mean_in_green
>2,000,000m in MB vans
Seadawg's T1Ncan tank removal post prompted me to do this NCV3 version.
Before you start you need to decide whether you are likely to need to remove the tank completely or just dropping it to the floor. Unlike the T1Ncan the NCV3's fuel filler neck is permanently fixed to the tank itself, so if planning on removal of tank you'll need to drive the van up onto some blocks in order to achieve the necessary clearance underneath to extricate the tank and filler neck. I'd recommend you do this anyway just for extra working headroom.
Next thing is to open the fuel filler flap and remove it. Then remove the black trim piece that surrounds the top of the filler neck revealing a single retaining machine screw on a flange around the filler opening - undo that, taking care not to drop it down the filler neck.
Moving underneath the van now, you need to arrange a jack and board to take the weight of the tank before undoing the three retaining straps (x6 torx). Unless you have a virtually empty tank you'll find it bulges when you drop the straps off, making it trickier to refit.
To the rear of the tank there is a large breather hose connected to a few plastic turn pieces. Disconnect those taking care not to lose the one that vents into the chassis rail.
Where the fuel filler neck turns up there are a couple of polystyrene inserts to remove and a single earth wire to unclip.
Now observe the flow and return fuel lines where they run from the front of the tank towards the engine. Look for the two quick disconnect fittings, identifiable on mine by blue and grey plastic inserts. They're fairly obvious. Lower the tank a small amount then disconnect the hard fuel lines by sliding the inserts out of the fittings: i.e. push the coloured plastic part to the side. Once disconnected the inserts are retained. Lowering the tank a little makes it easier to then pull the hard lines apart. The fittings are deceptively simple to unclip / clip once you see how they work.
The tank is now ready to lower down.
The fuel sender locking ring is a different size to the T1Ncan, if you need to get it off you'll manage it with some careful drifting with a non-too sharp tool (caution doing this in the obvious place - the tabs break off very easily).
The sender itself comes out without any trouble. My reason for taking the tank off was to install a dedicated standpipe for auxiliary heat, and you can see two places in the top of the tank where provision exists for this - one flat point at the very front and another flat point about midway along (you can see empty runs moulded into the tank designed for auxiliary fuel lines). I chose the midway flat as I could just reach inside to catch the swarf from hole cutting.
If you're wondering why I went to all this trouble... on my Euro5 2010 there is an additional unused outlet on top of the sender which teases you into thinking you might be able to just drill it open for a feed. It's just a cruel joke I'm afraid - there's no standpipe underneath it into the fuel, it just vents into the swirl pot.
With a warranty to protect for now I wasn't prepared to cut a factory fuel line (hmmm, actually I wouldn't have done that "warranty" or "not") so I was forced to install a dedicated standpipe. In the end it was no more work than if I had just done it in the first place instead of messing around trying to get the fuel through the imposter outlet on the sender.
First time you do it allow a couple of hours, reduce to fifteen minutes with practice!
Before you start you need to decide whether you are likely to need to remove the tank completely or just dropping it to the floor. Unlike the T1Ncan the NCV3's fuel filler neck is permanently fixed to the tank itself, so if planning on removal of tank you'll need to drive the van up onto some blocks in order to achieve the necessary clearance underneath to extricate the tank and filler neck. I'd recommend you do this anyway just for extra working headroom.
Next thing is to open the fuel filler flap and remove it. Then remove the black trim piece that surrounds the top of the filler neck revealing a single retaining machine screw on a flange around the filler opening - undo that, taking care not to drop it down the filler neck.
Moving underneath the van now, you need to arrange a jack and board to take the weight of the tank before undoing the three retaining straps (x6 torx). Unless you have a virtually empty tank you'll find it bulges when you drop the straps off, making it trickier to refit.
To the rear of the tank there is a large breather hose connected to a few plastic turn pieces. Disconnect those taking care not to lose the one that vents into the chassis rail.
Where the fuel filler neck turns up there are a couple of polystyrene inserts to remove and a single earth wire to unclip.
Now observe the flow and return fuel lines where they run from the front of the tank towards the engine. Look for the two quick disconnect fittings, identifiable on mine by blue and grey plastic inserts. They're fairly obvious. Lower the tank a small amount then disconnect the hard fuel lines by sliding the inserts out of the fittings: i.e. push the coloured plastic part to the side. Once disconnected the inserts are retained. Lowering the tank a little makes it easier to then pull the hard lines apart. The fittings are deceptively simple to unclip / clip once you see how they work.
The tank is now ready to lower down.
The fuel sender locking ring is a different size to the T1Ncan, if you need to get it off you'll manage it with some careful drifting with a non-too sharp tool (caution doing this in the obvious place - the tabs break off very easily).
The sender itself comes out without any trouble. My reason for taking the tank off was to install a dedicated standpipe for auxiliary heat, and you can see two places in the top of the tank where provision exists for this - one flat point at the very front and another flat point about midway along (you can see empty runs moulded into the tank designed for auxiliary fuel lines). I chose the midway flat as I could just reach inside to catch the swarf from hole cutting.
If you're wondering why I went to all this trouble... on my Euro5 2010 there is an additional unused outlet on top of the sender which teases you into thinking you might be able to just drill it open for a feed. It's just a cruel joke I'm afraid - there's no standpipe underneath it into the fuel, it just vents into the swirl pot.
With a warranty to protect for now I wasn't prepared to cut a factory fuel line (hmmm, actually I wouldn't have done that "warranty" or "not") so I was forced to install a dedicated standpipe. In the end it was no more work than if I had just done it in the first place instead of messing around trying to get the fuel through the imposter outlet on the sender.
First time you do it allow a couple of hours, reduce to fifteen minutes with practice!
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