I've got a leak coming from the front/top/right of my fuel tank, hose or sending unit seal I think. What is the procedure for dropping the tank? Has anyone done this that can lay it out for me. The car is a 72 Dart Swinger /6. Thanks.

If you think it is coming from the hose or sending unit, look carefully. Sometimes the hose barb, where it attaches to the plate of the sending unit comes loose.

Droping the tank isn't as complex as it seems, just undo the vent hoses, the fuel pressure line (make sure you hold onto the metal hose barb then pull the hose off so you don't cause any uneeded stress to it), remove the sending unit wire, then the tank straps and it should drop. Careful it doesn't smack you on the way down. It may not fall out of its place and require some persuasion.

Make sure there isn't too much fuel in the tank when you do this as the added weight makes it a bit harder.

Where do I access the vent hoses, sending unit wire and fuel pressure line from, before I drop the straps?

Sending unit is located on the side of the tank facing the front of the car.
The sending unit wire comes right out of the sending unit, next to the fuel hose. The vent hose(s) depend on the year, I'm not sure where the brakedown is. Either you have 4 of them coming out of hte left side of the tank near the back of the left wheel well, or you have a single vent hose just above the sending unit. I can't remember where the bolts (one per strap) for the straps are. Just follow the straps end to end and you should spot it.

The hoses just have worm gear clams on them, you just loosen the screw. The wire pulls straight off.

Thanks Pierre.

You may not need to drop the tank if the leak is near or at the sending unit. It could be a bad rubber hose between the tube that comes out of the sending unit and the beginning of the fuel line above it- or as said above could be the actual sending unittube. You can get to the hose and the sending unit itself by jacking the car up securely. Best to remove the right rear wheel for access. you should be able to tell if the rubber has deteriorated and replace, or if it's the sending unit, tap it out counterclockwise after you take the hose off and pull the wire off and put another one in. Much easier than dropping the tank and you'd probably just end of replacing these items anyway.

Thanks noisy; Thats what I found. Got under there and the leak is from what looks like a small square reinforcement patch. There are two of them, at either side, on the lower front edge of the tank. The one on the right side has a leak. All the other connections, sending unit, etc, look fine. I am going to try to wire wheel the area down to bare metal, clean well, and apply some tank sealer.

There were a couple of removable clips on the two rubber fuel lines at the sending unit. They both have a long (3") tag or marker attached to them. Never seen those before. Anyone know what they are?

Any chance that was your ground strap that is broken/rusted in half?

I checked the strap Craig, everything is good there. The moist area is right around this small square patch looking thing and has cleaned off the undercoat in that area.

I think your tank had leaked previously and the square reinforcments
are patches. I would expect the tank to be paper thin all around the
new leaks and patched areas. Using a wire brush or grinding wheel
would probably break through the tank - also the area where the
undercoat is missing is the gasoline disolving it - So using a wheel
is a dangerous idea as the sparks and gas are a bad combination.

A radiator repair shop can boil out and repair the tank or a new
one is a more permanent fix.

Amen, relic -lover!
I bought a new tank from some manufacturer in Canada for my '66 Cuda. As I recall, it was about $150. Not bad, at least it was still available.

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'66 Cuda 225/4spd
'66 Dart GT convertible 225/auto
'64 Dart GT 340/4spd

Ditto on the sparks

Jerry

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.