MTFCA Forum

Has anybody had any luck with the gas tank restoration kit from Lang's? It's full of rust and if it wasn't a 26 I'd probably just buy a new tank, but seeing as how they don't make them and I don't live anywhere close to a radiator shop that could do it I'm just going to have to do it myself. I haven't bought the kit yet, I just figured I should ask around and see if maybe there's a better option.

There are places you could ship it to that do tank restoration. If it is that bad, look for another tank. Unless the inside is rust free, any kit will not last. To do it right, the tank almost needs to be cut open, and cleaned. Other option would be to do the tumble thing and watch your filter and install a glass bowl type with shut off so you can see the sediment and clean as needed in place of the cast iron one.

I had a liner kit dissolve over time. Everything ends up in the carb. If you’re tank has surface rust inside mix up a 50/50 solution of distilled white vinegar and water. Fill the tank to the top. Let it sit for 24 hrs. Pour it out in 5 gallon buckets and inspect for rust in the tank. If you see more pour it back in and go another 24. Repeat. If you have heavy rust it can eat thru the tank but that would mean it wasn’t to far off from being rotted thru. I have done multiple tractor and motorcycle tanks and they clean up well. Vinegar is acidic so do your research on any solder joints,brass ect. I know it will eat an aluminum pet cock. I to have a surface rusted 26 tank. I will be doing this to mine soon. There are internet videos on this process. Be sure your confident before trying.

The only permanent way is to cut it open, sand blast it, and then coat it with sealer. Then you weld it back up.

Jlenon wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:30 am

Has anybody had any luck with the gas tank restoration kit from Lang's? It's full of rust and if it wasn't a 26 I'd probably just buy a new tank, but seeing as how they don't make them and I don't live anywhere close to a radiator shop that could do it I'm just going to have to do it myself. I haven't bought the kit yet, I just figured I should ask around and see if maybe there's a better option.

I have a oval tank that I was intending to use. The inside wasn't very rusty by shacking it produced some loud banging, not baffles. I turned it every which way and out came some mud wasp nests. There was still one that would come out. The nest material looked like limes tome and I knew that cleaning vinegar would dissolve it. Poured a gallon of 10% cleaning vinegar and turned the tank on end. Next day I saw a bit of leakage out the bottom. I flushed the tank, nest was gone but a small hole opened up in the end of the tank. I have used cleaning vinegar to de-rust many items and it works well. So before you order or give it to someone to fix... my suggestion is to vacuum out any loose rust and pour a couple of gallons of cleaning vinegar in it to dissolve any residual rust, and then check for leaks. 10% or more cleaning vinegar (white vinegar isn't exactly the same) is cheap (Home Depot $1.81 for 64 ounces) . You can also dilute 30% easily to 15% basically 64oz V to 64ox H2O and you got a full tank (up to filler neck). If things leak, you know what you got

Josh

the kit Lang's sells is the very best system you could purchase. I have plenty of experience, 100% success and am willing to give you any advice you wish, OFFLINE via email.

" my suggestion is to vacuum out any loose rust " That depends on when gas was last in the tank

In 2010, I refurbished the cowl gas tank on my 1926 coupe using the POR-15 gas tank restoration kit. (www.por15.com). I removed all the rust and old gas residue using a 50:50 solution of Muriatic acid and water in the sealed tank sloshing it around until all the rust was dissolved. Watch out for the lid. If it is aluminum, the muriatic acid will attack and dissolve it. The outlet can be sealed with a brass pipe plug from a hardware store. Once the rust has been dissolved, neutralize the acid with baking soda in water, then flush with water and dry using a heating gun. I have a Milwaukee brand with two settings. Low heat is 700 degrees and high heat is about 1200. Heat all over the outside of the tank using the high heat and also stick the nozzle in the hole. The high heat prevents rust from developing. Once dry, let it cool off and pour the entire quart container of tank coating in the tank, seal the tank and turn it every which way until the entire interior is coated then open the drain and pour what’s left of the POR 15 back in the can (I ordered the silver color which makes it easier to inspect the tank interior). Make sure the threads are clean of the POR-15 before it sets up. That was 11 years ago and it is still holding up well. Jim Patrick

If the Lang's kit is the POR 15 system, I would have no hesitation to use it. Just follow the directions closely.
Allan from down under.

I did my rusty '26 with POR 15 and I'm very happy with the results. Remove tank (quite a job on a '26 roadster) fill with about two gallons of water, Dawn blue dish washing soap and about a pound of drywall screws. (count them first so you can recover all of them) and SHAKE,SHAKE and SHAKE some more. Repeat until everything comes clean. BE PATIENT. I bought the POR 15 kit and follow the instructions to a TEE. The whole process took me about a week to insure the drying time. I used my shop-vac on blow to help dry. Good luck, bobt

Be aware that there are baffles in the 1926-‘27 cowl fuel tank that may inhibit the the introduction and removal of screws or pebbles meant to agitate the rust out from the right and left most compartments through which the only access are holes. These baffles were designed to prevent sloshing of the gas on the rough roads of the time. That is why I used Muriatic acid to clean out mine. With all due respect, I feel acid does a much more thorough job. By the time the acid does its’ job the interior walls appear to be white blasted. Jim Patrick

Now that I think Rootlieb (or someone) is making them...just get a new one!

Do you have any information on the new tanks?

I have always heard that the cowl tanks are not being made because, unlike the earlier under seat tanks, the cowl tanks are too difficult to make therefore nobody is making them. Hopefully I’ll be proved wrong, because a lot of people with improved 1926-‘27 Model T’s need them. I think that if word got out that someone was making them, it would have been a big deal on the forum. Jim Patrick

There are three dimensional pressings involved in forming the body of the 26-7 tanks which would demand suitable dies and press to manufacture them.{read capital investment}
The round and oval tanks can be rolled up using existing equipment in any good sheetmetal workshop.

Allan from down under.