Fuel Tank Possibility?

[Tinster]

Everyone agrees I need a new, custom fuel tank
for life in the tropical climate here and due to
bad gasahol sometimes. I cannot afford the $1000+
to 3000+ price tag for a local custom tank.

My boat and many other marine craft have hand laid,
fibreglass fuel tanks. I've been talking with a custom
fiberglass tank builder.

The outside of my tank is in really great condition-
refurbished it myself- twice now!) The inside of the
tank has been deeply cleaned twice now but still has
spotty rust that produces a fine Fe2O3 powder that
makes it past my filters and into my carb bowls.

Any reason not to remove and de-gasoline the tank,
cut out an decent access hole from the front side
of the tank, treat the rust chemically, deep clean
the tank again, hand lay fiberglass on the inside walls
of the tank and repair the access hole with fiberglass.

I could do this for maybe $300 to $400 PLUS maybe the
cost of a Racor fuel/water seperator.

also- I hava Alana's design drawings for his SS tank
and can be a better price quote for that tank in marine aluminum.

Any thoughts on lining my existing tank with hand laid fiberglass?
I would lose my car for less than a week.

thanks, dale

 

[Silverghost]

Dale, you are on a roll right now with Amos(pun indeed INTENDED!). I think it would be the general concensus to just drive right now. Let sleeping dogs lay and so forth. Just enjoy for now, you've earned it! :laugh:

 

[LastDeadLast]

Everyone agrees I need a new, custom fuel tank
for life in the tropical climate here and due to
bad gasahol sometimes.

I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. Is your tank leaking? Has it been cleaned? If the answer is no to the first and yes to the second, then you're fine.

Drive it Dale.

 

[TR3driver]

Everyone agrees I need a new, custom fuel tank for life in the tropical climate here and due to bad gasahol sometimes.

Well, just for clarity, I don't think that.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The inside of the tank has been deeply cleaned twice now but still has spotty rust that produces a fine Fe2O3 powder that makes it past my filters and into my carb bowls.[/QUOTE]If it's fine enough to pass a filter, it's also fine enough to not cause any problems. I've run my TR3A in that condition for many years, and the crud in the bowls has never caused a problem other than in my head when I see it.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Any reason not to ... hand lay fiberglass on the inside walls of the tank and repair the access hole with fiberglass.[/QUOTE]My only concern would be whether the fiberglass resin will stand up to gasahol. A quick Google produces lots of tales of woe. However if you are already running gasahol in your fiberglass boat tank with no problems, then the glass should work in your TR6 as well.

Or as a less expensive alternative; you might see if you could get someone local interested in a Gas Tank ReNu franchise. It's even possible there already is one, since the web site doesn't seem to have been updated in a long time. If you can find a franchisee, the cost to treat your tank (with a lifetime guarantee) should be about 1/2 what you are talking about for glass.

But that was still enough to make me wait until I had a real problem with the TR (didn't have much money in those days) ... some 20 years after I repaired the original tank myself (with solder), I'm still waiting.

 

[Tinster]

The tank problem is the DPO buggered with the outlet
fitting and it now sits in a sump. All the crud and fine
rust go directly into my outlet fuel line.

The fine powdered rust fills my carb bowls until
it displaces gasoline to the degree the floats
cut off the fuel supply at highway speed.

OR the floats get stuck in the iron "mud" and the carbs overflow.

A new tank is a must-do.

d

 

[DrEntropy]

Everyone agrees I need a new, custom fuel tank for life in the tropical climate here and due to bad gasahol sometimes.

Well, just for clarity, I don't think that.

to disagree as well. No NEED for a Stainless tank. If it ain't leaking and has been cleaned as stated there is NO good reason to do anything but keep driving. No "buts" or "what ifs" about it. Lining it with 'glas would cause more problems than it would solve, IMO.

If the filter is changed every 3K miles you should be FINE. Change it in weeks, shake out the inlet side onto a paper towel and see if there are any rust bits in it. If so and the engine runs well, the filter is doing the job. The sediment getting past the filter would need YEARS of accumulation to become a problem... you fuss with it enuff so THAT isn't gonna happen either.

DRIVE the car. If it malfunctions, FIX it. That's what happens with ALL machinery, LBC's a bit more so if they've been as neglected and cobbled as Amos. Those things have largely been addressed so now it needs driven.

 

[Guest]

Just leave it alone and drive the darn thing.
If it runs then it's fine.
You drove it for two hours the other day, so it can't be that bad...

You said that you didn't have unlimited amounts of money to spend on the car, so why look for trouble. You know the gas is going to leak out of the tank when they finish slicing and dicing and you'll end up having to get another tank.

Leave well alone.
Press pedals, don't swing wrenches.

 

[DrEntropy]

The tank problem is the DPO buggered with the outlet
fitting and it now sits in a sump. All the crud and fine
rust go directly into my outlet fuel line.
<span style="font-weight: bold">
<span style="color: #FF0000">The fine powdered rust fills my carb bowls until
it displaces gasoline to the degree the floats
cut off the fuel supply at highway speed</span>.</span>

OR the floats get stuck in the iron "mud" and the carbs overflow.

A new tank is a must-do.

d

It can't rust that fast!! It just CAN'T!! That has to be introduced somehow in the fuel... something is <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> fishy here.

 

[BryanC]

You are almost sure to cause more problems than you solve with the fibreglass approach.

If there really is an issue with the fuel outlet having been relocated, then it would be better to simply fix that. Put the outlet back where it should be.

 

[BryanC]

something is <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> fishy here.

What are you suggesting, Doctor? Automotive Munchausen by proxy?

Maybe PR just has <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> bad gas.

 

[DrEntropy]

For the amounts of rust "mud" he's talkin' and in the little run time the car has seen it would be necessary to use a SHOVEL rather than using a hose to fill the fuel tank. It just cannot generate that much rust inside the tank after it's been cleaned well. I ain't havin' it.

I'd be for tossin' a couple of those circular magnets from Ford automatic transmissions in the tank on some sort of retrieval "strings". Leave 'em in there a while as it's driven and pull 'em out after a tankful or two. See what they bring with 'em...

From his report they should look like Furbies!

 

[NutmegCT]

DrEntropy: <span style="font-style: italic">"...something is really fishy here."</span>

And it ain't tarpon. You hit it on the nose Doc. In more ways than one ....

Dale, who are the guys who say you need a new custom fuel tank? As my dad used to say - line 'em up against a wall and shoot 'em.

T.

 

[Tinster]

It can't rust that fast!! It just CAN'T!! That has to be introduced somehow in the fuel... something is <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> fishy here.

<span style="color: #000099">You know Doc? Now ya have me wondering as well.
It does sound "fishy"... as many times I've cleaned that tank and
replaced the fuel lines, filters and fuel pumps. Including that
tankful of purple gas and water, every gallon used by my car came
from the same gas station.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<,

<span style="color: #006600">After the purple gas/water, I switched to a brand
new station with brand new tanks and now I pre-filter all my High Test
fuel thru a gizzmo I rigged up with a coffee filter inside. </span>

I just always supposed the magnetic, powdered rust was originating
from MY fuel tank walls rusting because I could not source a tank
boiling service locally.

During the past month, I've again pulled and deep cleaned the
tank, (no rust the second time) all new fuel lines, pump, filter, etc.
When I pulled the carbs (second time) they were spotless. Fuel pump guts
were spotless. Fuel filter was spotless.

When I look inside my tank, I see not rust pile on the bottom.

HUUMMMMMMMMMMMM?????

Perhaps the finely powdered, magnetic mud originated from the gas
station I no longer use? I just assumed it was my fault because I could
not get my tank boiled.

Maybe I'll drive it while and then drop a carb bowl and see if
any "mud " has accumulated.

You guys got me thinking now. Maybe the tank is NOT the bugaboo.
Maybe my gasahol source was the fuel demon?

Thanks, <span style="color: #3333FF">BryanC- Good Chuckle, that!!! </span>

dale</span>

 

[TR3driver]

I agree with Doc, it can't possibly be rusting that fast. The source must be external.

Could be the gas ... or could be that someone was messing with you ?

Decades ago, a friend kept having clogged fuel filters on his Chevy Vega. Problem disappeared when he installed a locking gas cap ...

 

[Tinster]

I'd be for tossin' a couple of those circular magnets See what they bring with 'em...

From his report they should look like Furbies!

Good idea, Doc-

Remember, 183 miles ago, this tank was out of the car
and had nuts and bolts tumbled around inside, rinsed with,
clean water; repeated process until water flush contained zero
particles when poured onto white paper towel.

5 gallon new gas, hand filtered into clean 5 gallon container.
Same 5 gallons poured thru a filter into cleaned gas tank.
Drove to same station and hand filtered another 5 gallons into tank
Drove 110 miles
Added 5 additional gallons, hand filtered.
Drove 73 miles 2 days ago.

Just now, dropped a 5/8" diameter magnet into gas tank and hauled
it up. Rust fur ball came out. Very disheartening and totally
unexpected to be THIS bad.

Looks like a new tank is needed, indeed.

gonna go get me and the Mrs an eye-TAL-yun pepperoni pizza and CAB.

 

[foxtrapper]

If you've got gasahol, do not fiberglass the tank. Alcohol is a solvent for the polyester resin. That's why fiberglass boat tanks are failing so mich these days. Don't join that crowd.

Silty rust tells me your tank isn't as clean as you think.

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Dale, a new tank from VB is $300. Is it the shipping cost that is the problem?

 

[Tinster]

Dale, a new tank from VB is $300. Is it the shipping cost that is the problem?

<span style="color: #CC0000">Pretty much says it all. I don't use VB but shipping
any TR6 part tank here usually involves double or triple the part price.

The Mrs. is real firm about no more major $$$ going into the Money Pit.
I'm sure any steel tank would develop rust here rather quickly.
Like, look at the photo. There was not a speck of loose rust in my
tank 6 weeks ago. Now it's loaded and every drop of fuel has been
prefilter thru coffee filter cones.

So the rust is developing inside the tank itself. And fast!!
</span>

 

[tosoutherncars]

What product was used to *seal* the tank, after it had been cleaned? I don't care how damp and salty the conditions are, a properly de-rusted, cleaned and sealed tank should not get that rusty again in a matter of several years, never mind several weeks.

Eastwood sells a good kit, you should be able to find something similar locally.

https://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=382&itemType=PRODUCT

 

[tosoutherncars]

POR15 version...

https://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?grp=FTRK&dept=12

" this tank was out of the car and had nuts and bolts tumbled around inside, rinsed with clean water; repeated process until water flush contained zero particles when poured onto white paper towel. "

Yeah... if that's all that was done, I'm not surprised that you're still experiencing difficulties. boiling it with nuts & bolts (generally on a BBQ) is a good way of scouring the tank, but if that's where it was left, all you did was expose a bunch of fresh metal, that is then increasingly vulnerable to rust.

FWIW, Behr plumbing etch / derusting solution, sold in gallons at your local Home Depot, is phosphoric acid, and will be easier / cheaper to obtain than Metal Ready. Left long enough, in a warm enough environment, it *will* dissolve all traces of rust in the tank.

Again, after that's all done, the inside surface of the tank needs to be sealed, and the sealant allowed to cure, before a lasting fix is obtained.