At least a full tank(with a big cork in the opening(s) won't have the
dangerous fumes to contend with.  Maybe it depends on how old the gas
is in there.

DM&FS

At 10:31 PM 9/2/2008, craig cowan wrote:
>Of the many time's i've dropped the gas tanks on vanagons (mostly my own),
>i've had one exprience that comes to mind and can really only offer the one
>item as far as advice goes on removing the gas tank. Everyone has their own
>favorite method, but dispite the methods in question..... MAKE SURE THERE
>ISN'T MUCH GAS IN IT! When disassembling a parts van once that had sat
>around for long enough for no one to know how much gas was still in it, we
>found out the hard way....once that tank came loose (HEAVY for one), it was
>just everywhere......
>
>I've had great success emptying them down to a gallon or less before
>dropping them.
>
>-Craig
>'85Westy
>
>On Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 9:15 PM, Gary Bawden <goldfieldgary@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Jeff & Jeff, and others interested,
> >
> > I just changed my tank on my '85 a couple of weeks ago - - what makes
> > the difference for me is to use a Rope Ratchet under the tank, hooked
> > to the crossmembers fore and aft, both as an extra safety measure
> > while taking the old tank out, and to free up your hands while putting
> > the new tank in. Makes it a one-person job - - this is the third time
> > for this van (put a new one in this time). No trouble with the
> > grommets (as long as you remember to put them all in, I forgot the big
> > one for the filler neck, but was able to get it in with the tank in
> > place). As for lube, I just use regular grease - - if the grommets can
> > exist in a gasoline environment, can't see why they won't take a
> > little grease! My grommets, which I bought new a couple of years ago,
> > were in pristine condition, this is their third install using grease.
> >
> > Gary
> >
> >
> > > Date:    Tue, 2 Sep 2008 09:46:19 -0500
> > > From:    Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>
> > > Subject: New Gas Tank Install on '85
> > >
> > > Hello all,
> > >
> > > I know this topic has been covered many times and many of you already
> > know
> > > this or have your own methods but I wanted to share our sucessful method
> > of
> > > getting ta new tank in - because those tank straps are a b*tch.
> > >
> > > It helps if you can jack the front end up as far as safely possible (I
> > > understand that a lift is the way to go but we didn't have one). Once all
> > > the new lines and gromits were installed on the tank (for the expansion
> > > system) we did this:
> > >
> > > 1. Get the tank in the approximate position and lift the front part up
> > where
> > > to where you can get it above the holes where the mounting bolts for the
> > > tank straps go.
> > >
> > > 2. Place the front of both straps in postiton and start the bolts a few
> > > threads just to hold them in place.
> > >
> > > 3. Lift the rear of the tank into place and used a floor jack under it to
> > > help hold it up there.
> > >
> > > 4. Now one side at a time - remove the bolt you started at the front of
> > the
> > > stap and then slide the rear of the strap into the slot - now lift the
> > front
> > > of the strap back up and install the bolt.
> > >
> > > This may not sound like the best process but we couldn't get the tank in
> > any
> > > other way for the life of us. Once we did it this way it was really not
> > hard
> > > at all. This job is probably best if you have 2 people. Keep in mind also
> > > that neither of us had ever done this before so again this might not be
> > the
> > > usual process but it worked.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Jeff
> > > '90 Carat (Grover)
> > > '86 (We call this one Parts)
> > > '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> >