L4310 fuel leak - tank removal

Leejohn · Jul 23, 2015

You might be able to pull that tank by taking the dash loose to remove the 2 bolts at the top. With the loader off remove the heat shield. It well come out the right side. Then unbolt the bar that goes over the tank at the lower ends. In the parts drawing the bar is not hi lighted. You might be able to pull bar and the tank at the same time.
I just today adjusted my valves on my L4240 and had to pull the heat sheild and tank. Now I did just unhook the tank and it would not come out. I then unhooked the cross bar and everything was loose the tank came out then I pulled the cross bar. I looked it over good after I got ready to put back in and said why can't I do both at once. I just started the bolts that holds the tank to the bar and dropped both in at the same time. The clutch rod had to come off on mine just so the bar could clear. My crossbar is just a little different then yours. Give that a shot first before you start pulling all that dash out.
Half a day to remove the hood and get the tank out. 20 mins to adjust valves, and maybe a hour to put tank back in and put the hood back on. That hood on mine is heavy, that was a ***** by yourself.
Now if you stop and think about it, how would they adjust your valves? That cost many many $$'s the way you are thinking of going.

oldstyles · Jul 29, 2015

Well, it's finally apart and there's a hole at the bottom left front corner of the tank. I did remove the whole steering column. I tried to remove the tank and its mounting crossmember as a unit but there are 4 bolts holding the crossmember directly to the driveline. The info for a L4200 was VERY helpful....the L4310 appears the same in terms of the tank and column area.

Leejohn · Jul 29, 2015

Yes I had to remove the 4 bolts, only one gave me some trouble getting back in.

oldstyles · Jul 29, 2015

Leejohn said:
Yes I had to remove the 4 bolts, only one gave me some trouble getting back in.

Wow, you must have noodle fingers to get those bolts out with the tank in place. I toyed with the idea of cutting the crossmember but the lessons of my grandfather whispered in my ear to "just get at it" and take it apart.

Leejohn · Jul 29, 2015

wow I see what you mean now. Mine are on the side up under the tank frame. Also I had to remove the heat 1st.

oldstyles · Jul 29, 2015

I welded the hole and it held......but I heard my grandfather whisper again. "You know that hole is bigger on the inside than it seemed." So I got the hammer that he left me and I smacked the bottom of the tank and found another bad spot. The moral to the story is Grand Daddy would buy a new tank and avoid another laborious job. He would tell me how even though it looks clean and solid, the inside is pitted with rust and will leak again. Sooooo, I ordered an OEM tank for about $300.