The Rover-Landers of BC

I may be a bit over-sensitive in this area, as both my main tank (300tdi, steel, ~25 years old) and my aux tank (steel, RHS rear wheel pod, 15 years old) have rusted out and began leaking at the worst possible times. Two separate occasions, but both happened in the last two years. Both fixed now (welded plate over cancerous area) but its postponing the inevitable from happening again.

What would be a good replacement?

I've been looking at td5 plastic and stainless tanks (lots of bracketry/exhaust work), replacement pod tanks from overseas, and getting stuff custom built here.
Right now I'm leaning towards stainless everything, for no good reason other than corrosion resistance.
Does someone know of a 300tdi plastic tank replacement?

Whats been your experiences with this?
Just something we don't think of until it happens?
An obvious thing to do during a rebuild, so it never comes up?

The very project I'm doing over Christmas (well, main fuel tank replacement anyway), because the lugs for the fuel sender/feed pipe fitting are rusting through (I have 1.5 of the 3 lugs left), resulting in diesel escape and I have also got another leak in the top of the tank (either a rusty hole or the fuel return pipe seal as its a cork thing...). The combination of these two keeps my tank capacity below 40 litres and remove my Waxoyl from the chassis very effectively.

A TD5 plastic tank needs chassis modifications I think, as they were never made for TDI. I looked for a plastic tank for a 300TDI and there are none made by anyone as far as I can see.

I bought a new old stock 'OEM' Spectra Premium fuel tank which is made from Ni-Terne coated steel (used for modern steel fuel tanks).

I actually found one in Langley for $130 cash (Best British Car Parts - used to have a store but only operates on eBay from his home/workshop now), but he only had one left (SORRY!).

I don't think Spectra make this tank any more, so your option is probably to import a Britpart/Bearmach one or get Hesp or someone to add one to their order and buy it for you. Roversnorth have a Proline PLE-114 for $US199 plus delivery and import duties.

The 110 TDI tank is the same part number as the Range Rover Classic, so you may have better luck searching for a RR Classic tank over here. Replacement tanks have an 'extra' small diameter hose connection on the fuel filler side of the tank, which has to be blanked off with compression fittings.

Tank part number is NTC2017 or ESR2243 or WFE000190.

I decided to change all of the nuts/bolts/brackets/fixings/spacers etc at the same time (as I will undoubtedly be Dremel-ing through some of them to get the tank off), so I ordered all them from http://www.totalparts.co.uk in Skelmersdale, but equally good I find are http://www.lrdirect.co.uk, particularly as their website has a very good part number search. Fedex are delivering these bits tomorrow.

Fantastic. How did it go? Did you manage to get it done over christmas?
I'd love to take a look and pick your brain, are you going to Founders day?

I think I've decided on an overseas stainless tank, from Safari Equip (although i've yet to order it).
What they went me was the part number:
RED01G - Defender 110 300Tdi Replacement Fuel Tank Stainless Steel with Guard 110L

If I can get 110L out of the main tank(!!!) and another 40 in the pod-tank, that gives me a range of 1250km with no jerry cans.
And that just makes me grin :)

It went well in the end, although I do still have a small leak from the fuel level sender - the locking ring refused to turn very far (even using a drift) and so hasn't sealed. That will require further attention. This seems to be a very common issue. At least the tank now has the correct fixings/spacers and will be easier to drop next time to replace/reseat the sender again.

I plan to be at Founders Day, so will no doubt see you there.