Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Impossibly tight fit between fuel pump and tank

HornedToad

TJ Enthusiast
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Aug 12, 2020
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Utah
After spending four hours unsuccessfully trying to install the fuel pump into my new-to-me ebay fuel tank, I whipped out my big calipers and took the following measurements comparing the opening of my old tank with the new:

Old opening parallel w/ tank longways (5.593in):
old long 5.593.jpg


New opening parallel w/ tank longways (5.415in):
New long 5.415.jpg


Old opening perpendicular w/ tank (5.589in):
Old short 5.589.jpg


New opening perpendicular w/ tank (5.525in):
New short 5.525.jpg


So the new tank opening is 0.178in smaller longways and 0.064 smaller shortways which is a tremendous difference. I've tried everything short of using a 20-ton press (sarcasm) but I don't suspect the gasket would survive that anyway. Any advice from those who have successfully wrestled a fuel pump back in to a warped tank opening? Has anyone else observed this much variation in fitment with the fuel pump?
 
After spending four hours unsuccessfully trying to install the fuel pump into my new-to-me ebay fuel tank, I whipped out my big calipers and took the following measurements comparing the opening of my old tank with the new:

Old opening parallel w/ tank longways (5.593in):
View attachment 553270

New opening parallel w/ tank longways (5.415in):
View attachment 553271

Old opening perpendicular w/ tank (5.589in):
View attachment 553272

New opening perpendicular w/ tank (5.525in):
View attachment 553274

So the new tank opening is 0.178in smaller longways and 0.064 smaller shortways which is a tremendous difference. I've tried everything short of using a 20-ton press (sarcasm) but I don't suspect the gasket would survive that anyway. Any advice from those who have successfully wrestled a fuel pump back in to a warped tank opening? Has anyone else observed this much variation in fitment with the fuel pump?

It helped me to install the ring on by itself then heat everything up and then hurry up and install it with the pump on it,.use lots of grease too
 
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Thanks everyone for the advice. I’ll try heating it when I get home next weekend and report back.
 
I believe it was @mrblaine who mentioned that a long-dry gas tank (from a wrecking yard, perhaps) will drop right into a Savvy gas tank skid, while a recently used one will have to be shoved pretty hard. They grow and shrink.
 
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I believe it was @mrblaine who mentioned that a long-dry gas tank (from a wrecking yard, perhaps) will drop right into a Savvy gas tank skid, while a recently used one will have to be shoved pretty hard. They grow and shrink.
I can confirm this is absolutely the case with mine. The new tank dropped into my savvy skid easy peasy whilst the old one had to be wrestled out.
 
Can you stuff a deflated football in there, pump it up to desired size, stick it in the sun for a while.

Just thinking of the wall as direct heat can play some crazy, unsuspecting tricks.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts