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-   -   Fuel Tank Depression (Dent) in Esteem (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/66400-fuel-tank-depression-dent-esteem.html)

Dear all,

I own a Maruti Esteem 2001 Vx , a year back i noticed a depression in my fuel tank,

This problem agrevated when my car would fail to start in a single start in morning or would all of a sudden stop in between when ever i passed a speed braker, this was due to the depression the fuel used to get accumulated on the sides of the tank providing minimum level in centre for pump suction

I got the tank overhauled, got the dent removed at a local mechanic;also notice the fuel pump line bent, he checked the breather line for any choke but found none, finally boxed up and problem resolved

However by the time i was back home and parked my car, out of curosity just checked the tank noticed the dent again

Now as the mechanic suggested i am planning to put some rods in the tank to maintain the shape of the tank

I need your advise, whether it is feasable to weld rods in the tank

Please helpplease:

Rather than putting a rod inside, i would suggest put a skid plate. But i seriously you need to get your driving style checked. i have driven an esteem for 4 years and i have never heard of anything like that. Please go easy on speed brakers.

Pramod

My M-800 had the same problem & it was rectified by blowing some high pressure air into the tank. The tank just blew itself back to shape like a baloon. I doubt this will fix the esteem tank though.

Replace the tank if it cannot be fixed.

Thanks for the Inputs Pramod and Esteem lover

However i would like to know by welding some iron rods on either side of the tank cover would not create any damage to my tank

EsteemLover could you please emphasize on Skid plate, it would be of great help

Thanks

Instead of losing your sleep over this, I suggest you replace the fuel tank once for all. May be a relatively expensive option but will give you peace of mind for sure.

Guys I was under the impression that all maruthi petrol tanks are made of Plastic. Is my assumption wrong. I beleive thats the reason why esteem lover's M800 tank just set itself right after blowing compressed air in to the tank.

I know for a fact that the M800's fuel tank is made of metal and not of plastic. I am sure the Esteem's tank is made of metal too.

Yes, the older Esteem's fuel tank is definitely made of metal. My 1995 model has never faced this problem that is affecting Samir though and it has done around 1.02L kms to date. As I see it, welding iron rods on either side of the tank might create problems in two ways - one is that the rods itself might bend and poke into the fuel tank and two - in case you go over some protrusion on the road which gets in in between the rods, your fule tank is still under threat of getting an impact, I too would suggest 'skid plates' like rally drivers fix normally under the engine sump.

Did you hit a speed breaker on your way back home or the dent just resurfaced on its own?

Thanks rr_zen. I stand corrected in this. Thanks for the info.stupid:

The dent has resurfaced on its own , as if the tank has caught up vaccum

Both the M-800 as well as the esteem come with metal tanks, only that the metal is thin sheet metal & has the tendency to go out of shape very fast.

I would suggest that you check the breather pipe again - the dent re-appearing points to a block somewhere that is causing a partial vacuum in your tank.

Do you hear a woosh sound (air rushing in) when you open the filler cap for refueling ?

If you keep the tank to nearly 1/2 full then this problem will not come I guess. If yes then try keeping that level. It is not a good solution but can be used if you want to dispose off your car in near future and don't use it for long drives etc