Fuel tank IMPLODE issue: which valve is stuck bad?

Going through this right now. Starting car for the first time in over 3 months this week after replacing all coils, all injectors, all intake manifold gaskets (upper and lower), heat exchanger and cooling hoses. If I still have the codes after this....I can't even speculate on what I'll do.

 

That is really good news dude.

 

next is spark plug, compression and leak down test, camshaft posiition sensors,

 

Oh yeah, plugs were done too...was half tempted to swap the phase sensors while I had the intake off but i guess it will be way easier the second time if it comes down to it...but I sure hope it's done. Those manifold gaskets were pretty ugly.

 

update:

Drive the car normally and suddenly, the car lost 4 cylinders. I thought something wrong with the fump pump initially. So I keep driving for about 3 -5 miles and suddently the engine just stopped. I realized that I probably don't have any fuel any more. To confirm this, I got my buddy bring me 10 liters of fuel and bang! the car fires up normally and I drove back home.

Why didn't I observe the fuel level and get gas accordingly? As you know, i don't have a good reading on the fuel level, it always shows 3 or 2 bars no matter how much fuel is there. I suspect the float was stuck somewhere because of the tank deformation. So next day i tried to set free the float indicator so that I can get an accurate fuel level reading ,to make the car fully functional despite of its physical damages.

I opened the tank's top and the fuel pump pops a little, I tried to get the fuel pump out, no avail. I used my phone camera to look down, guess what, the pump was not only stuck there, but physically damaged, although still functional.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I deemed it impossible to get the float free, I give up.
So I was like, you know, just put it back and live with it, wait for the pump to fail, then i can replace the pump and the tank all together.
That plan seemed perfect, until I realize its almost impossible to press the pump back to the tank. The 2x long rods that prop the whole pump was kinetically bent by the deformed tank wall. When I release the kinetic energy by freeing the pump somehow, it was impossible for a human being to bent it back to position.

solution: get rid of the rods! I reach my hands deep into the tank, unclip the 3 clips that secure the actual black pump to the outer white plastic, and pull the rod out. Now the pump's top can rest easily on the tank opening, whatever angle I like.

Put everything back. I have a perfect car again, bar the damaged lower outer white plastic, deformed tank and stuck float.

In the mean time, I can go to a junk yard in hong kong and find my 2nd-hand tank. LOL.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

i wonder if there's a fire hazard, because inside the tank, there are metals to touch each other and possible frictions when car's moving.

 

Have you considered seeing if the tank can be reformed via compressed air? Firg ive me. Ifmit was mwntioned. I havent gine back to reread the thread.

 

Have you tried to use a suction cup to pull the tank outward?

 

suckion cup: i thought about it, but i think its really chancy. If the aluminum got cracked in the process, i'd have to replace the fuel tank and the car is immediately parked.

compressed air: same as above.

What do you think? Cracking is a real possibility, right?

 

Maybe try using something like these. They're inflatable panel bags. Empty the tank, load it with a few blocks of wood to take up some space, insert bag and slowly inflate.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

where can I buy this? What is this thing originally intended for?

 

It's just a guess but if it collapsed with probably 20 inches of vacuum on it....putting pressure into it to reform it would be your best bet.

That said you don't want to use shop air for this activity. Ideally you want to start with an empty tank and use nitrogen or another inert gas to apply the pressure. My guess is that the major collapsed areas will reform but not completely. In theory ....it will only take 9-10 psi to reform the tank (calculating that an equivalent pressure to the vacuum that caused the collapse will expand the tank). I'm less concerned about it leaking as long as you don't put too much pressure in the tank. Think beer can.

A small nitrogen tank with a dual stage gauge would do the trick. This combo is sold to fill tires. Although I would probably change out the hand held pressure gauge to one that could read lower pressure.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Search eBay: Inflatable Shim Car Air Pump Wedge

 

You have full coverage insurance? Problem solved

 

not for too long does my RH gas pump goes bad. so i have to yank the engine and replace 2x tanks!!!!

side by side comparison with a used good tank and my deformed ones
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That is amazing. I never in a hundred years would have thought that could happen. Thanks for taking so much time to share this.

 

+1
Yes, thanks for sharing. Intriguing for me since I work in an industry where this happens due to incorrect valve operation sequencing.

 

Hi everyone,


Unfortunately, I had the same issue, both my fuel tank also collapsed, it was possible to “reshaped” to original form my pressurizing the tank.

It looks like the root cause is also the two canister purge valve, in my cause not a faulty valve but lack of voltage, it’s normally close and when energise with 12V it will open.

I’m look for a faulty relay or an electrical issue because it receives only 10V, can anyone help me, identifying electrical power source of these two valves.

Thanks

 

So now I'm confused. It the valves failed in the closed positions (due to lack of voltage)
I expected the manifold vacuum to be isolated from the fuel tanks.
So how then would the implosion be the result?

I need to take my meds.