Leak in my gas tank, my own fault!!!!

[ultravorx]

As you know i did the install on my MM for the amp. Tonight i had the dreaded gas smell. Yep, one of the screws poked thru the tank. I guess there is enough clearance on the deck closer to the seats, but the far end the gas tank sits butt right against it. So i took out my amp and the screw closest to the rear end smells like gas!!!!
So i stopped at autozone and got the metal repair kit that works for gas tanks until i bring it to a garaged to have the hole repaired. I think that the repair kit actually fully sealed up the hole cause there is no smell in the trunk, or in the rear tire well. But i still want it profesionally repaired. This really sux I had no idea that the rear of the tank sat so close to the rear deck like it does, looking from the tirewell it looks like its ok!
Anyone doing amp mounts on the upper rear deck, DO NOT screw into the metal learn from my stupidity and do it another way, even if it looks like you wont hit the tank you will! I had 2 other guys look before i drilled and i looked at least 6 times!!!
I should have epoxied a board to the metal then screwed into the metal thru the carpet. What a way to end my night!!!

Frank

P.s. while the gas tank is out, is there any mods/performance parts that can be installed while its all apart? I figure just to kill 2 birds with one stone if possible

[TAF]

Call Dennis...he has a fuel pump upgrade.

[Petrograde]

Dude,.. that sucks! Good advice Todd.

Tom

[MapleLeafMerc]

Thanks for the warning! Can you get a picture showing the offending screw hole?

[ultravorx]

Here is the first pic of the place NOT to screw into the deck. The area is where the whitish putty is.

[ultravorx]

another view

[ultravorx]

this is the ONLY area where it is say to screw. You can see the putty towards the rear. I just sealed up all the holes until the leak is fixed, to avoid any gas vapors getting into the car

[vegasmarauder]

I saw on a Crown Vic site or somewhere that Ford offers a template that shows where NOT to drill in the trunk area. Its used for installing police equipment in the trunks. It has a lot of other RED areas that conceal wires, fuel and brake lines etc. I will see if I can find it and have it scanned for everyone. Maybe a Ford dealer would have a copy of it.

[MapleLeafMerc]

Thanks ultravorx. I can see the hinge and subwoofer in the first pic and the second pic is a closeup, but I am not sure of the orientation in the third pic.

A diagram showing all danger areas would be useful, vegas.

[GordonB]

Question/Suggestion:
Is Construction Adhesive a viable alternative in place of screws in the trunk area, WHEN IN DOUBT?
GordonB

[RF Overlord]

This link is to a NHTSA safety bulletin on reducing risk of post-crash fires in police vehicles. Page 4 has a nifty template for equipment installers showing where you can and cannot mount stuff, and were it's safe to drill holes, and what kind of screws to use, etc.

[CRUZTAKER]

That truley does suck I must say that I have never done that!
Alot of amps over the years, but never hit one. I did however drill into catalytic converter once .....it was a rental car though. I installed thousands of cell phones in rental cars back in the 'in-car-phone' hayday of the late 80's.

I ALWAYS do a visual clearance and or test pilot holes that I plunge with an awl.

[jgc61sr2002]

ultravorx - Thanks for the heads up.

[RCSignals]

There is also a pull out equipment tray available, at least from after market suppliers (possibly ford as well) that is meant for CVPIs but may be functional for stereo equipment installs in our cars.

[MapleLeafMerc]

Thanks for the diagram RF