Feel my pain!
 

Anyone who sees this pic and has been there, knows my pain!!!https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...139920ec1b.jpgFuel pump fml

theres a tool to remove that ring. theres also a recall on the gasket under it iirc. mazda may replace the ring when they remove it if its damaged. worse case if you bust yours to hell i think i have one in my garage

ohh nice - you're a legend! Last night amongst a lot of swearing and banging I still wasn't able to free it.

Even if you got it off. I'd be worried you compromised the ring itself. Mine cracked just from sitting in the heat all on it's own.

Penetrate and the right tool for the job are all that is needed.

You're making my pain worse :crazy: I'm thinking of taking to it with a grinder on slow speed.

Yeh you're right but I just couldn't be arsed at 10pm at night! I preferred to hit at it with blunt objects :rollingla

As 9k said, you should just get the tool before you break something. The ring is relatively cheap compared to a new gas tank.

Nah I have no love for the gas tank or the ring - I'm retro fitting them to an old 323 station wagon - but all that said I'm gonna have to make a tool cos bashing it off aint even working.

How will the gas tank fit in a 323?

I wont - I'll either utilise the existing fuel tank with a fuel cell or install a custom fuel tank... depends on what the fuel pump looks like.

Success!!!!:rollingla and it only took me 30seconds!

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...a7f14ab53b.jpg

I decided if I actually do need this part in the future it's easier to buy a new one anyways!

FWIW I did make a tool - it worked for the other side but then didn't for the fuel pump side because of the added height of fuel outlet.

Wait, you did this just so you could use the fuel pump in another car? I didn't think our pumps were that great to begin with.:scratchhe

I got it for free with the half cut I bought - and I wasn't sure with how to rewire them with their complex two staged resistor thingy etc.

So, keeping it basic - start with an inspection of the fuel pump - (I'd actually thought that springy part of the fuel pump and or the other springy part that sits on the other side of the fuel cell was the fuel guage sendor... looks like now it isn't) It's stuff like that, which is hard to ask on a forum and easier to do in real life.