Hey guys.....

I know I've posted about this before, but I've found out some new info. My Vette as you all know is a 1977. As you all know in 1977 you had a bladder assembly. The bladder was like an early fuel cell.... if you got into an accident and the tank cracked, the rubber bladder was able to withstand the weight of the fuel and hold it in. However after almost 28 years, and 600 gallons of fuel, the RUBBER bladder has become brittle, and setiments lay int he bottom. The bladder filled the ENTIRE inner side fo the tank, and then came out the hole, and formed a gasket in which you used as the gasket to attache the 1 piece sending unit onto the tank. Well, that part of the gakset is ripped, and pieces are missing so epoxy is not going to help here.

I picked up some gasket maker silicone, and a pack of gass-resistant gasket making material at autozone. The gasket material is too small, and I cna;t make the gasket. The only other roll they have is non-gas resistant. I have called:

Napa
Pep Boys
AutoZone
Checkers Auto
Charelston Auto Parts (Car Quest)
And a few trucking comapnies...

No one seems to have gakset material big enough, and that bladder needs to come out.
A few places told me they would open the tank, clean it,a nd 'professionally' seal it, and make me a gasket for the sending unit to the tank.
They want like $150+
A new tank is about $200.

I found a guy taht will throw it in a boiler, and clean it up, and then if I made the gasket, he would form an air tight seal around it, for $60. I know Auto Zone has a sealing kit for like $60. But now I see another problem. A gentleman as Corvette Central pointed to my attention a bolt that is in the gas tank, and under the bladder. I have listed an image from the 1977 Corvette Assembly manual for you to see what I'm talking about:
So I guess my final questions are:
1) Can I safely remove the bladder without harming the steel tank
2) Cant he steel tank handle the gas without rust, or corrosion
3) Is that bolt safe with the bladder removed
4) What can I use, where can I get a gasket for the sending unit - to - tank assembly?

I already tired numerous Chevy dealers, even ones known for Corvettes, and several specialty stores. Called Eckelrs, Corvette Central, MId America, ECT...

Thanks guys,
-Louis

P.S. What good is my $20,000 with no gas tank?

new77guy38700.836712963

The bolt (#4 "screw" in pic) is one of the ones that hold the sender to the tank. You'll have to take all of them out to get the bladder out, anyway. There is only one shown in the assy. manual pic., because they just don't show every fastener needed. Just an example is good enough for the assy. line workers.

You can certainly use the tank without the bladder, as long as it is clean inside.

The non-bladder type fuel tanks in the '74-older cars had only a cork gasket to seal the filler neck to the tank, and it is not a very thick cork, at that. When you say the gasket material is "too small", what do you mean? Not wide enough to fit the hole?

WOw Joel,

Thanks for clearing that up.. yes, they all have a square type of material, it almost fits, but the whole is oval, and it doesn't quit reach the sides, or top/bottom correctly...

 

I get a roll of gasket material(cork or paper) at NAPA, Carquest, AZ, etc. It comes in different lengths and widths. A whole roll is only around $5-$10, depending on what size I need. Measure the l & w of the hole, and get a roll that is wide enough. I have some that I think is 12" wide, on a 3'-4' roll. I can check tommorrow and see what I have.
You might check at NAPA, if you have one in your area, 'cause they sell a lot of stuff to truck shops.

I have a roll, 18" wide, X 36" long, from CarQuest, made by Victor Gasket Co. Should be available at Napa, etc.