You cannot get around refurbing Stude gas tanks

[edpjr]

I just had the gas tank cleaned, refurbed, and resealed on my Avanti. I was hoping to do the same for my '66 Commander 194 CID within the next few weeks. But, it beat me to the punch again today. In the current arctic conditions of NC, apparently another small piece of trash, sediment or debris circumvented BOTH in-line gas filters, the new fuel pump, and got lodged in the rebuilt carb. So, the car stopped running about a mile from the house. A liberal does of carb cleaner and trying to blow out the impediment by revving the engine got me another 1/4 mile closer home. But, the car will get to spend the night in the lot of the new construction area where it finally gave up the ghost. This vehicle has been a wonderful little car EXCEPT for the unreliability of the fuel system due to the mickey mouse gas tank. My brother had exactly the same type continuing problem with his '66 Cruiser V-8 until its gas tank was completely cleaned and redone. Ditto for my Avanti. I sure wish Studebaker had invented plastic gas tanks. [V][:0]

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[Invalid User Name]

I've been checking boats to see if I can find a tank that will fit in my Champion. I found a stainless steel one that will fit, but it is going to take some serious work to stabilize it.


Doug
Venice, Florida
1950 Champion
9G F1

[PackardV8]

FWIW, for everyone with a fuel supply problem, my condolences. However, here's at least one success story. I've been incredibly fortunate to have been driving a stock '55 E12 with original carb, fuel tank, fuel pump, no fuel filter for twenty-eight years and never a problem. Counting my blessings.

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

[Mark57]

quote:Originally posted by PackardV8

FWIW, for everyone with a fuel supply problem, my condolences. However, here's at least one success story. I've been incredibly fortunate to have been driving a stock '55 E12 with original carb, fuel tank, fuel pump, no fuel filter for twenty-eight years and never a problem. Counting my blessings.

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

Maybe it's a truck thing Jack... when I took my gas tank out of the Transtar a couple of years back to get the filler neck resoldered, I was going to have the tank boiled out and cleaned up... the shop was done the job in a few hours as they said the tank did not need any servicing (other than the aformentioned repair).

A 49 year old gas tank:


<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island Chapter
http://visdc.shawwebspace.ca/ </h5>

[rockne10]

[maxpower1954]

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "Mickey Mouse" gas tank. ALL cars had metal tanks until the mid '80s. Time and sitting around unused years at a time, which most Studebakers have done takes it's toll...the good news is once you deal with it, you're good to go for a LONG time...Russ Farris

History of metal vs. plastic fuel tanks, very interesting link!

http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM...rado-9607.html

1963 GT Hawk R-2 4-speed
1964 Avanti R-1 Auto

[buddymander]

How can stuff from the tank get past two filters? Is your fuel pump coming apart inside? Or a line deteriorating from the inside?

[Milaca]

Ed, you may have ice in the fuel line. Put a bottle of isopropyl in the tank.


1949 2R17
R is for Rusty
In the middle of Minnesota

[hopsBB]

You can always do this
[img][/img]
Its still holding with no leaks and its been a few months now.Its just sitting in the corner of my shop right now.I haven't put it back on the car yet,but I road around for about a month with it being on the car before I started redoing stuff and discovered this when I dropped the tank.

[edpjr]

Upon further inspection, it appears the crap inside the gas tank clogged the rear filter so bad as to reduce gas flow through the fuel pump and second filter to a trickle. The second clear filter had hardly any gas in it at all. Regarding the fuel pump, it has been replaced twice with a new Airtex each time. The original one was full of crud. And the first replacement was defective. If there's even a hint of a fuel flow problem after getting the tank rotted out, I'm going with an electric pump. Inconsistent fuel flow has been the bane of the existence of this Studebaker. [xx(]

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[edpjr]

Thanks for the suggestion, but this particular car has been afflicted by the same problem in 100F July weather...

quote:Originally posted by Milaca

Ed, you may have ice in the fuel line. Put a bottle of isopropyl in the tank.


1949 2R17
R is for Rusty
In the middle of Minnesota

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[Dan Timberlake]

"Upon further inspection, it appears the crap inside the gas tank clogged the rear filter so bad as to reduce gas flow through the fuel pump and second filter to a trickle. The second clear filter had hardly any gas in it at all. "

It seems like Even perfect tanks sometimes can get a load of swarf from somewhere. More than once I've felt the need to make a mini dialysis machine to recirculate fuel ( or cleaning tank solvent ) thru a fairly fine filter and let it run all afternoon.

[Relark]

I still have that free fuel tank for a '59 Lark. Further info under separate topic "Free fuel tank"

Art

'59 Lark hardtop w/355 blown sbc, 700R4, 8.8" rear w/ 3.73 gears

Dogs are a man's best friend. Just ask my Dachshunds!

[edpjr]

Got the car back from the shop for a day (more work still in progess) to fill up with fresh gas and check out the newly refurbed gas tank. What an immense pleasure after driving approx 50 miles and not having the car stall out with a clogged gas line or filter! Or having some trash or sediment work thru the gas filter and plug up the carb. A deteriorating gas tank is a miserable thing that cannot be fixed by 100 gas filter replacements. If you gotta bad tank, get it fixed before you're in the position where you wish you had.

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[N8N]

Ed,

if you still have the original pump, I highly recommend kitting it rather than continuing with the Airtex replacements. (I ASSume that they are probably AC and rebuildable, I don't know old Chevy sixes too well.)

On the topic of garbage in gas tanks, when I had my '62 Daytona, I had the same problem, it turned out to be a little scrap of some kind of heavy red fabric looking stuff that of course ended up right up against the pickup in the tank; it didn't burn, it didn't dissolve in lye, I ended up having to carefully pick it out with a razor blade on the end of a stick. Good times!

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://members.cox.net/njnagel