How to take off the gas tank of 99 3.2 tl
 

Hello folks,

I tried but failed. I also browsed Youtube and found a video that shows how to do it on a Honda Accord. I know my Acura is similar but the guy almost took off 1/3 of the whole car. I checked with a garage and they asked for around $500 not including the cost of a new tank.
I said I tried but failed since I looked around the rear end of the car. It looks like the factory installed the tank before set up the rear end. In another word, I need to remove the rear end first and then the tank. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Would you happen to have a detailed diagram of the rear end structure so I can just make sure it's possible to remove the tank without taking off the rear end first?

Thanks in advance

Not terribly complicated but time consuming. The tank is attached to the rear subframe which has to be dropped. Filler/vent lines, evap lines, caliper assemblies, parking brake cables, ABS connectors, shock absorbers, and fuel pump electrical plug all have to be disconnected. Once that's done there's only 4 bolts that hold the assembly up. Easy peasy.



https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...88d3c224e1.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...86ef40700c.jpg

Literally just replaced mine last week. along with the fuel strainer, tank straps, and fuel filler neck because they were all dirty and rusty. I also double coated the new tank and parts so that they're better protected from rust because I only want to do this job once. I'm starting to notice a lot of TL's and accords needing their tanks replaced lately. I guess it takes them 20 years for them to rust bad enough to cause a leak lol.

This is a great post. Thanks a million! This is exactly what I need. Great pictures too. Thank you both!

I'll have to raise some questions to you guys as I work on it. So far I don't have anything to bring up. Take care!

Good morning folks,

Please don't laugh at me when I tell you what I thought to remove the tank. I was trying to cut the 2 straps under the tank so the tank could be dropped on the ground, of course, removing the fuel pump stuff from the trunk first. After replacing by the new tank, I could weld the straps back, couldn't I? No, I cannot, since even the straps taken off, lots of more parts still in the way, keeping the tank from coming down. Trying to take a shortcut but it's not going to work. What do you guys think?

Thanks again.

Absolutely no way around it. Subframe has to be dropped. Even if you did figure out some kind of shortcut you will spend more time farting around trying to fight it while potentially breaking a bunch of delicate parts. Please don't even consider welding tank straps back together, doing things like that tend to make things go BOOM!

Now I have a question. How Important is doing an alignment after the job is done? The car seems to drive fairly straight but I haven't been on the highway yet since replacing the tank.

Do you enjoy replacing tires?

LOL. The alignment pins on the rear subframe will get you pretty dang close but , like Thoi said, you never really know until you really know.

I doubt the rear wheel alignment will be affected much. Besides, they are rear wheels, not front ones. IMHO, I'll leave it alone.

One more question, did you guys remove the exhaust pipe, or taking it off from the hangers? The Honda Accord in Youtube did it. Not sure about the Acura.

BTW, the car is from Canada (Toronto), so you can imagine how rusty the chassis really is. There are 4 or 5 steel tubes, guess they are fuel line, evap line and vent line and so on, are all pretty rusty too. I don't think they will last long. After the tank replacement, they will be the next replacement. Not planning to change the whole tube. I guess I need to purchase some 3/8 tubes and I'll make the flare myself. No need to do double flare since they are not brake lines. Don't you think?

Thanks.

Hello folks,
I need your help again.
Finally I just installed a new tank. Have been too busy to get the job done early.
After the new tank in place, I got mixed up with the fuel hoses on top of the tank. I thought there should be 3 of them but I got 4. The #4 is a small caliber rubber hose but I just don't where it goes to. Sorry I cannot take pics since the tank is too close to the trunk after the shocks are connected to the frame. From Iggy's pictures, there are 3 hoses, right?
It looks like a vent hose but the vent hose should be one of the 3 in Iggy's pics.
I put some gas in the tank and start the engine and it runs smoothly, without exhaust pipe and muffler. I'm sure the other end of the hose leads to canister assembly but what about the end at the tank?

Thanks in advance.

Here's a zoomed in pic if it helps

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...d985ad9c8c.jpg

For clarity, is it the line indicated below? looks like one end goes into the fuel pump and the other goes into the evap canister? Good news is that if you have everything else connected, all you have to do if find the connection that's missing a hose.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...76a027fb9a.png

Thanks Whitetiger5. Not exactly. I have 3 hoses connected fine, inc. the one you marked red. The one I'm talking about is the #4 hose that has nowhere to lead to. I'll try to take some pics on the canister part of it, and keep you posted. Regards.

So the connection in question is down by the canister? Here's an excerpt from the service manual. Which tube is it?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...765f7eb238.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...16e4ca5d0d.jpg

Thanks Iggy. I just want to make sure the hose in my picture does is not supposed to go to the tank. I have no idea how it ended up in the hose holder close to he tank. It looks like a evap hose like hose E in your diagram. Before I installed the tank, I remember the hose in my picture link to a plastic tube, which goes to E hose close to canister in your diagram. That being the case, where is the hose in my pic supposed to link to? I don't see it in your diagram. It must link somewhere around the canister, right?
Thanks again.

Hello folks,
I finally got the tank installed. But it's not 100% completed yet since I have 2 metal plates (see the pic) that I am not sure where to put them. I'm sure you guys know how to install them. I remember I took them off close to the 4 bolts that secure the sub-frame to the chassis. But I am unable to align the bolt holes to the chassis. Would you happen to have a diagram that shows where they go?
Thanks again.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...07ca985430.jpg