How do you remove fuel tank on 1998 Honda accord?

Answer 1

Somebody who asked this question on a Honda forum said--'it looks like they built the car around the fuel tank'. that's about correct--it was a major safety improvement in '98 models.

the tank is between the body pan sheet metal and the subframe. Of course the exhaust system is in the way, the rear suspension attaches to the sub-frame so most of that has to get un-bolted, the rear brake lines have to be disconnected. This is not a task for the feint of heart or the poorly equipped back-yarder.

I'd suggest getting a workshop manual so you'll have all the terminology down when you realize that you may as well replace most of the bushings that will probably be dry rotted or worn through on the rear stabilizer bar, control arms, etc. The parts are inexpensive--your time is not.

To decide if you should tackle yourself consider that most of the fasteners will be rusted into chunks. So you'll need at least a hack saw or angle grinder or perhaps oxy-acetlyne tanks. (careful, you've got a gas leak, remember) the exhaust may as well get taken off at the front so you'll be working at a little safer distance from the gas vapors but please, don't be a hero here, try everything else before you fire up the torch. You'll also benefit from a hand impact driver, some 1/2" drive impact metric sockets, 4 jack stands so you can get at the muffler loose up front, a good floor jack, possibly a transmission jack or something to lower the tank with, maybe a 'pickle fork' to separate the fused suspension connections.

It's pretty straight forward once you see the subframe outline against the body panel--there are 4 big honking bolts that retain the subframe to the body after the list of stuff above has been un-done. The fuel filler neck gets removed of course and the sending unit under the panel in the front of the trunk gets the connector un-done. with that subframe dropped you can get at the tank mounts and finally you're about to see where she was leaking, take her to a radiator shop for repair or order a new one if Mr. Rust has taken permanent residence inside.

hope this helps.

If you are replacing the fuel pump look for an access panel inside the car and you may not even have to remove the fuel tank.