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BE Fuel Tank Restoration

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Whitephrog

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In preparation for the new Whitephrog going to the blasters in a couple of weeks I removed the fule tank today. The good news is that the tank is in great shape. The bad news in that there is about a gallon of thirty three year old gasoline in the tank. Probably closer to varnish now than gasoline. So my question is what's the best method to clean and restore the inside? I've looked at the info on the POR-15 kit. That appears to be a viable option.
 
I have had 3 inches of sludge in some gas tanks, I fill them 3/4 with water and stick them on the outside gas grill.
Boil them for about 20 minutes, flush with clean water and you will be amazed at how clean they come out.
 
I filled mine with about 1/2 gallon of pure purple cleaner and some gravel and shook it off and on for a whole afternoon. Next day I rinsed it out and shook out all the gravels and then put in some acetone to shake around a bit and then pour out and put it in the sune to make sure it was nice and dry. Then I pured in the Red Kote and tilted it in all kinds of directions to get the tank coated good and then poured the exess out back into the can(to be reused on another tank, stuff can be thinned with acetone) then I set the tank out to dry. It was ready when dry. I did cut a whole in my tank to remove the filter in the tank. I had to then repair the hole. Someone told me a way around cutting the hole but I forget how to bypass the filter in the tank. Red Kote was $30 including shipping on Ebay, probably more expensive now, not sure. Its the same stuff the radiator shops use.
 
I have used the POR-15 system on 2 tanks of my own plus a couple for customers. The stuff really works. I think the 3 step full kit is Between $50-60 but well worth it. Be sure to use all 3 parts and follow instructions. It can also be bought in larger volume at a substantial savings but that covers several tanks.

Bayless
 
To be sure, after screwing around with all of the cleaning tricks and a radiator shop$$$$$, I bought one of the tanks that are on e-bay all of the time for $189. Looks good to me, but no drain in the bottom.
 
I got me a new tank, too. I happened to find it last weekend, bolted conveniently to the underside of ncbugeye, at the back. Cool. Free, too.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Bought a new tank on ebay several months ago from "Siestasun" for the second Bugeye. I believe the price was $159. Tank is yet to be installed. Until last night I hadn't completely unwraped it. When I did I found it didn't have a drain either. Otherwise it looks great.
 
Awe shucks, I guess I'll have to buy one of those ebay tanks to then so I can be in the club /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

My original had been patched or plugged to many ties to feel good about putting it back on the BE. How long did it take to get the tank after paying?
 
On really, really old gas deposits, I've started the cleaning process by pouring a gallon of liquid (not paste) paint stripper into the tank. Slosh this around several times and give it time to work, overnight or days won't hurt. Adding stones or old nuts and bolts to help agitate the inside of the tank helps. After sufficient time and sloshing, pour the stripper and gas residue out and proceed with just about any strong cleaner as recommended above.

IF you find you need to coat the inside of the tank, I've heard nothing but good reports about Red Kote. I've used Kreem and the POR kits. Of the two I've used I prefer POR since it leaves a metallic looking coating inside the tank and the chemicals were easier to deal with.
 
I have enough red kote left to do another tank for someone though the cost would be prohibitive for shipping. Being a cheap person as I am, I bought the Red Kote as it was the lowest cost and there is really only one step and the only other ingedient needed was acetone which you can get anywhere. Save those old tanks to swap. My tank had holes in it that you could see light through and the redkote patched it but I have not driven around with it.
 
Here is what I bought. $32 with shipping included and its enough to do at least 2 tanks. I put two coats on my tank and still have half a can left over that I can use on something else. I thought of using it as a liner in the trunk and floor pans but I have already coated these with por-15 and then a coat of truck bed liner before the por-15 dried. tank sealer
 
I need to get my radiator worked on, and was figuring to send the gas tank off as well for cleanning and such. Haven't priced it yet (or dropped the tank for that matter), but I was wondering at the success other folks have had with this.

My concern with a DIY clean and seal is chemical disposal and efficacy. Dealing with used chemicals here is a bit of a pain (and a 120 mile round trip drive).
 
We ll, the purple cleaner that I used is biodegradable and water based so no problem. The red Kote is poured back into the can (what is not used), so there is nothing to worry about there. Any red Kote spilled will set up like flexible plastic when it dries. The acetone that I used before the redkote evaporated in about 5 minutes.
 
The Kreem coating products are full of MEK for the solvent and that's a nasty chemical. The POR kit consists of a strong base cleaner, phosphoric acid, and the coating material. The base cleaner isn't really any worse than any other very strong household cleaner. Any you have left over can be used for other tasks, obviously what you wash out of the tank would be contaminated and presumably hazardous. Phosphoric acid is something to be careful with but it isn't particularly hazardous. Even the stuff you run through the tank is re-useable for other DIY rust removal and treatment tasks. With LBCs, you'll find uses for it. Lastly, the POR coating material supplied is about enough for one tank with none to spare. You'll find all you have to deal with is an empty can. If for some reason you DO have left over material, the common method of dealing with that waste is to paint it on a board and once cured throw the board away. The cured coating does not represent a hazardous waste.
 
Final got around to draining the fuel tank. Not nearly the problem I had anticipated. The gasoline was red and had a varnish odor but it drained out of the tank easily. The tank looks pretty good on the inside. I do have a bit of a leak where the filler tube meets the tank that will need attention. So, if I only need to flush the tank, what's the best approach.
 
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