I would appreciate some recommendations/suggestions regarding internal cleaning / sealing a petrol tank.
I have a 1952 B33 and although the petrol tank is in good external condition the internals have some surface rust and scaling so needs a good clean.
I would appreciate if the group could share any experiences, recommendations, and/or suggestions on any products/liquids and techniques to internally clean my petrol tank and if a liquid epoxy type sealant is recommended after cleaning.
I have researched and read various repports about the pros and cons of various products and techniques but I would appreciate any feedback from the group.
Cheers for your help.
Bruce
If there is a lot of rust then chuck a hand full of screws, nuts etc in and shake to loosen the rust. The last screws etc can be fished out using a magnet on a stick.
Then fill with a dilute (around 5-10%) solution of phosphoric acid and let it stand (I go for overnight), empty, rinse well with water, this will neutralise any remaining rust.
If the tank then leaks you can consider a liner but if it is sound I would steer clear of liners.
A friend of mine recommended using molasses diluted down. I currently have my Reliant Robin fuel tank full and it looks a bit better. I've used vinegar in the past with nuts and bolts in the tank, so I'd think anything like that would be effective.
As above regarding liners, I've heard too many negatives that have put me off.
I have de-rusted more tanks than I can remember and use the old trick of filling the tank with apple cidar vinegar - you can get this in 5L containers for use as a horse supplement. You leave it in for 5 or so days and it absolutely dissolves all the rust although it's best to remove any loose rust beforehand by shaking the tank with stones or nuts inside. Provided you have removed all the rust, its best IMH to then seal with POR-15 or similar to stop any rust returning. POR-15 also has the advantage of sealing any pin holes in the tank. Never had a problem with any of the tanks I've sealed.
Hi,
Agree on POR-15 but have two tanks ready as there is enough in the tin and is a bit expensive to waste.
Dave.
been using the nuts and bolts and Por 15 or Kreem for years, the only curve ball was ethanol. todays stock should all be ethanol proof.
I would suggest this was the only reason many dont like as its peeled off due to ethanol. Prior to this it wasnt a problem.
the main thing is cleanliness before, during and after. done by the book and no problem. leave it to stand in one place too long and it with gravity, will drop to the bottom and possibly heat build up may damage external paint, dont ask how I know, .
Ive recently used Kreem on the B40, you can get a gel coat that goes on the outside to stop spillage attacking the paint. the advantage and primary coating needs to be done around the central fixing tube, where the rubber has sat with damp for years, its rusted well inside and out. so far the inside is holding up and Ive used a plastic metal down in the tube to give body..
once derusted with metalwork, needs cleaning off, ideally, I use petrol as it evaporates, water may retain moisture . I then let it dry over night , best done in warm weather so tank is warm, then mix and pour, then keep it moving , ensuring hard to SEE parts are coated, a small mirror and a flexible torch is good for this.
Finally, if the tank is in need of external paint, sort the inside out first, and make sure the holes are well plugged and sealed if being blasted.
Electrolysis worked brilliantly for me.
A lot less effort than shaking it all about
Ive used POR15 on 2 tanks now. They both had weeping pin hole leaks made worse with rust removal. Use the POR15 instructions precisely to ensure good adhesion of the sealant. Degrease, rust treatment wash and then DRY and DRY again with hair dryer/hot air gun. It must be bone dry inside before applying the sealant. Most failures are due to the inside of the tank not being dried sufficiently. You have to be very patient and take more time than you planned for. I blocked the filler cap opening by using a sheet of polythene trapped under the filler cap and a bung in the tap hole. It makes it easier then to slosh the sealant around the inside and invert the tank to ensure its evenly coated. I needed a tap to clean the threads on the exit once it was cured.