[timhamburg]

Hello,
I got me a beautiful 1996 L300 van, 2.4l petrol engine, 112hp, 2WD, and just learned that the fuel tank is starting to leak. The workshop guys (mitsubishi dealer/workshop) say they can't find a replacement, but if i was able to locate one they would use it. Not easy. So - are there any suggestions for suitable alternatives, or do you have a good used one lying around that you'd ship to Germany?
Thank you so much...

 

[blue_lemon]

Hi Tim,
here is a website called gumtree.com.au (similar to ebay) where you can find spare parts. Look for a L300 and you will find wreckers which offer spare parts from time to time. Then you have to call them and ask for deal. I guess it will cost you a little bit of money. You can also call car wreckers directly and ask. But my experience is that they don't take care for the fuel tank. I have been to some wreckers and could only see damaged tanks everywhere because they use the fork lift and smash the tank. If you call be prepared with the VIN (Vehicle number) because there are different types of tanks. Some L300 have the fuel pump in the tank (electronic) and some at the engine (mechanical).

Alternative: Have you tried to weld it ? I could imagine it's possible but maybe you should prepare everything really carefully because of the petrol. I have seen a farmer here done this with his ute thus you should ask a farmer, they might know how ;-)

Btw: Replacing the fuel tank is very easy. Maybe you don't have to go to a workshop if you want saving money. In case of an electronic fuel pump: Run the car, disconnect the power supply of the pump, the car will stall. Lift it up, disconnect the fuel gauge, (terminals for gauge and pump are at the tank) make sure that all hoses are undone, place a car jack with a timber under the tank, loosen 4 bolts and let the tank slowly off. The tank should be almost empty of course ;-) But a little bit of petrol will always leak out of the hoses or the tank. It sounds difficult but will take 15 min if you know how.

 

[timhamburg]

Hi Blue Lemon,

awesome, thanks a lot for the info. Mine is a 7107/472 P 00 W. I have found two L300s on ebay small ads where people say they sell parts, but it looks like they have taken out more obvious stuff and scrapped the rest including tank. For the time being i guess i will see to get the leakage covered somehow and just wait till a replacement comes up somewhere. If i find a suitable space to work on it, i might try follow your advice and do it myself.

We made 850 kms on 8.5 l/100km, so it can't be that bad yet. I guess i'll get a small reserve and not park it with a full tank for longer periods.

cheers, t.

 

[blue_lemon]

We made 850 kms on 8.5 l/100km, so it can't be that bad yet. I guess i'll get a small reserve and not park it with a full tank for longer periods.

That's an amazing consumption ! Have never heard driving this cars under 10l. But do you have a bigger tank or maybe two ? I know about capacities of 55l to 60l, 4WD have more but this is not the case you wrote. So make sure you find the right tank for your car and not a wrong one. Good luck !

 

[timhamburg]

Well, that was Autobahn, Munich-Hamburg, constantly 2.800...3.000 rpm, with just half an hour of stop&go jam. Maybe "Super95" (95 octane) fuel helped too. Also i think the tires where a bit harder than supposed at 2.5 (instead of 2.3). The tank itself takes the usual 50 or what litres, i would have to look it up.

 

[mstandingwolf]

Hi Blue Lemon,

awesome, thanks a lot for the info. Mine is a 7107/472 P 00 W. I have found two L300s on ebay small ads where people say they sell parts, but it looks like they have taken out more obvious stuff and scrapped the rest including tank. For the time being i guess i will see to get the leakage covered somehow and just wait till a replacement comes up somewhere. If i find a suitable space to work on it, i might try follow your advice and do it myself.

We made 850 kms on 8.5 l/100km, so it can't be that bad yet. I guess i'll get a small reserve and not park it with a full tank for longer periods.

cheers, t.

Have you thought about removing the tank, cleaning the inside and resealing it? Eastwood has great products for this. Your local auto parts stores probably carries similar products.

 

[timhamburg]

Have you thought about removing the tank, cleaning the inside and resealing it? Eastwood has great products for this. Your local auto parts stores probably carries similar products.

yeah, same here...

I talked to the workshop guy yesterday and asked if they could work out some intermediate fix for the time while i'm looking for a good replacement - he said it was difficult and he could take a picture of the situation for me. Anyway, that's the mitsubishi dealership where i took the car for a sound overall inspection. When i've seen the problem myself i'll maybe call up one or two other workshops with a reputation for more creative approaches / older vehicles and see what they say. I also found specialist companies that repair tanks, but it takes 3 or 4 weeks.

I've seen similar, two-component-things for repairing tanks - i could live with that - but for the time being, i don't have a proper space to work on the car (yet), and i want to drive it to southern Portugal in mid december and stay there for three months.

However, with the fuel economy as posted above (https://www.spritmonitor.de/de/detailansicht/1087401.html), i don't think it's a terribly urgent issue. i guess i spill more gas when i fill up my camping cooker.

 

[timhamburg]

Update: It seems the tank is leaking on top, where the thing to measure fuel level goes in, and starts to leak at the seam which is also on the upper bit of the tank. So it's probably ok as long as don't park it for days with a full tank.

for the record: In another forum i found an interesting website for japanese car parts: https://www.amayama.com/en

 

[timhamburg]

p.s.: happy end: drove to Portugal with the van in december and got the tank refurbished for 200€.