I purchased an 85 Jaguar xj6 vanden plas and it hasn't beed drivin very much the last couple of years. The original owner told me that the end of last year, the noticed gas dripping from the back of the car and of course the tank is empty now. I open the filler cap and there was pressure in the tank do to the rush or air in when I opened it. I know I will need to pull them out but how? Are there any common issues with this model having them leak fuel from the tank?s Any help is appreciated.

 

Leaks from the tank itself are unusual in my experience, it is normally one of the connecting pipes, as there are several rubber pipes connecting the steel pipe feed and return sections. Each tank has a pipe running inwards to the petrol pump, consisting of a short steel section connected with short rubber pipes and clips. Then there are the return pipes running into the front of the tanks at the back of the wheel arches similarly.

The petrol tanks are removed from below. You first have to take off the quarter panels below the bumper wrap-rounds. As I recal from doing it, I had to take off the main bumper, plus the 1/4 bumpers, (the wrap-rounds) as these also have to come off to get at the bolts. You will likely struggle to get these panels off, as the various screws and bolts will be rusted up, but persevere! There is a series of screws on the inner edge, nuts and bolts along the top edge, (hidden by the 1/4 bumpers), and three on the back face of the wheel arch, normally also hidden by underseal and crud.

As I recall, there are a number of fixing bolts on the tank itself, including one that is screwed in via the side of the exhaust silencer passage, so this too, really needs to come off.

However, it may not be the tank, but the rubber pipes on the feed or return pipes. It might be worth taking off the 1/4 panels then pouring about 1/4-1/2 a gallon of fuel in to see where it comes out, (having placed a bowl ready to hand to catch it !!). Don't smoke or use electric machinery nearby whilst doing this, as petrol vapour is heavier than air and can drift away to a source of ignition remote from the car.

You can spend many a "happy" hour on your back in this area !