Required Operations
1. Verify that the vehicle is an affected model and year for this campaign.WARNING
Gasoline is extremely flammable and explosive.
^ Park the vehicle in a well-ventilated area.
^ Make certain that no ignition sources (i.e., pilot lights, cigarettes and lighters, electrical motors and switches, etc.) are near the repair area. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air, will travel along the ground, and can find an ignition source that is several yards away from the gasoline.
^ Be sure that tire extinguishers are located in the immediate repair area.
^ Wipe up any gasoline spills immediately.
^ Do not remove the fuel tank it it is over 2/3 full.
2. If the fuel tank level is over 2/3 full, drain as much fuel as possible into an unbreakable, non-dissolvable container. When as much fuel as possible has been drained, continue with this procedure.
3. Reduce the fuel line pressure as shown.
a. Remove the rear seat cushion.
b. Remove the five screws holding the passenger side fuel pump inspection cover and harness.
c. Disconnect the fuel pump connector.
d. Start the engine and allow it to idle until it stops by itself. If the engine will not start, crank it for about 5 seconds. Turn the ignition key to "OFF."
e. Remove the fuel filler cap to release any pressure in the tank. Reinstall the cap.
IMPORTANT:
Refer to the fuel tank removal steps listed on page 13F-5 of the 1996 Eclipse service manual.
4. Place a receptacle under the transfer case to catch any spilled fluid.
5. Remove the propeller shaft as described on page 25-4 of the 1996 Eclipse service manual.
6. Remove the heated oxygen sensor from the center exhaust pipe.
7. Remove the center exhaust pipe as described on page 15-23 of the 1996 Eclipse service manual.
8. Remove the fuel tank protector.
9. If the vehicle is equipped with ABS, disconnect the ABS connector located at the front side of the rear suspension crossmember.
10. Using fuel line wrenches, disconnect the lower end of the high pressure fuel line located at the right front corner of the fuel tank. Also disconnect the fuel return line in the same area. Use care to avoid bending the fuel line or twisting the hose.
11. Remove the filler neck hose from the fuel tank. Remove the vent hose from the vent pipe.
12. Remove the retaining bands from the fuel tank.
13. Carefully remove the tank assembly.
14. Drain the remaining fuel in the tank out of the fuel filler neck opening into an unbreakable, nondissolvable container.
15. Disconnect the remaining hoses from the fuel pump and gauge unit. The hoses, clamps and hose brackets will be reused on the new fuel tank. On ABS-equipped vehicles, note the location of the adhesive tape securing the ABS harness for reference when transferring the harness to the new tank.
CAUTION
You must use special tool MB991480O1 Fuel Tank Lock Ring Wrench to remove the retaining cap. After removing the fuel pump retaining cap, carefully remove the fuel pump assembly. Do not rotate the fuel pump assembly. It could damage the filter or float arm. Use the same care when removing the fuel gauge unit.
16. Remove the fuel pump and gauge unit retaining caps.
17. Discard the retaining caps and gaskets from the fuel pump and the gauge unit.
18. Clean the top surfaces of the fuel pump and the gauge unit. Note the location of the two reference marks on top of the pump and the gauge unit. These reference marks must be used during installation to align the pump and the gauge unit.
19. On the new fuel tank, install one of the gaskets from the repair kit into the tank opening on the passenger side for the fuel pump as shown.
CAUTION
Carefully position the gasket in the tank opening. Be sure that:
^ The gasket flange is fully seated onto the tank neck.
^ The ribs on the outside diameter of the gasket are not deformed.
^ The top flange of the gasket is flush with the outside diameter of the tank neck.
a. Coat the inside diameter of the gasket with the lubricant provided in the repair kit.
b. Align the mark molded into the top of the fuel tank with the stamped marks on the top of the fuel pump.
CAUTION
The alignment marks must remain lined up before, during and after installing the pump and gauge unit. Do not allow the pump or gauge unit to rotate during or after installation into the tank. If the pump or gauge unit rotates out of position, the float arm will contact the reservoir or the inside of the tank, resulting in inaccurate fuel gauge readings, which would REQUIRE THIS REPAIR TO BE REPEATED.
c. Carefully insert the fuel pump into the lubricated gasket in the tank opening.
20. Verify that the gasket did not get rolled into the tank opening as follows:
a. After installing the fuel pump into the tank opening, inspect the position of the gasket. The outer circumference of the gasket must be visibly flush with the outside diameter of the fuel pump flange.
b. If the gasket is not flush with the outside diameter of the fuel pump flange, carefully remove the pump and check that the gasket is undamaged. Then reposition and relubricate the gasket, align the assembly marks and reinstall the pump. Inspect the gasket again to verify that it did not get rolled into the tank opening.
21. Using a new retaining cap provided in the repair kit, install the cap by hand. Then use special tool MB991480 Fuel Tank Lock Ring Wrench to torque the cap to 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs).
CAUTION
Do not allow the pump or gauge unit to rotate while tightening the retaining cap. The alignment marks must remain lined up. If the pump or gauge unit rotates out of position, inaccurate fuel gauge readings may result.
22. Repeat Steps 19 through 21 to install the gauge unit into the tank opening on the driver's side.
23. Using an 8 mm wrench, remove the rollover valve from the original fuel tank. Install the valve into the new fuel tank and torque the nuts to 2.5 Nm (22 in-lbs or 1.8 ft-lbs).
24. Remove all other hoses, hose clamps and hose brackets from the old fuel tank. Install these parts onto the new fuel tank.
IMPORTANT:
Dispose of the old fuel tank immediately. Consult your dealership's legal counsel for federal, state, and local laws or regulations pertaining to proper disposal of the old fuel tank.
25. Test the operation of both fuel level sending units as shown.
a. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the fuel pump connector as shown (lower row of pins). Note the location of the locking tab in the illustration.
b. With the tank in the normal position, the float should be in the fully down (empty) position. Resistance reading should be 57 +/- 1 ohms.
c. Gently roll the tank over to an upside down position. As gravity moves the float to the up (full) position, the ohmmeter reading should smoothly drop to 2 +/- 1 ohms.
If the ohmmeter sticks at any higher reading, the pump and tank alignment marks are not lined up, and the float is contacting the inside of the tank. If this happens, loosen the cap on the fuel pump and carefully rotate the pump until the mark molded into the top of the fuel tank is aligned with the two stamped marks on the top of the fuel pump. Then retorque the cap to 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs). Do not allow the pump to rotate while tightening the cap.
d. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the gauge unit connector as shown (top row of pins). Note the location of locking tab in the illustration.
e. With the tank in the normal position, the float should be in the fully down (empty) position. Resistance reading should be 50 +/- 1 ohms.
f. Gently roll the tank over to an upside down position. As gravity moves the float to the up (full) position, the ohmmeter reading should smoothly drop to 2 +/- 1 ohms.
If the ohmmeter sticks at any higher reading, the gauge unit and tank alignment marks are not lined up, and the float is contacting the inside of the tank. If this happens, loosen the cap on the gauge unit and carefully rotate the gauge unit until the mark molded into the top of the fuel tank is aligned with the two stamped marks on the top of the gauge unit. Then retorque the cap to 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs). Do not allow the gauge unit to rotate while tightening the cap.
26. Install the two adhesive pads provided in the kit as follows:
a. On non-ABS vehicles, install one adhesive pad over the fuel vapor hose at passenger side of tank. Install the other adhesive pad over the fuel line at the front center of tank.
b. On ABS vehicles, install one adhesive pad over the fuel vapor hose at the passenger side of the tank. Cut the second adhesive pad into three equal size pieces and install as shown.
(1) Install a piece of pad over the fuel line at the front center of the tank.
(2) Install two pieces of pad over the ABS harness at the two locations shown.
27. Install the new fuel tank into the vehicle, following the installation procedures in Section 13F of the appropriate service manual.
a. Install the new filler neck hose clamps provided in the repair kit to the filler neck hose, with the large clamp at the lower (tank) side of the hose and the small clamp at the upper (filler neck) side of the hose. The large clamp has a brown plastic separator between its wires.
b. If the vehicle is equipped with ABS, reconnect the ABS connector located at the front side of the rear suspension crossmember.
28. Fill the tank with premium fuel.
29. Start the engine and thoroughly check the areas near the fuel pump and fuel gauge, and the fuel hose connections for fuel leaks.
30. Test drive the vehicle for approximately 10 miles to verify proper operation. Then check for gasket leaks through the tank inspection covers and around the filler neck hose area.