Gas Tank

[Jimmy]

You guys have been a great help. Thanks!
My latest problem is a good one.
My 40 quit on me going down the road. No warning just died. A friend took me to get a can of gas and it started right up. About half a mile down the road it died again. After setting for twenty minutes it started right up and then died again a half mile later. After checcking the fuel pump check valves and the carb bowl I removed the fuel line at the gas tank and found the problem. The outlet from the tank was plugged up. The car has set for 15 years so I assume it is rust.

There is no inspection cover on the tank and the gas guage hole is only about two inches so how the heck do you clean it out?

[whacker]

Best way is to take it to a pro. Most radiator shops will do it, if it doesn't have any baffles inside. Remove the gauge sending unit before you take it in, have them boil it out and reline the inside for you. Lots of people have done it themselves. I have done it myself once, and I have taken it to a shop once. The shop was better.

[rockne10]

Disconnect everything, remove the tank, remove the sending unit.
Empty excess fuel, rinse it out with some thinner. Let it dry. Dump in a pound or two of nuts and bolts and shake them around to loosen the rust. Remove the nuts and bolts and rinse the tank out again.

Purchase a tank sealing product, either locally or from Kanter or Eastwood. Follow directions carefully so you dont plug the fuel outlet. Then reinstall. It's that simple.

You may also check with a radiator shop. Many of them will cook the tank and seal it for you. That's a bit more costly.

[RHO]

Indeed, exercise caution when using a sealer yourself. While I had one car that did just fine and the sealer has lasted for many years, I had two cars where within six months the sealer flaked off and plugged the pickup tube. I have heard of other similar stories. Just have to be very careful. What I have done since this time is get the tanks cleaned at a radiator shop and then install a transparent filter back along the chassis as close to the tank as possible and monitor it; generally, after a few hundred miles and two or three filter changes, it will begin to run clean.

'55 Commander
'55 President

[Roscomacaw]

DO take the tank to a radiator shop and have them "tank it" for you. Then have them do the sealer or do it yourself. But have it professionally cleaned first!

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[studebakerkid]

Transparent filter.....do one better go to a good auto parts store or tractor shop and get yourself an old fashioned glass sediment bowl. AC and a few other companies still make them and the are easy to plumb in the engine compartment. That way you can just undo the glass and dump the crud out just like the old days.

If you car is ugly then it better be fast.....

65 2dr sedan
64 2dr sedan (Pinkie)
61 V8 Tcab
61 Tcab 20R powered
54 Champion Wagon

[Dan White]

I have used Gastank Renu on two gas tanks now. Cost me a bit over $200 but the tanks were like new when I got them back and they have a lifetime warrantee. Look great and no problems. There are cheaper ways to go but this worked for me and was worth the money.

http://www.gastankrenu.com/

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[jcarmichael]

I had a radiator shop clean and seal the tank on my 1953 Buick and it cost about $400.00 total including repairing many holes. I really didn't have an option as you can't find these tanks anywhere.

1961 Lark

[rockne10]

Jimmy,

The bottom line is the tank has got to come out to properly address your problem.

There is no stop-gap fix for internal rust in a fuel tank.

[Jimmy]

I pulled the tank and did the nut and bolt thing. With a flash light I can see through the guage sending unit hole. It looks realy clean.

When I was removing the sending unit, the cork was crumbling. I think the fuel plug was a chunk of old cork. I did not get much dirt from the tank.

Thanks

[imported_n/a]

I've been wondering about the cork float on those sending units, and wondered if anyone has successfully soldered a brass float onto it as a substitute?