How to replace a coolant tank in under 2 hours
 

Well I tackled the job last night. I used a little creativity and was able to get the tank out in under a half hour and the job complete in just under 2 hours. I will post a thread tonight if I can with a detailed description on how I did it with pictures. To give you the short version, I kept reading how the hardest part was getting it out. Since I knew the part was bad and there is no reason to try and salvage the part, I decided to cut it out with my dremel. I basically cut it down to the one tube that goes through the firewall which made removing the oil tube and hoses SO much easier. After that the tube I cut down was exposed and a snap to remove. Used the screw type clamps to reinstall and knocked it out pretty quick. The one downfall is I noticed my oil fill tube was cracked so picking that part up today and bleeding the system tonight.

Well done, very impressive... you saved yourself $500 or so

That sounds like an innovative approach to replacing the tank.

David ,
Thanks for highlighting the cracked oil filler tube. Some of us(Me too!) get so obsessed with the complexities and frailties of this engine that we forget an elusive oil & vacuum leak can be a simple as a cracked oil-filler tube !
Exactly where did it crack ? That would be a great help to others. Any idea what caused the crack ? Now you have examined it, is the tube brittle (from heat?) or is it impact damage ?
The coolant tank destructive dismantling- creative ! But I guess replacement procedure will not be the reverse of the removal process :-).
Excellent work - thanks for sharing.
Related:
http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/56299-coolant-tank-hell.html
http://986forum.com/forums/diy-project-guides/50261-another-coolant-tank-replacement-diy.html

It was in the middle of the flex tube. It could have been me that did it but it looked very worn and deteriorated when I took it out. I was suprised that even before the crack that I wasn't experiencing some sort of oil leak. I will include a picture of it when I post it later tonight.

mine is cracked as well. apparently close to where it goes into the engine.
Took it in for a oil change yesterday and the mechanic told me that is where the oil was coming from. they quoted me $1200 to replace it. I think I will tackle it myself.

Also, my mechanic said the oil filler tube was notorious for cracking and breaking.

Well, I kept visualizing my Sawsall in my hand, but your approach is more elegant. I already had a new oil filler hose so didn't want to sacrifice that part. I look forward to seeing your write up.

DIY Coolant Tank Under 2 Hours
 

The idea was to make the job a lot easier and cut down the 5 hours it usually takes to do the coolant tank replacement. First off, make 100% sure your tank is bad because once you start there is NO going back. Time to take the tank completely off is under 30 minutes (depending on your dremel skills) and it took me almost 1 1/2 hours to put the new tank back in. You ARE going to bust some knuckles and rub your arm raw while in the engine compartment putting the tank back in. Here you go.

Step 1. Prep the job by removing the carpet, oil dipstick, caps and plastic ring around the rim of the tank. You will also want to drain the tank as in picture 1. I did it by drilling a small hole near the bottom so it makes less of a mess during the job.

Step 2. Remove the hoses form the outside of the tank that goes in to the black bracket where the fixed oil fill tube is that goes through the coolant tank.

Step 3. As seen in picture 2, cut the tank off near the firewall. Be careful not to hit any of the wires or oil fill tube. I used a dremel with a drill bit which cut right through it and gave it some reach.

Step 4. Remove the screws holding in the tank and the two nuts where the filler tube is. Remove the tank by lifting up and clean up the coolant that spills out.

Step 5. Using the dremel again with the drill bit, cut around the main tube that goes through the firewall as seen in picture 3. remove the cut off pieces and pull out the bracket with the oil filler tube enough to remove the remainder of the tank piece still attached.

Step 6. Gently pull on the oil fill tube bracket and remove the 3 hoses with a pair of curved needle nose pliers. You also want to move the clamp holding the oil fill tube on the inside of the firewall and remove the tube from the black bracket.

Step 7. After removing the black oil fill tube and hose bracket you will have easy access to the main tube that came from the tank that is now cut down to a small piece. Remove the cut off piece from the hose and you are left with what you see in picture 4.

Step 8. Now that the tank is removed you need to swap the sensor and attach the new tank and black oil fill tube bracket back in the car. I did this by aligning the hoses as well as i could and attach the bracket with the 2 nuts on loosely (don't forget to put on new screw type clamps and remove the factory clamps). I started with the main tube from the tank and tighten the clamp. Next move to the three hose starting with the top one and work your way down. the bottom hose has no clamp so save it for last.

Step 9. Finally completely fasten the tank and bracket on inside the trunk. This will make it easier to attach the oil fill tube from the engine.

Step 10. Slowly fill the tank till it is at the max level ,as in picture 5, and then bleed the system.

You are now done. Make sure to inspect your flex oil fill tube that goes from the fixed tube attached to the engine and coolant tank. Mine was severely cracked and needed replacing too. Shown in picture 6 as requested.


pic 1
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic11426713874.jpg

pic 2
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic21426713913.jpg

pic 3
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic31426713956.jpg

pic 4
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic41426713976.jpg

pic 5
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic51426714002.jpg

pic 6
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/pic61426714026.jpg

I also posted this in the DIY section so hopefully it can help some other people out.

Brilliant post! Thanks from everyone who has yet to tackle this job! :)

Very clever! No point in carefully removing a part that is going to be replaced anyway.

On the other hand, I am not known for cleverness and routinely destroy parts during dis-assembly - but they are usually parts that I need to reuse!

I would have gone nail gun for step 1- drain tank. But I'm brutish.

Thought I'd give this a bump as its coolant season. I did this over the weekend and had my tank out in an hour or so back in was about two hours finding the hose that leaked because I used too big a clamp added another hour.
Note I didn't have a dremel but I found a pair of side cutters and a drill bit worked great. Also a small 1/4" drive ratchet really made the reinstall easier.

It is? :cheers: