Corvair Forum

The tube coming out of the sending unit / delivery tube on our 65 is plugged solid with muck of some sort. We have a new sending unit - what is involved in getting the old one out? It appears the ring holding it in doesn't have threads, or does it? Maybe just pries out?
Thanks for any advise.
Jim S.

Did you get a new retainer ring too. The ring had 3 tabs, spray the old ring with something like WD-40 then use a screw driver & hammer & tap on the tabs, I think it turns counter clockwise to line up with slots then comes right off. Go slow so you don't break the tabs off. They do make a tool but I don't think you'll need one. Hope it's not to rusty & good luck. Be prepared to find gunk in the bottom of the tank.

Jim in Wis. wrote:The tube coming out of the sending unit / delivery tube on our 65 is plugged solid with muck of some sort. We have a new sending unit - what is involved in getting the old one out? It appears the ring holding it in doesn't have threads, or does it? Maybe just pries out?
Thanks for any advise.
Jim S.

there is a special tool to remove the sending unit locking ring. however, many people use a blade screwdriver and a hammer. drive the ring counter clockwise until it releases. replacing the ring can be a bear of a job. grease up the new o-ring. make sure all the flanges on the ring go under the tank ring fingers (the hardest part) then tap the ring into place using the screwdriver & hammer. be sure rhe rubber hoses at the sending unit and back by the engine are good and secure. the fuel pump makes a vacuum to pump the fuel. a leak will reduce the fuel pump effeciency.

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The special tool is from Clarks. Used to use a screw driver and could do the job, but recently stepped up and used the special tool. Works really good and is something I should have purchased years ago. If you have the few extra dollars, well worth the investment.

https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... ge=TOOLS-6


Part number C7264R: GAS TANK SENDER RETAINER REMOVER-WORKS WITH TANK IN CAR!

Weight: 1 lbs 0 oz
Catalog Pages(s): 69(1),T-6
Price: $ 34.10




Alternatives on Amazon.com....

https://www.amazon.com/1963-1974-Corvet ... moval+tool

1963-1974 Corvette Gas Tank Meter Removal Tool
5.0 out of 5 stars 2 customer reviews
Price: $24.95 + $8.99 shipping

If you didn't order it - you'll need the strainer that goes on the sender. See http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/search.cgi?part=C261

If the sender tube is plugged up the tank is probably full of debris. Could be rust or a sealer previously installed. While some claim gas tank sealers work, but there have been reports that eventually sealers fail and peel off the inside of the tank.

Unfortunately you probably need a new gas tank. Not unusual after all these decades.

Thanks for the replies! I worked on it today and got the sender out. What a mess - the entire thing is coated with black "tar" of some sort. I drained about a quart of really stinky old gasoline. The bottom of the tank seems to have a bunch of that tar crap too.
A new gas tank would be the right thing for sure.
The car is sitting on fairly high jack stands right now, and the front crossmember is still in there. Can the tank be removed this way? The sway bar is out, but the bolts holding the crossmember seem pretty tight. I'm afraid I would twist the nuts in those cages and make more trouble for myself by trying to take it out.

Sorry to hear the tank is bad, but it's not unusual now. It sounds like someone tried a sealer that has failed.

Yes you can replace the tank without dropping the front suspension, but I understand it is difficult. I drop the front suspension assy. which makes installing the tank reasonable. HOWEVER I'm in a dry climate and I remember what it was like to work on cars in the rust belt with frozen bolts. Your concern about the "caged" nuts is valid. Supposedly they can be replaced - supposedly!
BTW - try to salvage the gas tank straps as the new replacements are difficult to make fit.

Here is a Corvair Forum link that you may find to be helpful...

Fuel Tank Removal & Installation

viewtopic.php?f=225&t=5779

I've swapped lots of tanks and never even thought about removing the crossmember. It isn't any issue to do with the crossmember in place. The Clark's tool is amazing. After messing around with those retainers for years I would never go back even though they aren't really that difficult. If your time is worth 2 cents and you have any money buy the tool. It is amazing how well it works. Mine is sitting on a ladder under my Lakewood right now ready to replace the sender tomorrow.

I got the tank out today, it comes out with the crossmember in place pretty easy. The vent hose ripped in half and the fill hose slipped off the tank. I suppose if the pipes had to come out along with the tank it would be harder.
Getting the new tank in might be more of a problem, but that's something to be solved another day. This is supposed to be a hobby and fun (sometimes I have to remind myself of that).
I tossed the old tank outside the shop door - A friend just stopped over and when we were 50 or 60 feet away from the shop he said "yuk, I smell old gas!"

Dave Motohead Productions presents...

If your Corvair starts running like this, pull over
and turn the key off!

This may be where the above fuel tank cleaning tool came from...

Fun to watch! Cheap entertainment!!



IMPRESSIVE! Some Corvairs might take a licking and keep on ticking like that too!

I might expect to see something like that in the Dave Motohead garage!

Jim in Wis. wrote: ↑Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:56 pm I got the tank out today, it comes out with the crossmember in place pretty easy. The vent hose ripped in half and the fill hose slipped off the tank. I suppose if the pipes had to come out along with the tank it would be harder.
Getting the new tank in might be more of a problem, but that's something to be solved another day. This is supposed to be a hobby and fun (sometimes I have to remind myself of that).
I tossed the old tank outside the shop door - A friend just stopped over and when we were 50 or 60 feet away from the shop he said "yuk, I smell old gas!"

The filler neck "pipe" is normally removed and installed with the tank. Installing the tank without the neck installed on it will be very difficult if not impossible. Access to the clamps that attach the joining hoses is nearly zero. I always remove the grommet at the filler neck to the fender and drop the entire unit tank and neck out. Re-install the neck to the tank before installation using new hoses, then install the assembly into the car. Finally install a new grommet at the top of the neck.

Thanks Ted, I do have the pipe out now, and I had pushed the grommet at the top inward but the hoses came off anyway while I was jiggling the tank to get it to fall. I had a pan to catch the last of the stale gas under the tank, but when it fell out it hit the pan and spilled the gas all over the place. Murphy's law again.

We have a new tank coming, and hopefully new hoses and grommet. I do the work and the owner orders the parts- sometimes that causes some confusion.

Position the clamps for best possible access after the tank is installed (not much access really but do it anyway). Tighten the clamps in place and install as a unit. If you position the clamps for a little access you may be able to tinker the fit a little if needed without removing the assembly and re aligning the neck before re-install. You want to put the neck back on in the same orientation as before it was removed. If you accomplish this it will got back in and be fine and no tinkering needed:) The grommet at the top is installed after the tanks assembly is in place. Lubricate the grommet with some white lithium grease to ease installation.