fractured 202 gas tank.

[RacerXofFL]

Ok so I know everyone is going to think my car is slammed or something.

Has anyone here ever cracked their gas tank on a speed bump?

I have a 96 C280 w/eibach springs, and double pads in the front.

I made the car almost exactly stock ride height bc I used to have 18x8.5 et18 wheels on the car.

http://www.racerx.org/cars/cclass/dirtycar.jpg

Notice the front gap, Ill post pics of the speed bump tommorow, also If someone would measure from the ground to the top of their front and rear fender's Id like to see how lowered the body really is. I say fenders bc I dont have access to another constant measuring point eg: jack holes.

Thanks,
Don

[1995c280]

i have intrax springs with #1 pads in front and #3 pads in the rear. i've had no problems so far. measurements i took were 24 1/4" in front and 25" in the rear. i measured from the ground straight up the center of the wheel to the fender lip.

Jason

[RacerXofFL]

thanks for gettin back so fast, 25 3/8" front 24 1/4 rear. The rear has Eibach por or sports w/a #4 and a #4 and a #1 with the spring guides removed above it... the 8.5 et 18's rubbed otherwise and It went up almost an inch from the weight change of the auto-manual swap.. and no I havnt aligned it.

[SLAMMED_C]

I have never heard of anyone damaging the gas tank before with a lowered car.. the gas tank for one think is plastic.. and probably pretty sturdy.. also there isnt much of the gas tank sticking down.
Ive only ever heard of someone with a C36, they put a nice big hole and crack in their oil pan from being lowered.
but I guess anything is possible. do you have gas leaking from your car now or something?

[rollinrealbig]

ive smashed the cover underneath my engine once to where I lost it, and my car has stock rims/suspension. pre-updated C230

ya I bought a new one at a wrecker yard for $25 but still the fact i tore it of on a speed bump .. dnt know how that happen :confused:

[RacerXofFL]

I was at my daughters daycare, the YMCA, went over the bump drove about a mile home, got her outa the car and smelled gas. took her in the house and within 3 minutes I had a 6' trail of gas from under the car... pulled the fuel rail test port out and pumpe the rest out... there were only 7 of my 15 gallons of gas left :(

I think the key is that I had JUST filled the tank, and the added weight cracked it on one of the moinging points. My dad works for mercedes and says hes seen it happen twice with completly stock cars. Im going to tow it in this week and replace it. Ill keep ya informed.

Yes the aluminum oil pan is stupid too, Ive know a few ppl to kill them :p we like our cars low..

[c280nz]

my cars quite low (23.1 inch front, 21.4 inch rear, using your measurement technique) and i hit speed bumps quite often and never done any major damage (touch wood).
if there is a large speed hump that hits the bottom of your car go over it on a diagonal

[Abuimad]

i used to have to hit my car everyday when i get into and out of the underground parking garage...but never have i cracked the gas tank (knock on wood) i did mess the exhaust up..but no gas tank

[RacerXofFL]

I got under the car lastnight, and there wasnt a clear leak point where I could try and plug it to make the 20 mile drive to the stealership, so Im having it towed tonight. I will take pics as I take it apart.

thanks for the feedback, and 21.4" rear fender!!! wow that things low. What size rims you use 17's I'd assume?

[c280nz]

18's ;)
yea it is a bit excessively low

[rollinrealbig]

yea Im gonna have mine slammed down on 18"s soon, I know everyday that I wont have a chance of hitting much the places I go, but exiting the sckool parking lot - OUCH Ive cracked the w203 sport bumper going out !! had that replaced/repainted. :mad: ya good thing mines a pre-upadte maybe that will help.

[Abuimad]

dont..i had mine slammed and it drove me crazy....kept hitting the bumpers, door would not open on high side walks, the exhaust used to take a regular beating...slammed is nice...but dont go overboard like i did..

[RacerXofFL]

We pressurised the tank tonight and it looked like a fuel filter line was leaking, so we replaced the original fuel filter, and both of its lines. When I got home, this is what I found...

http://racerx.4nracing.com/gastank/nope.jpg[/IMG]http://racerx.4nracing.com/gastank/thumb/tnope.jpg ([IMG]http://racerx.4nracing.com/gastank/thumb/ttank.jpg ( ][IMG]http://racerx.4nracing.com/gastank/thumb/ttankcover.jpg ([IMG)

[Espresso]

Mine STOCK is 25.5Rear & 26 Front. Sits quite low enough. I cant park over parking curbs here or hit normal speed bumps. I would hate to see if I lowered this car.

Oh yeah this is with #5 pads front & rear.

[RacerXofFL]

Well we replaced some cracked lines, as you saw it still leaked, so we repressurised tonight, taking it much farther, and no result, added gas, removed the heat shields and repressurised, there was a forming nipple right over the driveshaft that had poped off. If we damaged this with the 100psi of air, or if this is the leak remains to be seen, its raining out, Ill know tommorow.

Don