Fuel pump cover removal

[BigAl]

Hello Everyone.
Is anyone able to help with what should be a simple job? I need to get to the fuel pump under the rear seat on my recently acquired 2004 406 2.0HDI Estate (110bhp). Lifting the rear seat and insulation reveals a black plastic round access cover about 8-9 inch diameter with indentations, which is reluctant to shift. It rotates by about 20 degrees, but won’t lift out. I’m hesitant to get a screwdriver under it to lever it in case of damaging it. I’ve done my own car maintenance for 40 years so am not a novice, but this has stumped me so far. Any help would be much appreciated.

[PeterN]

Yes it is tight, it possibly hasn't rotated far enough but its difficult to put enough force on it without chewing up the plastic. Ideally you need to make up a tool that will fit several of the notches unless you can find something that will fit.

Peter

[GingerMagic]

Hammer and a piece of wood - gently tap it either way to align the slots to lift it out....
It's like a massive fuel filler cap - be careful though as the edges are sharp.

[frog]

I fabricated a special tool for it. Making the tool took two hours of work, then the removal of the lid was done in about 30 seconds.

Here are a few photo's of the tool. It is really simple yet very firm. The bar is about 1 meter, good for giving enough torque. The slots in the metal hooks are cut in such a way that they fit exactly over the plastic bumps in the tank lid cover.

The metal hooks are 5mm thick. Don't use the 2 mm thin ones; they will wobble and are not able to transfer the force.

There is no special reason that the bar is not straight with the metal hooks; I just drilled the holes wrong so I drilled a couple of new holes next to the old ones...

[frog]

More pics:

[frog]

And the last pic (this forum seems to accept only one attachment at a time...):

[BigAl]

Thanks to all. Cover eventually removed by using an old knife and old chisel lightly under the cover edges and wiggling things about a bit, at the same time trying to gently turn the cover, then it suddenly and easily turned about one third of a circle and lifted up. Flood of satisfaction followed. Lifted the connector, added WD40, replaced, and the fuel gauge now reads normally instead of telling me a full tank is only half full. Thanks again guys. Hope this may help others too.