MTFCA Forum

Looks as if a previous owner tried to coat this tank. No wonder no gasoline flows. I have only been successful sloshing and dumping the first 1/3rd. of the tank before the first baffle. Sheets of coating and about 1/4 cup of rust. Any words of advice? Will do this over and over endlessly until nothing else comes out but it looks fruitless at this point…..

I have always had good luck sloshing a gallon of lacquer thinner around inside and letting it work overnight. You can strain it and use it again if needed.
Rich

Thanks for the tip. Does the lacquer thinner loosen the old coating or melt it? I am currently letting a water hose run into the top, shaking in all directions, then setting the tank on two 5 gallon buckets and as the water pours out the 1/2” outlet using a piece of wire shaped like a letter “L” to grab large pieces of the coating. It’s like pulling pieces of wet sandpaper through the hole.

Did this for two hours and nothing comes out now so I will try the thinner next. I am getting old. Shaking the tank over and over is a pain. It’s going to be a Tylenol fest tonight!

I’d say it’s better to get another tank. Unless you can confirm via a bore camera that all the coating is gone, you will have problems. Any flake of coating will act like a little one way flap valve once it gets to the hole to the sediment bowl, and will drive you crazy trying to figure out why gas doesn’t flow while driving but flows fine at idle…don’t ask how I know this…

FJ

ThreePedalTapDancer wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 5:45 pm

I’d say it’s better to get another tank. Unless you can confirm via a bore camera that all the coating is gone, you will have problems. Any flake of coating will act like a little one way flap valve once it gets to the hole to the sediment bowl, and will drive you crazy trying to figure out why gas doesn’t flow while driving but flows fine at idle…don’t ask how I know this…

I have contacted every vendor I know of and the gas tank for the 1925 is not available. I’ve got to come up with a way to use this one or I cannot use the car. Otherwise I guess I can cobble up something else….

Well, here’s to your efforts. If you are not successful, put a wanted ad up in the classifieds, it’s a common tank and not too hard to find a decent used one.

Why can't you have a radiator shop boil it out and clean it up?

I cleaned the coating out of my tank by using a liquid paint stripper. Just pour it in you tank and rotate it around. Be careful there will be a reaction and pressure will build up in the tank. You will need to let the pressure out of the tank. My came out clean.

Michael, have you tried acetone or MEK? Someone a long time ago taught me to strap the tank to a tractor tire and jack the tractor up & let it rotate in double low with the liquid inside. It works great! Just an idea that worked for me.

DHort wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:08 pm

Why can't you have a radiator shop boil it out and clean it up?

If I have to I might go that route. One of the pleasures of working on cars for me over the years is learning to do these things myself. The only thing I’ve ever farmed out was Babbitt pouring and re-rodding a radiator.

StevenS wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:11 pm

I cleaned the coating out of my tank by using a liquid paint stripper. Just pour it in you tank and rotate it around. Be careful there will be a reaction and pressure will build up in the tank. You will need to let the pressure out of the tank. My came out clean.

I’ve been recommended 4 different chemicals now so it’s decision time! Thanks…

JTT3 wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:29 pm

Michael, have you tried acetone or MEK? Someone a long time ago taught me to strap the tank to a tractor tire and jack the tractor up & let it rotate in double low with the liquid inside. It works great! Just an idea that worked for me.

Thanks! 4 chemicals recommended so far so I have some decisions to make. I have no idea which product was used to coat the tank and what might be best to clean. I’ll just experiment!!!

If you use vinegar be sure to neutralize the tank with 4 cups baking soda dissolved in water and fill to the top of the tank. let it sit for a few hours pour out and rinse. Full strength vinegar has a ph of around 2 out of 14. Vinegar will leach into the metal and continue to cause it to rust the newly cleaned surface. Michael that liner looks pale white which means it was probably the tank sealer that was sold yearssss ago. Corn gasoline will peel that liner off. The acetone are MEK will liquify the liner.

If all else fails, call Hart Radiator Works in Waller, TX and see if they are still in business and if they are still associated with GAS TANK RENU. They used to be.

JTT3 wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:47 pm

If you use vinegar be sure to neutralize the tank with 4 cups baking soda dissolved in water and fill to the top of the tank. let it sit for a few hours pour out and rinse. Full strength vinegar has a ph of around 2 out of 14. Vinegar will leach into the metal and continue to cause it to rust the newly cleaned surface. Michael that liner looks pale white which means it was probably the tank sealer that was sold yearssss ago. Corn gasoline will peel that liner off. The acetone are MEK will liquify the liner.

If corn gasoline would peel of the liner, why not try denatured alcohol first. Cheaper and less toxic than acetone.

Recently there was a post indicating that Brassworks were now making round and oval petrol tanks.

Allan from down under.

Go to your local Home Depot and buy a pound or two of DRYWALL screws and put them in the tank with about a gallon of water and blue Dawn dish washing soap-- SHAKE, SHAKE and SHAKE some more. Repeat and repeat some more. Buy some POR 15 gas tank cleaner and sealer and follow ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. The key is PREP, PREP PREP!!! The reason for drywall screws is that they are sharper and more abrasive than nuts and bolts. I have used nuts, bolt and even a length of chain to knock the rust and scale and old sealer from the inside of the tank. after this procedure, follow with the chemicals the other folk have suggested. The inside of the tank HAS to be super clean and DRY before the final POR 15 is added. I dried my 1926 tank in the sun with a shop-vac stuck in the fill hole with the shop-vac blowing. Hope this helps. good luck!! bobt

Here is the final piece of tank liner pulled out with my super long pliers from the side with the filler hole. As you can see the large pieces come out and feel like wet sand paper.

Problem is with the baffle at the 1/3rd. mark Looking into the main part of the tank can only be accomplished through the tiny 1/2” exit hole and even with a pencil flashlight impossible to view adequately.

Rest of the week is taken up by family health problems so I will continue cleaning in 3-4 days. Thanks for all the advice. Hard to believe this T ran at all. Look at the rust found in the carburetor bowl etc.!

Too many posts for my short attention span, so I'll only mount my horse and bandwagon again by saying rather than fight with cleanings and coatings, get a new tank! Rootlieb is making them again so now there's no excuse. Steve Jelf went that route years ago and I kept nagging on him to buy new which he finally did and he never regretted it. Same with some friends of mine. And yes, even myself!

I have sent a email to Rootlieb. Their site does not show any gas tanks.

POR is a good product but it will fail if put in over rust or other foreign material.

MichaelPawelek wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:45 am

I have sent a email to Rootlieb. Their site does not show any gas tanks.

My guess is its not updated. He just announced it not long ago. Give em a call if you haven't already.

I would never coat the inside of any gas tank ever!

I agree with Larry. But I have been cursed by people that have tried to seal tanks. I spent all day blowing out lines & cleaning the stuff out of a carburetor on a 1948 Harley to get 120 miles. I hate the stuff. The previous owner sealed the tank on my speedster. More than once the fuel supply was cut off by a sheat of sealer covering the outlet from the tank. I made a fine round screen 3/8" around & 2" tall and soldered in the fitting in the tank. Iv'e had to do this on other's tanks also, seems to work. Does not seem to restrict flow enough to cause a problem. You probably have the fitting out already. Might get you by untill you can secure a new or good used tank. The sealer should only be used in new clean tanks & they don't need it?
Craig.

Gas tanks are under the "Accessories" header on Rootlieb's website.

Rootlieb is out just like everyone else.

"Botched" is a little hard on the previous owner. 30-40 years ago when gas tank sealers were introduced to restorers, gasoline itself was a very different concoction from what it became in the mid-90s. Amendments to fuels that softened, dissolved or otherwise reacted with gas tank sealers were introduced with the hope of reducing emissions. Fuels continue to be a moving target. I'm with Larry, sealers have become a bad idea.

Guys,
I recently went through the same dilemma regarding a replacement tank option for my 1914. The tank that was in it was all rusty inside when I got it last month. I tried and tried to find a new replacement through all our great vendors with no luck and the cost to have it professionally repaired and sealed was pretty stiff, along with questionable long term results.
Not trying to stir up a crap storm with the purest folks, but I found the PERFECT SOLUTION, at least for me.

GO TO EBAY AND TYPE IN:
EMPI-3887-0 stainless steel gas tank
* Sold through a good old American company, Speedway Motors for T-Buckets...imagine that!
* 10" diameter x 33" long, almost an exact replacement of my stock tank and fit perfectly where I unbolted the old one
* 10.7 US Gallons capacity.
* Polished type 304 stainless steel construction, spun and orbitally computer machine welded.
* It shines inside and out like a brand new dime AND WILL NEVER RUST...NO MORE RUST IN THE CARB!
* Includes a top-center stainless steel vented cap with gasket.
* Includes 1/4" FNPT bottom-center outlet connection.
* Includes (2) stainless steel mounting brackets that are very Ford Model T looking.
* Includes all required stainless steel mounting hardware, bolts and nylon lock nuts.
THE BUY IT NOW PRICE: $196.99, including free shipping to your front door.

It took all of 30 minutes to measure, drill four new bolt holes,bolt it perfectly in place and re-hook up the fuel line.
It's also under the seat, so unless you lift the seat and show people, they will never know your car isn't bone stock. Again, I know I am "sinning" because Henry didn't make it, but I will never again have to address the rusty-crusty carb situation again. Hopefully this information is helpful to some of you other folks that are struggling with the same problem.

Kind Regards,

Rick Rice

Rick, Great idea for the round tank. I did find a 8”x 24” which would be perfect except the filler neck and cap make it too tall for the Coupe. It sticks up into the seat bottom. If they made one with a low bung cap I would be all over one!

I was concerned about the overall height issue too, but I laid a straight edge across the top of the seat frame to check the clearance and the filler cap ended up clearing my seat bottom by 1/2".

FYI, you can easily (5 minute job) take a cut-off wheel and cut a 1.5" wide slice out of the filler neck to shorten it and then simply TIG weld (another 10 minute job) the bung back in place, 15 minute job complete. This will shorten the overall height by quite a bit for you. If you can't TIG weld, I have worked with stainless steel and done it for 40 years. It is very simple and I am confident a local weld shop or fabricator can quickly and inexpensively do the job for you.

All I can say is It sure is nice to look inside the tank and see the mirror-like polished stainless steel and know you will never see rust or gas tank sealant flakes. Just my experience, but problem gone and I will never have to re-build my carb again because it gets fouled up.

Kind Regards,

Rick Rice