Fuel Tank Woes: Tank Rebuild

[rtwas]

Hello,

This is a companion post to the another on *sealing* a fuel tank.

I'm looking at *pulling* my tank and reworking it as I am certain it is full of rust. I
have heard/read folks talking about *coating* the inside of tanks but couldn't find
a definitive source or method. One method I saw mentioned had to do with *plating*
the inside of the tank with zinc (or was it tin?). I have even toyed with the idea of tossing
a small piece of zinc into the tank (they attach zinc plates to ships to fend off rust on
the hull) to fend off rust.

As far as cleaning, I saw in another post on this site about finding a radiator shop that
would *vat* my tank to clean it. Still another post mentioned sealing pin-holes on the top
of the tank and *coating* it with *something*, which he did specify with what.

Help appreciated.

Robert W.

[Josh]

I Used POR-15's US Standard gas tank sealer. Basically coats the inside of the tank in 1/8" of fuel proof plastic. was easy to use, and sealed a few pinholes. I haven't filled it with fuel yet, but, I think it will work well. One thing to do is to clean the tank, then grease the cover and sender screws with grease and put them back in, so the sealer doesnt stick to them... I forgot to put them back in when I did mine and so the threads in my tank are now full of really hard epoxy plastic, and the threads are 12-20 thread... good luck finding a tap with that thread, so, I'm not quite sure how I'm going to clean them back out... Other than my own momentary lapse of stupidity, the process was painless and seems to have worked.

[ffr1910]

+1 to the POR 15 tank sealing system. I used it on my truck 8 years ago and have no problems at all since. to seal gaskets and screws you can use a product called 1428 B1/2. It is a two part fuel tank sealer for aircraft that fuel will not affect. i am using it on my tank to seal an area that was rusted through on the bottom, as well as my fuel sending unit and outlet gaskets. you can get it from aviall.com or apiparts.com. pm me if you need any help getting it-bill

[Cal_Gary]

Josh,
I think I have that tap as part of my Harbor Freight 60-piece set. I'll check tonight and get back to you.
Gary

[cuz]

The best choice for a tank reconditioning/rebuild is the professional tank shops that cut them open and properly prepare the surfaces for the new lining material. Cleanliness is paramount to success with tank liners. It took over a half century of abuse for the tanks to get their current state of dis-repair. To properly judge the success of the modern slosh type liners you will have to wait at least half of that period fore a fair assessment.

I prefer not having anything in my tank but fuel. I have seen many poor attempts at applying liners that usually failed for lack of a proper and thorough cleaning. The liner peels and shreds and plugs your filter and screens up.

The aircraft fuel sealant posted above is the same Pro-Seal I mentioned on your other post. They are available in type A or B and have setting or working times of 1/2 hour thru 3 hours. IE B1/2 is a B type with 30 minutes of working time. Don't confuse working time with final curing time which is seven to 12 hours at 70 degrees.

[MSeriesRebuild]

Hello,

This is a companion post to the another on *sealing* a fuel tank.

I'm looking at *pulling* my tank and reworking it as I am certain it is full of rust. I
have heard/read folks talking about *coating* the inside of tanks but couldn't find
a definitive source or method. One method I saw mentioned had to do with *plating*
the inside of the tank with zinc (or was it tin?). I have even toyed with the idea of tossing
a small piece of zinc into the tank (they attach zinc plates to ships to fend off rust on
the hull) to fend off rust.

As far as cleaning, I saw in another post on this site about finding a radiator shop that
would *vat* my tank to clean it. Still another post mentioned sealing pin-holes on the top
of the tank and *coating* it with *something*, which he did specify with what.

Help appreciated.

Robert W.

www.gastankrenu.com does a great job. They have franchised dealers all over the US. It is totally repaired and sealed both inside and out for life when you get it back, and is covered by a lifetime warranty. Sealers do Ok in tanks that simply need cleaning and sealing, for tanks with serious issues, gas tank renu or a like service is about the only good solution.

[Cal_Gary]

Josh,
I checked on that tap-mine is a 12-24, not a 12-20.
Sorry.
Gary

[rtwas]

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys.


Robert W.

[8543bob]

GOOD MORNING. THE ZINC ON THE BOTTOM OF BOATS IS TO REDUCE GALVANIC REACTION BETWEEN TWO DIS SIMILIAR METALS IN SALT WATER, NOT TO PREVENT RUST. ZINC IS LESS NOBAL THAN BRONZE, PROPELLERS OR STAINLESS, SHAFTING MATERIAL, IT WOULD DO NOTHING IN YOUR TANK EXCEPT BEAT UP THE INSIDE. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR TANK REPAIR.
BOB