How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Fuel Tank?
The fuel tank, responsible for storing the vehicle’s fuel, is mounted near the bottom of most vehicles.
This tank is filled with fuel via its fill spout, which essentially connects to the fuel tank filler neck equipped with either a release or check valve, allowing the fuel to go inside of the tank and replace any air inside. When no air is left, the pressure inside sends a signal to the fuel pump to stop sending fuel. As the fuel fills, the float, which reads the levels, will adjust and send the fuel level signals to your dashboard.
Car fuel tank replacement cost
The cost of replacing a car’s fuel tank will depend on the car you drive and the mechanic/dealer you take it to. From our research, if you were to hire a professional, the costs, including parts, will range anywhere from as little as $250 to more than $700 to replace just the tank. The price can be as high as $1,000 if the mechanic were to replace the fuel tank with a new pump and sending unit.
Failure rates, most of the time, will greatly vary on your environmental factors as salt, sand, humidity and water can all impact a fuel tank, eventually leading to some sort of corroding. While many vehicles today use a plastic tank, the integrated components can still fail. The fuel tank on its own, without any professional labor, can cost about $100 to $300 for just the part and another three hours for labor, which depending on the local average, can be another $300+.
At Advance Auto Parts, for example, the top-selling steel fuel tanks . The fuel tank part, in general, will depend on the material and the manufacturer. Tanks, according to , are commonly made of plastic, polyethylene, metal, polyurethane, steel, and galvanized steel. Fuel tanks made from steel and metal are going to cost less than one made from plastic or polyurethane.
The symptoms of a bad fuel tank
In most cases, the “check engine” light will almost always turn on if there’s a failed EVAP system test. This trouble code, when read by an auto parts store or mechanic, will signify the fuel tank itself is, indeed, the problem.
In some vehicles, a slight “popping” sound can be heard when the leak detection pump, located inside of the tank, continuously tries to pressurize the tank but is unable to.
A fuel tank leak, if present, can cause a rough idle, difficulty starting the engine and/or noticeable poor fuel mileage.
Even if a fuel tank has rusted or corroded on the inside, RepairPal notes you won’t be able to see this damage, if present, from the outside of the tank. As the fuel tank rusts, flakes or related debris will fall into the fuel, causing the problems mentioned prior.
Can I drive when I have a bad fuel tank?
It’s not a good idea to drive if you assume you have a faulty fuel tank. Why? The debris, corrosion or rust, which can fall into the tank, will make it way further into the vehicle’s fuel delivery system, causing even more costly problems if you were to continue to drive. Until the fuel can be filtered, avoid driving at all expense.
Diagnosing the problem
To detect a leak in the fuel tank, a mechanic will first close the purge and vent valve and monitor it with a tool known as a fuel tank pressure sensor. While reading the results, if the pressure drops, even when both valves are closed, this will mean there is a leak in the system. If the pressure holds the way it should, then it means the system doesn’t have a leak and the next step is often checking the fuel sensor and valves to see if these parts are in working order.
The repair process
Once the fuel tank is confirmed as the problem part in question, the car will be hoisted and the fuel pump fuse will be removed. When removed, the engine will be started to help relieve any tank and fuel system pressure and the battery cable will be disconnected.
Placing a container beneath the tank, the mechanic will then start draining the tank, usually using a siphon pump. Once the tank is fully drained, the fuel lines, if necessary, will be removed.
When the tank is deemed as empty as it can be, all of the components, including the old fuel tank, hoses, clamps, straps, bolts, screws and anything else connected to the tank, will be removed to free the fuel tank from the vehicle’s undercarriage. While all vehicles are somewhat the same in the part setup, some models, for example, may need the suspension dropped in order to remove the tank because it is too high.
Once the fuel tank is freed, the new replacement tank will be installed in reverse order with all of its components in reverse order.
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