You have got to be kidding me.....oops

[Lord Warlock]

Every day is a new challenge, I'm sure some know the issues I deal with now, we'll ignore those for now.  Today I set out to fix one of the problems I've noticed with the car since I put gas in it, the smell of fuel leakage from underneath the tank, (front left corner of tank) Jacked car up on passenger side saw fuel leaking out of tank, lowered it, and decided to identify the issue, I had replaced the fuel inlet pipe to the new gas tank, and new seal, real pretty piece, but when you tighten the gasket that screws down around the pipe in the trunk, it was putting pressure on the fuel tube and causing some type of leakage.  I decided I would try out the original filler tube and see if it fit better, looks like crap since I had only ground the rust off the tube and didn't bother to paint it afterwards, still looks silverfish but nowhere near as "pretty" as the replacement I had on it.  

Anyway,  the original appears to be just slightly shorter than the replacement, the end of the original sits right inside the seal to the tank and doesn't look like its pinching anything, although I still haven't screwed down the rubber seal inside the trunk yet...have to decide a remedy to another problem.  Looks like it could possibly fix the smelly gas tank problem...IF I had only successfully installed without creating new problems.  As I was fitting the filler tube to the fender, and holding it in place with two fingers on one hand, I was trying to insert one of the three retaining screws that hold the gas cap in place...and one of them jumps out of my fingertips, and promptly falls directly down the filler tube...which is conveniently sitting in place on the tank...so now I have a small stainless steel screw rolling around inside my gas tank.  Since I replaced the sending unit complete with net/sock around the pickup filter, I am not that concerned about sucking up a screw, but it ticks me off that my fingers could betray me and fumble a screw just at the perfect time to make another problem.  

I have to grab one of the other screws and see if they are steel/magnetic or will stick to a magnet, I may be able to fish a magnet into the gas tank and see if I can get it back.  If it doesn't work, I will leave it in there for now, have no plan to drain the 15 gallons of gas, and drop the tank just to get one screw out.  

The problem I have is that since I'm going through Chemotherapy treatments one of the side effects i'm dealing with is numbness and tingling of the fingertips, can't always feel what i'm trying to pick up.  Makes picking up small items touch and go.  At least I was able to get the filler tube replaced to see if I'm still getting fuel smell in the garage.  I'm paranoid going out to smoke in my garage late at night when there are gas fumes floating around where I sit and watch tv out there.

Posting it just so everyone can get a laugh, i'm sure everyone has dropped a screw or two, just seems every time I start to make progress, I have to do something over again, the rebuild is taking forever.  Still targeting a Jan 1st drive date, have put a block on any other car project upgrades until the charger rolls under its own power again.  

[Troy]

I do that probably 50% of the time. If I'm holding a screw or some small part while standing at my workbench I'll never drop it. Leaning over a car - especially if the area around me is hot or moving - and I can hit the worst possible spot with incredible accuracy! And I'm like you - if it's not hurting anything I'm not disassembling half a car to retrieve it. Who knows how much I could mangle doing that!

Troy

[billssuperbird]

Been there and done that

[Lord Warlock]

as long as the rubber trunk tube seal isn't bolted down I get no gas fumes, if I tighten it down I do.  Took it back out flipped it upside down and put it back on but doesn't sit on top of the screw holes so will be "finessing" it some to get it to hang properly.  Inside the trunk, the black rubber thing that goes over the hole, which direction is it supposed to point? One side has tapering edges, I could have put it on backwards.  Guess i'll search a little. 

[b5blue]

  That's the kinda thing that happens to me all the time! Are the screws the correct "Tri-tip" security screws or just regular? (I may have an extra Tri-tip here.)   If magnetic you could put a magnet on the bottom of the tank to hold it in place.

[cdr]

this is how i did mine

[BLK 68 R/T]

I do that probably 50% of the time. If I'm holding a screw or some small part while standing at my workbench I'll never drop it. Leaning over a car - especially if the area around me is hot or moving - and I can hit the worst possible spot with incredible accuracy! And I'm like you - if it's not hurting anything I'm not disassembling half a car to retrieve it. Who knows how much I could mangle doing that!

Troy

I believe this (and most other dropped items) fall under one of those unwritten laws of physics by that one guy....what's his name again? Oh yea, Murphy!

[Lord Warlock]

I'm still looking for two sockets that dropped seemingly from the area of the ac dryer, and should have hit the ground are nowhere to be seen.  Brand new deep sockets are missing ..gotta find those, I'll need 1/2 and 9/16 again. 

Thanks for the trunk picture, looks like I was trying to mount the rubber thing backwards which may be why it isn't fitting right.  Gives me a simple thing to do tomorrow.  Bought a new trunk mat, was disappointed to find it wasn't thick rubber like the original was, I remember tossing the original a long time ago, had split in a few areas and was holding moisture in the trunk rather than letting it dry so took it out, but it was a thick rubber mat, not a felt lined piece with the grey pattern on it.  It will have to do though,  I'll fit the pipe thru the hole in that at the same time I take it out tomorrow. 

My car never had the tri tip screws I've seen posts about, mine were just plain phillips screws, pretty sure no one had ever removed the filler cap before me.  That panel was virgin and hasn't been touched up.  And I've had the car since it was only 9 years old.

[b5blue]

Yea I did a thing a few years ago, bought 100 screws and sockets to match for members here. (Sold for cost.) I think Trident screw is what they are called. My point was I know they are magnetic. I've found nuts and bolts resting in around my K member by the motor mounts in the past. They seem to find spots to nest nicely in the nooks and cranny's. A strong magnet taped on the end of a bit of coat hanger wire and raked where you can't see may help find the sockets. I put cardboard under the car most times anymore to help catch crap dropped.     

[Dino]

That was a few years ago?  Well now I feel bad, I only installed those special screws you sent me last August.   

[birdsandbees]

Well if they were supposed to be "stainless", they weren't so "special" if a magnet will pick them up! 

[Lord Warlock]

I remember a few years back when people were buying these tri screw kits, must have been something that only some cars came with, or maybe they came in cars that were built a little later than mine was, mine is a early build date of sept 04 1968. I'll keep you in mind, I may decide to put the special screws in just to keep people from walking off with the flip top cap. 

[cdr]

yep thanks again b5blue

[b5blue]

Your welcome all. Someone must have noticed what we did, now I see listings for 3 screws and the socket on eBay. L.W. that was the reason I searched and found the screws, I'd bought a new gas cap and didn't want it stolen. I think the factory got complaints of caps getting stolen off car lots. (?)

[Bronzedodge]

My bet for the sockets is on top of the frame rail, rolled back under firewall and is maybe trapped.   

[Lord Warlock]

I'll have to look for the sockets up on the frame rails when I get back from the holiday visits.  Engine harness is installed and all hooked up still not getting fire to plugs, but will figure that part out next week after the holiday visits are over.  May have to call in reinforcements if can't get it started myself.  Lots of little interior stuff to do or redo, was hoping to do that once I got it out front, plan on pulling seats out and rewiring the stereo speakers under the carpets, maybe shampooing the carpets as they have gotten dusty in last 10 years. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving with family.