Fuel tank baffle on the loose!

[sparkgap]

I\'d always thought the noises from my fuel tank were nothing to worry about. I guessed they might be the fuel float as it only ever happened with a full tank.I could only ever hear it after I stopped the engine with the fuel sloshing around i.e. when rocking the car or pulling in and stopping the engine briskly.
Yesterday I conked out for no reason other than reversing into the drive.
I suspected the fuel pump straight away because the symptoms were the same as when I once ran out of fuel. But this time I had a full tank. The workshop manual procedure with a multimeter made no sense and pulling the earth spade off the tank made the pump work!
So I pulled out the pump and float assembly for the first time and to my horror found the baffle had broken off and hooked over the hot terminal of the pump. This must have sparked a bit under the fuel when it happened.
Anyway I managed to get the baffle out the hole in pieces with the aid of tinsnips and a bit of "arm under the fuel" foolhardiness!
Thank goodness for a strong wind and my experience with antistatic precautions.
I\'ve yet to see what difference the baffle makes with sharp cornering.
I guess the reason that electical terminals are exposed in the tank is because petrol is a good insulator, the vapour is heavy and eventually pushes the oxygen out of the vent at the top of the tank and through the charcoal. So even if there is a spark your tank doesn\'t blow.
There is more of a risk of explosion from removing the fuel pump and letting air in!
 
Martin