Fuel tank - just clean, or clean and seal?

[Darrell_Walker]

OK, I've got my TR8 running again. Installed a new pump, filter on the fuel intake and a new fuel filter. But I want to pull the tank and give it a good cleaning and perhaps sealing.

I sealed the tank on my 4A over 15 years ago with the Bill Hirsch sealer (after being cleaned by a radiator shop). No problems that I'm aware of. But no one that I can find will clean gas tanks anymore (and radiator shops are getting fewer by the day), so I'll be doing the cleaning myself.

I see the occasional horror story about sealers, though. So I'm wondering if just a cleaning might be better? I don't have any leaks, and this car is a daily driver, so there would be a constant turnover of fuel. Some rust removers/metal prep solutions say they leave a zinc phosphate coating to inhibit rust. Would that remain in the tank with gas, and provide any protection?

Here is a cell phone shot of the inside of the tank. What you see in the foreground is the "soup bowl", where the fuel intake sits. It looks like it might be difficult to get sealer on that without using a few gallons. It also has a 1/4" hole in the bottom (where fuel flows in), and it is important not to block that off.

 

[TomMull]

In My opinion, you should not leave the cleaned tank uncoated. The original tank had a protective coating, terne, zinc or something. The cleaned tank will have no coating on the rust spots, which are in the most vulnerable areas, even if the cleaning does not remove all the original coating. Every older tank I've dealt with had little globules of water at the bottom.
Tom

 

[hondo402000]

sand blast it. get a sand blaster stick the nozzle in the tank and turn it on. thats what I did and it cleaned the heck out of the tank, then used POR gas tank sealer, that was after I vacuumed the sand out

Hondo

 

[TR3driver]

For a fuel injected car, I'd want to get it coated.

FWIW, Google claims these people do gas tank repairs:
Chehalem Radiator
925 N Highway 99W, Dundee, OR 97115-9785
(503) 537-9717 () ‎

Not exactly local I realize, but might be worth a phone call.

My local radiator shop (in Bellflower, CA) also does them, but I doubt it's worth having it shipped all the way down here and back.

 

[GBRandy]

If it were me, I would have it coated. It is out of the car already....too far along the repair process not to IMHO.

 

[Darrell_Walker]

OK, to anyone that's used the POR stuff, does it have much of an odor? I was hoping to do this over Christmas break, but it will be in the 30s or 40s and rainy here, so I would have to do it in the garage. And not everyone in the family appreciates the garage smelling like solvent As I recall, the Hirsch stuff had quite an odor.

Caswell's also has an epoxy coating:

https://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm

Anyone have any experience with that?

 

[DNK]

Darrell, agree with the rest of the boys. There is one in Tacoma too!

My ONLY caveat, the cup in it with the hole MIGHT get plugged when you do that!!

 

[Darrell_Walker]

My ONLY caveat, the cup in it with the hole MIGHT get plugged when you do that!!

Yes, that does concern me a bit. I plan to use an inspection mirror to make sure it doesn't get plugged.

 

[tdskip]

OK, to anyone that's used the POR stuff, does it have much of an odor?

Yes, it does. And will for a couple of days. In a closed house it will be more than slightly noticeable.

As will your silver colored hands from using the sealer.

 

[tr8todd]

Here is a tip I got years ago and have been using ever since for cleaning gas tanks. Don't laugh, it works great. Once the tank is out, put ice cubes, salt and liquid toilet bowl cleaner in the tank. Swirl it around for several minutes. The ice will melt, the salt will dissolve and the toilet bowl cleaner will do it's magic. The ice and the salt work together to scrape and scour the inside shiny new. Similar process to how you clean nasty overused coffee pots in restaurants. Once your done with the cleaning, rinse very well with a hose. Drain and put a hair dryer into the fuel fill hole and let it run for 20 to 30 minutes to make sure it is absolutely dry. Follow the instructions and pour in a can of Por15 gas tank sealer or similar and let dry. Over the years, I've done half a dozen TR8 tanks this way and also a fair number of tanks on other classic cars. Never ever had another issue with the tanks once they were done, and some of them were real bad. Make sure whatever sealer you go with is compatible with the new fuel and ethanol.

 

[billspit]

I don't know its name, but there is a sealer that recommended for use in aircraft fuel tanks. You may want to see if you can find that.

Personaly, I used the Hirsh sealer many years go and have had no problem.

 

[DNK]

Bring your tank up here Darrell.
Maybe one of those diminutive Boeing tank guys will do it!

 

[DaveGT6]

I got a clean & coat kit and afterwards I decided my tank was way too far gone for me to mess with, it sat 1/3 full for a decade and it was terrible! (Anybody need a tank kit???) So I took the GT6 tank to Moyer in PA (google "fuel tank renu") about a year and a half ago. I took it to them cuz I wanted them to show me what they'd do and to see their operation. I believe they got their start in motorcycle tanks but I don't think my 12 gal tank will EVER get a pin-hole in it or a speck of rust. And I don't think the price was unreasonable. (They shipped it back, had it in less than 2 weeks.) Of course, I can't tell you how well it's held up. It's only been in the car for a few months and the car hasn't stood on it's own 4 feet since late summer. :-( And no, there is no association with Moyer other than as a customer. A fellow who restored an old Harley led me to them.

 

[RonR]

Spike Radiator in Colorado spoke at TVR this year and made a convincing (in my opinion) position for sandblasting and coating. He can be reached at 303-762-7522. I felt his price was very reasonable even with shipping cost.

I was going to send him the tank from my TR3a but it was too far gone as even one of the baffles had broke free and was laying in the bottom of the tank.

Ron

 

[Brosky]

Moyer has been around for years and that is their specialty. Good choice.

 

[SkinnedKnuckles]

I used the POR-15 kit about 4 years ago on a TR6 with good results. A chop stick works great for keeping the fuel outlet open - just be sure and pull it out before the stuff sets up... It does have an odor to it. After coating I put a little computer fan in the fill line and ran it for a couple days, but any fan blowing into the nozzle will help that along. You may not have this problem, but it was warmer when I did it and was wearing flip-flops. Apparently several drops of the sealant fell on my toes unknown to me - at least until I tried to take the flops off and come inside. Yes, my toes were fused and it took several solvent tries to get them apart.