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TR2/3/3A Visiting the tr3 fuel tank again

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T

TexasKnucklehead

Jedi Knight
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So my original tank was allowed to sit with salt water in it for over a year. It still holds water but looks terrible inside. My ebay tank is need of repair, and has been repaired. After grinding off the mat/repair on the bottom, I can see the hole is larger than I hoped. I can't tell if the edge has been soldered, or that's just the way the wire-brushed metal looks. I can see several pin holes to the side of the major hole. I can smell no gas fumes in this tank. Does this look like a candidate for a solder patch? Should I use silver solder? Should I grind off all the prevoius repair?
 
If that were my tank, I'd buy a new one. In fact I did when I did my restoration. My old tank was still good (didn't leak, and even looked fine), but after almost fifty years, I figured it's best to change it. I bought it from the guy on ebay. Perfect fit...nicely made. I paid about $270 about a year ago, but I see that they are up to $300+.
 
Looks pretty far gone to me. I'd keep looking for another one; or keep the original that you say still holds water.

And no, I don't think that's solder, although I could be mistaken.

It's a shame my buddy in Spring moved away, I used to get down there every few years and I've got a spare tank I don't need.
 
I was at a show last weekend & saw a Healey 100 with fuel running from under the rear end. He had told me it had been repair twice already. I think you could save money elseware.
 
Unless you patch repair the rusted section, and slosh seal or POR the inside, it's trouble with a capital T.

Always rust particles flaking off and clogging the fuel filter. Every now and then a rust flake will block the tank outlet pipe and cut the fuel supply, and you will grind to an embarrassing halt. Cars aren't particular about just where that will happen either.

Worse still, starting to leak fuel all over the garage floor just after you have gone to bed. Next morning garage full of fumes, and the risk of a big ka-boom. House badly damaged or gone.

Get a new or good used tank, and relax.

Viv.
 
Just for the additional fun of it, I dragged the original tank back out and took a better look at it. It appears to have some coating on the inside that is now peeling like latex paint off of oil based paint. It's a mess. I don't know how I'd get the other side of the two baffles cleaned up with the shaking bag-o-bolts method. The bottom of the tank has a thick copper patch about 14"x3" that's been soldered and painted to nearly the entire resting surface.

A local club member thinks he has a tank in storage that I can use.

...a box of chocolates.
 
Of all the little things that can leave you on the side of the highway,dirt gas is very evil.Take the old tank and shoot it full of holes with what ever weapon you have,take it to the scrapper!!!!
MD(mad dog)
 
Hey Art did you buy your tank from those guys in California? If so, did you buy the aluminum tank or the steel one?
Steve
 
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