Blake

Hello everyone!
I've got an 87 Honda Civic 4 door that has the 1.5L Carb.
I've done TONS of mechanical work on my GMC Typhoon so I'm not new to tinkering.
Here's what's going on.
I've got a fuel leak that ONLY leaks when the gas cap is sealed. If I break the cap loose, get the hiss, and the leak stops. The leak is pretty bad. I've removed the protective cover over the filter and it is not coming from down low. Looks like it's coming from above the crimp line on the fuel tank itself. When the cap is sealed, you can actually lay down on the ground back there and hear the hiss and see the gas drip out(lost about 3 gallons in 12 hours time before I realized taking the cap loose would stop the leak.)
I have a Haynes manual that says its just a matter of taking off two nuts and lowering the straps to drop it out. My Ty took a LOT more than that to drop the tank down in it.
Is getting to the sending unit on top of the tank something I can do from the trunk or from under the rear seat or is dropping the tank the only way to get to the area to inspect it?
If this has happened to anyone before, I'd appreciate any advice you have to offer.
Thanks so much!
Blake

FourthGenHatch

The sending unit can probably be accessed from the top (I know on the 4th gen you can), but you have to drop the tank to get to the fuel pump.

I mean I assume you are replacing the tank right? You can undo a bolt to drain the gas out of the tank. It shouldn't weigh that much empty. Put a jack under it, undo those straps, then lower the thing down.

Gasoline Fumes

Just pull off the fuel lines and sender wires, then unbolt (or cut, depending on rust) the straps. You will most likely need to pry the tank out, there's tar insulation between it and the floor. I have a tank from my 1984 Civic Wagon that I'll sell you if you drive to NY to get it.
Not neccessary, the pump is bolted to the cylinder head.

Scrub91DX

I just replaced the Whole Tank on my 91 Last Week, it took me about 8 hours to goto the junk yard pull the tank out of that car then go back home pull the tank from my car and install the new one and get it running, its pretty straight forward, just unhook everything, put a jack under the tank unhook the straps and then lower the tank and pull it out, hope this helps.

-Matt-

Blake

Thanks guys.
There are 3 nuts on studs around the filler neck to hold it to the fender of the car. Do I just take these off or is there enough slack underneath to just drop it down?
I took out the rear seat bottom and took everything out of the trunk. No access panels anywhere.
Also no drain plug. This looks like its gonna be just as much fun working on this as my Ty.
I need to replace the three metal lines that are located under the car right next to the primary fuel filter too(rusty enough they'll break if you pull on them). You guys are right about the straps. They look like they're gonna break when I try to drop this tank down. I'll let you fellas know what I find. My guess is that the rubber hose that runs along the fill tube is broken at the clamp.
Thanks so much for responding!

Gasoline Fumes

It might be easier to disconnect the filler neck from the tank first, if you can get to the clamps. There might be enough slack/flex to lower the tank enough to get to the clamps.

Weird, mine has one.

Blake

It did have a plug. It was under almost 1" of undercoating. Dug it out with a putty knife. Made getting the fuel out sooo much easier.

If you take off the driver's side rear wheel, there is a plastic panel behind it with two 10mm screws in it. taking these two screws out exposed the clamps for the fill and the vapor line. I used side cutters(rusted)on the clamps and then pulled the hoses off the hard pipes that came down from the gas door.

I pulled the two connectors apart for the sender(one is male and one is female)at the frame and then took the clamps off the three gas lines that run up under the rear seat.
Had to use bolt cutters on the two hanger bolts that go through the straps. Big clumps of rust.

Had it down and out in about an hour. MUCH easier than the Ty.
There was so much gas that had leaked out that it was VERY difficult to tell where all of it came from. There was a LOT at the seam where it rusted. I'm just gonna replace everything to be safe.

I found the tank and the straps at advanced auto. $99 for the tank and $22 for the straps. I still need the hanger bolts, the fill hose and vapor hose and another two way valve. I don't want to have to get in all that gas again any time soon.

Where do you guys get your parts at?
Any ideas on how to replace the hard lines that come out of the rubber boot that come out of the interior next to the filter?
They look perfect inside but are almost rusted through where they have been exposed next to the filter.
Thanks for your time.
Blake

Blake

Found a REALLY good website for getting OEM Honda parts.
www.hondaautomotiveparts.com

Has diagrams, part numbers, prices, everything and they'll ship it to your door.
:thumbup:

Blake

Gasoline Fumes

I get parts from www.hparts.com . Those metal lines run all the way to the engine compartment. Behind the dash, heater, pedals, etc. When I dismantled my Wagon, they were one of the last parts to come out. But you could replace the rusted parts with fuel hose.

Fujiwara Takumi

holy shit, his name is like my name!