I noticed that my fuel tank is looking a bit rusty, so I think I need to drop it out from under the old girl and give it a once over. Is there any hints tips for removing fuel tanks?
Also I was looking at some pipes coming out of the tank on the LHS of the car and wondered what they do. I have an electric fuel pump fitted on the RHS arch and the pipe feed to that comes out of that side. Now I know that fuel tanks need breathers, but 4 of them?
Rusty tanks
Moderator: Moderators
when you go to remove your tank make sure its mt, use the fuel pump not a vax like some prat at work who's been on the sick for eight months with thirdv degree burns to arms and face 
Those four pipes are part of the emissions and fuel return from the front of the car usually from the charcoal canister
If the tanks has had a full tank of fuel occasionally it should be ok as this helps to stop the tank going rusty on the inside.
Personally I would treat the rust on the tank with a rust converter and not attack it with a wire brush as you dont really want to disturb any tparts that have nearly rusted through and make pinholesalso avoidsd the chances of a spark when working on the tank. As Ted would say BOOM
Those four pipes are part of the emissions and fuel return from the front of the car usually from the charcoal canister
If the tanks has had a full tank of fuel occasionally it should be ok as this helps to stop the tank going rusty on the inside.
Personally I would treat the rust on the tank with a rust converter and not attack it with a wire brush as you dont really want to disturb any tparts that have nearly rusted through and make pinholesalso avoidsd the chances of a spark when working on the tank. As Ted would say BOOM
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latil
- Posts: 12076
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- Location: Steve Pearson MMA/014. East Grinstead and Carmarthen.
Just done my tank,pinholes on top corners. Used a brass wire brush so I didn't get sparks. Rust killed the worst areas and painted the top of tank with 2 coats of f/glass resin,stopped the leaks for now 
1965 Belvedere 2 426 Wedge.
Climate change,global warming,the biggest tax raising scam ever devised by man for mankind.
Motivating Our People,Accelerating Rapidly.
Climate change,global warming,the biggest tax raising scam ever devised by man for mankind.
Motivating Our People,Accelerating Rapidly.
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latil
- Posts: 12076
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 05 10:37 pm
- Location: Steve Pearson MMA/014. East Grinstead and Carmarthen.
Where do you get petropatch these days? Halfords no longer stock it. Can't find it round our way anywhere. Petropatch solution is only nailvarnish anyway but, their cotton sheet is coated in something to get the solution to bond properly. If I can find out what that is I'll go to make-up in Boots.
1965 Belvedere 2 426 Wedge.
Climate change,global warming,the biggest tax raising scam ever devised by man for mankind.
Motivating Our People,Accelerating Rapidly.
Climate change,global warming,the biggest tax raising scam ever devised by man for mankind.
Motivating Our People,Accelerating Rapidly.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
I painted mine with POR 15 from Frost.
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8192
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8192
No charcoal cannisters in 71, they came later (72?).
Basically this is all part of your evaporative emissions. The fuel vapour in the tank is collected (at each of the four corners of the tank) by a vent line. the 4 lines come out of the side of the tank and into the vapour separator in the trunk. A fifth line takes it from there back up to the carb where it is ingested and burnt.
Later on the carbon cannister stores the vapours so they can be purged at a set time.
Although not as green, theoretically you can just vent to the atmoshpere like prior tanks did.
I used Petropatch (can get it at Car Spares Cheshunt) on my tank years ago and it's still fine. Would like to weld up the tank now it's off though. SERIOUSLY, don't weld it unless you've filled it with water, or exhaust gas. Terry, I think you've been lucky mate, but I have heard of many cases where nasty explosions have happened on tanks that may even have been empty for years!!
Basically this is all part of your evaporative emissions. The fuel vapour in the tank is collected (at each of the four corners of the tank) by a vent line. the 4 lines come out of the side of the tank and into the vapour separator in the trunk. A fifth line takes it from there back up to the carb where it is ingested and burnt.
Later on the carbon cannister stores the vapours so they can be purged at a set time.
Although not as green, theoretically you can just vent to the atmoshpere like prior tanks did.
I used Petropatch (can get it at Car Spares Cheshunt) on my tank years ago and it's still fine. Would like to weld up the tank now it's off though. SERIOUSLY, don't weld it unless you've filled it with water, or exhaust gas. Terry, I think you've been lucky mate, but I have heard of many cases where nasty explosions have happened on tanks that may even have been empty for years!!
Gavin Chisholm - 414ci W2 Stroker SmallBlock Panther Pink '71 Challenger convertible - in bits
Car progress can be viewed here
Car progress can be viewed here
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Anonymous
OK cheers for that info M Norm. Im not sure what happened but I got a plastic funnel in the boot of the car so I suppose this must be the vent also.
As for those paints I was talking to Trev-D only the other day and he mentioned Frosts. They are really good for stuff like this, although I did buy some rust preventer paint from them a while back and thought it would be like the thick black paint that is underneath on my chassis at the moment, instead I got a red lead type paint. It seems to be the right stuff though.
Niel did you buy only those two products or did you buy any of the other priming products mentioned on this site also?
Are the tanks easy to get out from under the car?
As for those paints I was talking to Trev-D only the other day and he mentioned Frosts. They are really good for stuff like this, although I did buy some rust preventer paint from them a while back and thought it would be like the thick black paint that is underneath on my chassis at the moment, instead I got a red lead type paint. It seems to be the right stuff though.
Niel did you buy only those two products or did you buy any of the other priming products mentioned on this site also?
Are the tanks easy to get out from under the car?
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Anonymous
the POR15 is quite thin paint, but cures (dries) in a couple of hours.
It is the first time I`ve used it, but it went on well and does what it says on the tin.
I used to use Trustan rust convertor years ago, but haven`t seen it about recently. I also came across Vactan which I migt try. These compounds stabilise the rust, then paint over it as normal.
http://www.paco-systems.co.uk/pdfs/vactan.pdf
I only freshened up the underside of my tank as it`s already been replaced and was just showing signs of surface breakthrough of the e-coat paint. I used a brass wire brush to clean up the surface. Basically I couldn`t be bothered to drop the tank at the moment to do the top
As to the tank internal paint, I was just discussing this with Dave R on Saturday as he has tried it in the past so he has first hand experience.
As with all paint application, the results will very much depend on the persons patience with following instructions. If the tank is full of pinholes, I doubt it will hold for long.
I bought some solvent for brush cleaning but it was darned expensive for a smallish bottle. Basically it`s naptha based (smells similar to petrol).
Use a cheap paint brush and through it away if you`re not bothered.
I`ve got some brush on engine paint for touch up, but haven`t tried it yet. This stuff is 80% solids, so not much volatiles to flash off. I need to use it now after my heater hose mishap the other day blistered more paint away from the water pump
It is the first time I`ve used it, but it went on well and does what it says on the tin.
I used to use Trustan rust convertor years ago, but haven`t seen it about recently. I also came across Vactan which I migt try. These compounds stabilise the rust, then paint over it as normal.
http://www.paco-systems.co.uk/pdfs/vactan.pdf
I only freshened up the underside of my tank as it`s already been replaced and was just showing signs of surface breakthrough of the e-coat paint. I used a brass wire brush to clean up the surface. Basically I couldn`t be bothered to drop the tank at the moment to do the top
As to the tank internal paint, I was just discussing this with Dave R on Saturday as he has tried it in the past so he has first hand experience.
As with all paint application, the results will very much depend on the persons patience with following instructions. If the tank is full of pinholes, I doubt it will hold for long.
I bought some solvent for brush cleaning but it was darned expensive for a smallish bottle. Basically it`s naptha based (smells similar to petrol).
Use a cheap paint brush and through it away if you`re not bothered.
I`ve got some brush on engine paint for touch up, but haven`t tried it yet. This stuff is 80% solids, so not much volatiles to flash off. I need to use it now after my heater hose mishap the other day blistered more paint away from the water pump
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Dave-R
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Yeah I used the POR-15 in-tank stuff a few years ago to stop a drippy tank. It worked fine at first but eventually it started leaking again a couple of years later.
However I am not sure there was enough in the tin to coat the inside as fully as the manufacturer intended. I think I should have bought two tins.
Maybe a coat over the outside would have been better than the smooth hammerite as well. I could have sprayed the hammerite over the POR-15 if I had thought on.
Anyway. Linda bought a new tank in the USA and brought it over in the back of her Monaco wagon she imported.
However I am not sure there was enough in the tin to coat the inside as fully as the manufacturer intended. I think I should have bought two tins.
Maybe a coat over the outside would have been better than the smooth hammerite as well. I could have sprayed the hammerite over the POR-15 if I had thought on.
Anyway. Linda bought a new tank in the USA and brought it over in the back of her Monaco wagon she imported.
Try this- http://www.net-biker.co.uk/acatalog/Petseal.html
We've used it for years on rusty bike tanks and it's brill !!
We've used it for years on rusty bike tanks and it's brill !!
No-one will believe you...