Bad bladder ??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 133
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From: smithtown NY
Bad bladder ??
My buddy's '75 vert has the symptons of a bad or loose tank bladder. I read on an earlier thread that the tank capacity will go way down, and the gauge will become inaccurate. Whats involved with dropping the tank ? Do the mufflers have to be removed, or can they just be pushed to the side. Does he need a new tank, or can he just rip out the bladder?? Thanks.... :confused:
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,166
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From: Las Vegas NV
Re: Bad bladder ?? (johnnyc)
This is the thread that I started last week.
Good luck!!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=310456
Good luck!!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=310456
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Re: Bad bladder ?? (johnnyc)
Welcome to the "Yes-your-'75-'77-fuel-tank-bladder-is-club". Similar to your "Yes-your-'73-'82-will eventually-need-it's-urethane-bumpers-replaced-club :lol:
The bladder can be removed easily, then your tank will be just like a '70-'74 set-up. Straight forward, cut the bladder just below where it "makes a gasket" for that removable access panel-lift fuel tank sending unit carefully or should I say CAREFULLY!!! It does sometimes get caught under the "collapsing" bladder resulting in breakage of the pick-up/sending unit. Very, very expense unit to replace. Did this to my '75 back in '94, been great ever since!!! :yesnod:
The bladder can be removed easily, then your tank will be just like a '70-'74 set-up. Straight forward, cut the bladder just below where it "makes a gasket" for that removable access panel-lift fuel tank sending unit carefully or should I say CAREFULLY!!! It does sometimes get caught under the "collapsing" bladder resulting in breakage of the pick-up/sending unit. Very, very expense unit to replace. Did this to my '75 back in '94, been great ever since!!! :yesnod:
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
Re: Bad bladder ?? (Paul Borowski)
Paul is too modest to tell you he wrote an article on the subject that was published in the NCRS publication (was it the Restorer? :lol: )
I found it quite amusing that they would publish an article that basically detailed a.... well, let's face it, effective but Bubba fix. Certainly wouldnt qualify as restoring to factory original condition!! :lol: MJ
I found it quite amusing that they would publish an article that basically detailed a.... well, let's face it, effective but Bubba fix. Certainly wouldnt qualify as restoring to factory original condition!! :lol: MJ
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,455
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Re: Bad bladder ?? (MNJack)
I found it quite amusing that they would publish an article that basically detailed a.... well, let's face it, effective but Bubba fix. Certainly wouldnt qualify as restoring to factory original condition!! :lol: MJ
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Las Vegas NV
Re: Bad bladder ?? (Paul Borowski)
I found it quite amusing that they would publish an article that basically detailed a.... well, let's face it, effective but Bubba fix. Certainly wouldnt qualify as restoring to factory original condition!! :lol: MJ
Mark, Bubba fix??? I look it at just a "plain modification" to remedy a problem. I classify a "Bubba fix" as something like a non-mechanical person might do. When I do a "modification", as I've done several, it almost always looks factory and people scratch their heads wondering if it was'nt :lol:
A "Bubba" fix would have involved coating the exterior of the bladder with the cheapest silicone and hoping it would stick it to the tank. Then having the same problem in a few months when you relize that the fumes from the gas have attacked the cheap silicone and made it not stick. :crazy:
I do not feel that it is a "Bubba" fix if you have no other way to fix the problem. From what I have found, no one is reproducing gas tanks or bladders for the 75-77 cars. :nonod:
The other alternative was to replace it with a older tank, sending unit, etc which would probably cost $500-$700.
Then you have an older set up in a newer car.
"Bubba" would have been buying a $99.00 drag race fuel cell from Summit and strapping it to the underneath of the car.
A modification that is not stock and factory correct does not automatically make it a "Bubba" fix. As long as the quality and workmanship are there and it does not look like a hacked up job, it is an effective solution.
I can guarentee you that if anyone looks at my car they could not tell that the bladder has been taken out. I would imagine that when Paul made this modification, you can not tell that the bladder is taken out of his car either. :cheers: :lol: :lol: :cheers:
