARELY use for anything) and says: "Hmmph. Why don't you line the hole with this duct tape and then you won't get full of pickers when you finish tomorrow...."
:smack hand on forehead: Why didn't I think of that. UGH. You'd think this was my first time working on a vehicle of any kind.... LOL for the day.
Peace out. At least my fuel gauge is working so I guess that's some progress.
So after about q hour of trying to get the tank out, it occurs to me that most likely they installed the tank BEFORE they put the top half on because there's no way in the physical universe we occupy that I can ge that tank out without breaking something. However, if I jocky the tank slightly, I can get the sender closer the access plug I used to get the fill/vent tubes undone. Problem is that the access bezel is held on with some overly long SS screws, so I removed all 6 of those and took off the bezel to avaoid another nice laceration to the forearm.
AFter another hour I managed to get a 1/4 ratchet down the hole and gingerly remove the 5 bolts that hold the sender down to the tank. Talk about having to be a contortionist. If only my arm had one more joint. Anywa got it out and noticed the gas-logged cork "float" wish is more like a sinker now, as well as the exposed variac that is the sender itself. Not fried, but after 22 yrs in service it's done. Go to install the new one and everythig lines up nicely, but the new rubber gasket is holding the bolts just tight enough where I can't get enough finger strength with my fingertips to get them started. So I carefully start them with the ratchet which has about 1 degree of swing room and my hands start cramping up from all this contorting.
I managed to get 4-1/2 tightened down and the last one is jsut taking forever. Decided to button it up and work tomorrow.
As of right now, I'm sitting here and my forearms are on FIRE from the milliions of nice fiberglass pieces embedded in my skin. As I'm complaining to my wife about this she goes in to the kitchen and hands me a roll of duct tape (which we RARELY use for anything) and says: "Hmmph. Why don't you line the hole with this duct tape and then you won't get full of pickers when you finish tomorrow...."
:smack hand on forehead: Why didn't I think of that. UGH. You'd think this was my first time working on a vehicle of any kind.... LOL for the day.
Peace out. At least my fuel gauge is working so I guess that's some progress.
