Petrol tank question

[DavidL]

My petrol tank is showing a bit of rust underneath, so I'm looking for a replacement.

Currently my engine is carburettor fed, but I might go the injection route in future.

Would I be better to source an injection tank now? I presume that the differences are limited to having an extra return pipe into the tank, but are there other differences? A return pipe could just be capped, but if there are more significant changes then I'd need to know in advance.

A look on eBay has come up with a couple of injection tanks, one for about £66 and free postage, another for £80 including postage; does anyone know of a cheaper source?

[kynastonp]

z

[DavidL]

Didn't realise that some Metros had a left side filler - my car's a Mark 3 so it's on the RHS anyway. I don't expect there to be any major differences in shape or orientation, since as far as I know, the first Rover Metros used basically the same floorpan as the last Austin Metros.

After that initial changeover, though, my knowledge is next to nonexistent.

[mikeeskriett]

I've never seen a filler on the passenger side even on a left hand drive shell very curious.

The original filler neck location caused a few problems including causing premature failure of the rear sub-frame mountings on the off-side which on the early cars was pretty nasty hence the modifications made to the mounting design early on.

The up till '89 the 5 door tanks are different from the three door and had better venting, the caps are different too they are marked on the back vented or non vented. All good fun getting the wrong cap you only get a few miles before the fuel pump can't draw fuel against a non vented cap.

Your other option would be a MG turbo tank.

[Rich]

It was the height of the filler that changed, not the side as far as I'm aware.

[mikeeskriett]

100% with you on that Rich.

It was when they began to tool up for the R6 Metro they started to fit the high level filler. For about the last 18 months of production of the A series Metro all sorts of R6 modifications and parts started being fitted to the shells the filler was about the first followed by things like a new roof panel moving the aerial up from the wing so if you had a late G reg car the offside wing was a pig to source without the aerial hole, revised rear panel/valance (deleting the body vents) and the wiring harness connectors all changed. I had a 1275 Auto on an H plate for a while and that had gone the whole hog with Rover Metro seats, roof, back valance, doors, door mirrors, sunroof, seat belts and wiring. It was hopeless to drive and all the kick down seem to do was make the engine louder for no appreciable difference in acceleration!

[stan1396]

I used a new metro tank when I did my K series conversion,that is the old one leaked after a while! I was in luck that my local motor shop had a new tank which had been returned,so he said I could have it at cost.As far as I can remember it fit Ok apart from the filler neck,which I had to shorten,but the new filler hose just went further down to link up. I seem to remember as well that I had to bend the seam out of the way on the front drivers side to get it to clear the subframe.As far as the pump feed an return pipes go,you could just block off the return,or fit an electric pump on a loop to utilise it on a carb feed.Hope this helps,Stan.

[AndyBeeson]

Hi, I too am in need of a new tank after filling the tank up full ready to go to the Stoneleigh show only to find the tank had rusted at the bottom! Fortunately I had my old Austin Metro to hand and was able to siphon off most of the fuel into the Metro.
My tank had been modified from new by a local garage to fit around the rear hydragas units. The weld seams were not great and apparently had been patched by the garage which I only found out about recently. Plus it hadn`t been painted so rusted through.
I was thinking about a stainless steel tank and getting one made up. Normal steel tanks I`ve seen on Ebay for around £69 + delivery but then I`d need to modify it and paint it and I`m worried it may be weaker as a result. I have found a place over at Biggleswade called Stotfold Engineering. Having phoned them up they were most helpful and could make up a tank to the exact specification. They make tanks for classic cars so a Midas shouldn`t be a problem. Of course the downside is the cost which would be about £400 upwards. Good if you want something to last but if you are on a budget then Ebay is probably the best way. I`m tempted to get a stainless steel tank. Has anyone put a stainless steel tank on their Midas? Stotfold Engineering said I would just need to take the old tank in to them and they would make a new tank up. Not sure how long they would take, depends on their work load I expect.
Anyway thought I`d mention it.

Andrew.

[Hans Efde]

I have the Metro turbo fuel tank in my Midas. It has a return because the turbo had an electric fuel pump. To prevent corrosion I have it sealed on the inside with a special epoxy treatment for fuel tanks. Luckily it was a new inside, so it will never rust. It is one of the more difficult items to source for a Midas unless you modify a fuel tank yourself.

[wolfie]

The fuel injected rover metro fuel tank has the sender unit on the top so you would need to make some kind of spacers to lower the tank