gas tank reconditioning

jvandyke

jvandyke

True Classic
I'm starting a new thread on this, hope that's alright.
I dropped my tank and am in the process of getting the rust out.
I ordered POR15 kit (the Metal Ready and Sealer).
In the meantime I'm soaking it in degreaser (similar to the Marine Clean that POR15 sells). It is coming along. I have chains in the bottom and I made a scraper with a long handle that works well. It's looking much better. Soak, shake, scrap flush repeat.
There is a partition down in there that seems to wall off the outlet to the pump and the return line. Somewhere in there must be the screen "filter". What is the procedure for this? Do I try to punch through this through the outlet tube then plan on running an external filter before the pump or try to clean it and see if it remains open after the sealer (I doubt it).
Also I wonder if I should shove something up the tubes (probably the upper vent lines too) to prevent them getting plugged up by the sealer. Maybe removing them during the cure process, a few hours into it perhaps? I'd hate to try it only to find out the sealer did indeed block the screen and then have to punch it out later, mucking up the sealer.
Thoughts?

I remember reading about some guys boiling out tanks. Filling and putting on a gas grill and letting it boil. No idea, just read about it.
 
Boiling out tanks.. this usually means putting the tank into a hot caustic solution to clean it. This is the same process that is used to clean out radiators back in the day which is why so many radiator shops also do gas tanks.

The amount of rust in this tank still concerns me.. It's possible this tank will spring a leak at a rust concentrated spot that is not visible now.

:)
Bernice

jvandyke said:
I remember reading about some guys boiling out tanks. Filling and putting on a gas grill and letting it boil. No idea, just read about it.
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Now do the taste test...

If it LOOKS good... then its imperitive to know exactly how it TASTES.

Give it a try and let us know...

Secondly... if its pretty damn clean and ya have no leaks... then either put it back up or seal it and put it back up in a few days... and add some CHEAP filters.

I use TWO "Plastic-Clear" filters in PARALLEL, one ABOVE the other, HORIZONTALLY, so the bottom one will tend to clog first and give me a second chance before I'm parked on the side of the road. I also carry a couple of spares... but since I installed this setup, I've had NEITHER clog. (That's the story of my life too and why I carry snow chains in Southern California!)
 
I'll just say it's a lot cleaner than it was but nothing compared to some tutorials I see on websites where the insides look pristine and new. I can see mostly metal on the bottom instead of rust but there is still lots of brown in there. I could try some acid like so many say to use. Maybe I'll call around to radiator places, heck if a boil out is only $50 or something that's easy.

Called around, apparently, around here, boiling out gas tanks is a dead art.
I filled it with acid and put my gas grill right close to the house (so the neighbors couldn't see) and I plugged all the holes really tight, then I light the grill on super high and stood right next to it waiting.....not. Although that might get you on YouTube, postpartum.


I did fill it with heavily diluted Muriatic acid though.
 
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Black-Tooth said:
I

I use TWO "Plastic-Clear" filters in PARALLEL, one ABOVE the other, HORIZONTALLY, so the bottom one will tend to clog first and give me a second chance before I'm parked on the side of the road. I also carry a couple of spares... but since I installed this setup, I've had NEITHER clog. (That's the story of my life too and why I carry snow chains in Southern California!)
Click to expand...

Did you find a filter to fit the 12mm supply line?
 
I'm not so sure that the use of extra filters is applicable to the FI setup because the FI system is constantly flowing fuel around in a circle and back to the tank. The same fuel molecule could make many many passes thru the filter before it is finally combusted.
 
I'm thinking of putting a POR 15 sealer through mine also, and was wondering about the outlet, although I have to put a lower outlet on mine, so there will be no filter on the inside.
But I would like to know whether you need to put something through the outlet to stop it filling with sealer?
 
myexonenine said:
I'm thinking of putting a POR 15 sealer through mine also, and was wondering about the outlet, although I have to put a lower outlet on mine, so there will be no filter on the inside.
But I would like to know whether you need to put something through the outlet to stop it filling with sealer?
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Me too.
I don't think the big outlet on the FI tank would be a problem but there is an internal screen/filter that they say will get sealed shut, the return line is smaller and the two vent lines on top are smallish. I'm planning on running something up through them and pulling them out several hours into the cure, while they are still removable but enough after set up to not get blockage, that's my plan not knowing what I'm doing. I think the internal screen will become plugged and I will probably have to punch through it, thus the concern for another filter to keep crap from the pump.
 
Oh... yeah... well I guess...

... what I am suggesting would go on the INLET side of the fuel pump... so pressure would not be a problem.

I'm using mine on the output of a 3 -5 pound mechanical pump... They are cheap Fram filters at about 3 - 5 bucks apiece and I used small clamps and regular fuel line. Unsure of the size... but I'm sure there are several sizes available that will work with the FI inlet lines.
 
The inlet side of an FI pump is 12mm and I haven't seen too many filters with that large an inlet (1/2" would probably be fine, it isn't pressurized on that side of the pump anyway). When I was "experimenting" I cobbled together a reducer to go from 1/2" down to 3/8" but all the hardware and clamps to do it woulda made MacGyver proud. Would prefer something more elegant but would prefer no filter there at all, relying instead on internal screen and a nice clean tank, like it started life.
 
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Ah yes...

Well... they say that an electric doesn't have much PULL, and I kinda guess this LARGE inlet kinda reinforces that.

I'm thinking you would not want to reduce the inlet size for a filter either, thereby restricting the pump.

BUT... We sometimes need to be McGwyvers to overcome some of these issues.

SO... If you had some sort of 1/2 inch Tee and two reducers to 3/8 or 1/4 and then fitted TWO 3/8 or 1/4 inch filters, HORIZONTALLY and in PARALLEL, then back to another 1/2 Tee and then connected to the pump... there would be great filtration and NO restriction.

Except for the WEIGHT and CHROME PLATING... this monstrosity oughtta work great! HA... anyone with an operating FLUX CAPACITOR would be green with envy!
 
Good catch. Neither is "perfect" on fitting size but the first one, at 11mm inlet and outlet seems a better fit than the second at 9.5mm and 13mm. I'd much prefer that to the reducer I was running. Even so, going down to 3/8" would almost certainly (provided there are no other restrictions) supply plenty of gravity feed to the pump, I would think.

This one looks good, cheap, although it is pretty exposed down there, maybe a metal one is better.
http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=PSX23003_0260779882
 
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Yep...

Most other car makers use 8mm inlets on their system filters when they built an L-Jet system under license from Bosch.

Just gotta remember to change it, I change my stock filter yearly.
 
This is an add on filter before the pump, in addition to the one in the engine bay, that one I will change as well. Wonder if one of the NAPA ones will fit there so I don't have to order one in.
 
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internal filter-reflections on tank design

Somewhere along the way I got the impression there was some sort of screen inside the tank. Now that I have it largely clean, I don't see any evidence of this, the lower right corner, where the main line comes out and the return line goes back in, is walled off, baffle I guess, it does not appear to be "gas tight" at the bottom as liquids poured into the main area seep right under the wall easily. The tubes are very bendy. Main comes in, goes down, right backup and 90s pointing at the left side. It also appears to be angle cut or bend down a bit at the end. Return goes in tank and does a 90 to the right. Don't know if this baffle wall was to prevent larger things from getting in system, is supposed to be sealed along the bottom, which would mean the bottom 5th of the tank would be useless for gas, good sediment trap though, so I doubt that, probably just a baffle to keep gas from sloshing too much and letting air into the line?

Anyway, 2nd acid bath and tank is looking much better. Will degrease and Metal Ready and Seal as soon as I get the goop and set aside a hunk of time to babysit the deal.
 
Now I'm having second thoughts on sealing. Even POR's instruction state to use sealer as a last resort. I believe by the thorough cleaning I've done that this tank has been brought back to the condition of a 5 year old tank, yes there's some rust here or there, which won't get much worse as long as the car is in use. No flakes no chunks no sludge, just "surface rust" and it's thin and scared to death. I don't know but the 5 days or so worth of wait time to seal it seems daunting....I guess I still will but I'm wavering. The risks of plugging lines or a failed seal job are a bit worrisome.

Later that day.....
When looking into tank, saw some light spots. Yep, pinholes. POR15 for SURE now. Outside and inside.
 
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Kit arrived, flushed out all fluids. Did a soak in Baking Soda water in an attempt to neutralize. Flushed flushed flushed. Metal Ready spread by shaking and turning, set for 1/2 hour on each end or so. Flushed with hot water repeatedly. Has hair dryer on high air, low heat for an hour now. Will wait another 45 or so and if it's dry. It's sealer time.
 
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I was worried when you were wavering

I kept saying to myself "The fact that its getting cleaner probably means its getting thinner too."

I am sorry you found some pinholes, but I am happy you found them now rather than in a month or so. Good luck with the sealer project.
 
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