I removed the hatch carpet, and got a suprise. A previous owner has cut a square out of the floorpan above the fuel tabk to get access to the sender unit. And then has placed the cut metal back over the whole and has used some kind of silicone or RTV to seal it. There was a topic about this a while back, and I just wanted to know how bad is this for the structural integrity of the car? Has anyone got any ideas on how to clean it up, or maybe leave a hatch there, but making it secure as to not weaken an already weak chassis?

 

I'd say that hole will in now way affect structural integrity. I might pull the metal plate and either cut a nice rubber gasket and use dzus fasteners or seal and rivet it in place. Think of how easy it will be to swap your fuel pump when it dies

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Rob P
89RSconvtZZ4TPI Edelbrock Intake
SLP Dual Cold Air Intake 1 5/8" Headers Semi-Siamesed Runners, IROC
suspension, alum shaft. Numerous mods.
92Z28convt5spd (stock)
71Impala convt 402BB
BETTER DRIVING THRU SUPERIOR HORSEPOWER!

 

i'd say the hole will have a bearing on the strength in the area of the hole. if it were me and i was worried about it i'd build a "frame" out of angle and weld it to the floor around the hole. that would be stronger than the original floor then you caould rivit the patch back over it and seal it with a gasket or RTV.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

Lars,

You could make a new cover plate, larger than the existing hole. Using a brake or flanging tool, offset the edges of the cover plate to give is some strength and rigidity. Cut a neoprene gasket, or use a high silicone sealer, then fasten it in place with blind rivets, Dzus fasteners, or clip nuts and bolts (not sheet metal screws). If the hole isn't cut squarely in the floor pan you may want to "clean it up" a bit first. Try not to use stainless or aluminum to make teh cover plate, since the dissimilar metals could start a galvanic reaction there and rot out the floor pan in short order.

The strength of the floor pan in that area is not as critical as the section under the passenger compartment, and probably isn't compromised unless the hole was cut very large. A 200 x 200 hole probably wouldn't make a lot of difference.

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Later,
Vader
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Justice and Freedom will Prevail

 

Hello my fuel pump just died and I thought about doing the same thing! do you haver any way of telling me where the cut was made and how big the cut was? A pict would be a big help and how did you pull the carpet up anyway? I need to know because I plan on doing this job myself, please e-mail me I need this info bad. thanks BBC

e-mail bcolei91@yahoo.com

 

personally i think it is fine to do this, but i feel it should be done better

it later model cars they have actually done this to aid in the pump removal

Also i WOULD NOT reccommend doing this until you have the tank OUT OF THE CAR....you dont want to cut the hole and some kind of spark go off.


just not a good idea