Check Fuel Tank Gaskets - Some deteriorate

[Heywood-Yablowme]

Of course I would incorporate a separating bulkhead from the driver,that would actually be more rugged than what we now have,which isn't much..

Not to mention how safe a proper fuel cell is over what comes stock.

[maverick1]

[quote="silver"]
I mentioned this in the seat removal thread but it pertains here as well.

depending how you plan on re-installing your firewall for me I need to remove the seats.

Initially I was scared to remove the seats cuz the recaro seat removal thread makes it sound impossible and a very long task

I used this part

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=94495

removed the seat in 10 minutes as I already had removed the 4 bolts for the center console, I just pulled that out first then removed the 4 seat bolts.  The 12 mm wrench from this cheap tool set works well for all 4 bolts with it's angles.

I have not put the seats back in yet..............so that may take me 3 hours   we'll see.
[/quote]
Are the bolts you are talking about the ones on the side of the Recaro seats? I attempted to remove my Recaro seats by removing the allen bolts at the bottom of the seat where it attaches to the rails, but gave up as they were very hard to reach.
Glad to hear there is an easier alternative.
How difficult was it to remove the center console?

[silver]

Yes you remove the 4 bolts on the side of the seat not the bottom of the rails the rails stay attached. The console came out fairly easy but the front bolts are hard to turn with my specific Allen wrench but not impossible

[maverick1]

silver, are you planning on re-riveting your rear bulkhead panel or are you going to tap the holes and use screws so you can access it if needed?
I just used some self tapping machine screws and I don't think it looks very good. I will at some point remove the panel and drill and tap the holes.

[silver]

no i'm installing riv-nuts in the firewall frame so that I can screw the firewall into them

riv-nuts are what's used on most of the car where you screw the bolt into the riveted nut.....only fitting that the firewall is installed that way too.

I didn't want to tap the holes b/c if you mess any up or any wear out then were would I be

[Karl]

[quote="silver"]
I didn't want to tap the holes b/c if you mess any up or any wear out then were would I be
[/quote]

... then you drill and tap for a larger thread.

Riv-nuts do sound like the correct solution.  However, with ~35 screws holding that firewall in place, none of them needs a lot of torque, so I think tapping the frame directly is just fine.

[silver]

I'm that guy that if one were needing to be tapped larger.........I could not handle having 1 larger or different screw then the rest which would cause me to retap all 35 holes.  Maybe a little obsessive compulsive on this

if a rivnut get's f'd up....punch it through and replace it, the hole in the roll bars will not deform due to a rivnut.

[Karl]

[quote="silver"]
I'm that guy that if one were needing to be tapped larger.........I could not handle having 1 larger or different screw then the rest which would cause me to retap all 35 holes.  Maybe a little obsessive compulsive on this

if a rivnut get's f'd up....punch it through and replace it, the hole in the roll bars will not deform due to a rivnut.
[/quote]

Another option is to weld a bolt head in place on the firewall... what's 34 screws compared to 35, really?

[silver]

If I had a welder and knew how to use one that would be awesome.

Instead all my mod's are done with a dremel, paint can, and drill.

[maverick1]

I like the idea of the rivnuts.
Are they installed just like normal rivets, with a standard rivet gun?

[silver]

no you have to have threaded insert gun or "riv-nut" gun


available at harbor freight for under 20 bux, then you have to buy riv-nuts avail from fastenal.com

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="silver"]
no you have to have threaded insert gun or "riv-nut" gun

available at harbor freight for under 20 bux, then you have to buy riv-nuts avail from fastenal.com
[/quote]

There are tools to convert a rivet gun to a riv-nut gun, but better to get a dedicated tool for the job.

BTW, McMaster part numbers:

95105A135 - ZINC−PLATED STEEL OPEN−END KNURLED RIVET NUT, 10−32 INTERNAL THREAD, .020"−.130" MATERIAL THK - $6.30/25
95105A139 - ZINC−PLATED STEEL OPEN−END KNURLED RIVET NUT, 10−32 INTERNAL THREAD, .130"−.225" MATERIAL THK - $7.86/25
96349A203 - WRENCH−DRIVE RIVET NUT INSTALLATION TOOL, FOR 10−24 & 10−32 THREAD SIZE - $29.16/ea
92949A267 - 18−8 SS BUTTON HEAD SOCKET CAP SCREW, 10−32 THREAD, 5/8" LENGTH - $9.91/100
94709A212 - NEOPRENE−BONDED 18−8 SS SEALING WASHER, NO. 10 SCREW SIZE, 1/2" OD - $13.07/100

I find McMaster is great (as long as you don't request a printed catalog) - everything is in stock and shows up the next day. I've never had success ordering from Fastenal.

[silver]

I have a fastenal 5 minutes away and they received the bag o parts in 1 biz day....maybe it helps to have a local one.

Fastenal also stocks every odd nut and bolt used on the atom......I wish I knew that 2 years ago.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="silver"]
I have a fastenal 5 minutes away and they received the bag o parts in 1 biz day....maybe it helps to have a local one.

Fastenal also stocks every odd nut and bolt used on the atom......I wish I knew that 2 years ago.
[/quote]

When I tried ordering from them just about everything was "not in stock at your local Fastenal", so I elected to set up an account and have all the parts shipped to me. They split the order into parts from a half dozen locations. After 2 weeks of nothing happening other than my credit card being charged, I contacted them by email / web / phone and got a variety of "we have no record of that" from each. I finally had to dispute the charge off my credit card bill.

Almost everything I order from McMaster ships from the same state I'm in and gets here the next day.

[silver]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
[quote="silver"]
I have a fastenal 5 minutes away and they received the bag o parts in 1 biz day....maybe it helps to have a local one.

Fastenal also stocks every odd nut and bolt used on the atom......I wish I knew that 2 years ago.
[/quote]

When I tried ordering from them just about everything was "not in stock at your local Fastenal", so I elected to set up an account and have all the parts shipped to me. They split the order into parts from a half dozen locations. After 2 weeks of nothing happening other than my credit card being charged, I contacted them by email / web / phone and got a variety of "we have no record of that" from each. I finally had to dispute the charge off my credit card bill.

Almost everything I order from McMaster ships from the same state I'm in and gets here the next day.
[/quote]

well that does stink but let's not create another tail light debacle