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I thought I had paid to have my fuel tank boiled but I got a nasty surprise yesterday. I was just tooling down the road when the car hiccuped real hard, almost died, then smoothed out and kept going. Okay, that worried me a little but I went on to work. When I left work a little after dark I got about a mile when the car died. It started right up again, went about a mile hiccuped again and almost died but got me home. So I was going to load it on a trailer and take it over to Bill's to see if he could figure things out but it wouldn't start. I looked at the pre filter and it was plugged solid with rust. So I guess something broke loose in the tank that wasn't visible after we boiled it out. It runs fine now with a new insert in the filter but I wonder how much of this I have to worry about. I guess if I can run this tank empty I'll drop the tank again and have it coated inside. I guess it depends on how much rust is in the tank.

Harry

Hi Harry, I had the gas tank in my '49 boiled out but that did not remove the rust. The shop also used silicone to seal a leak. Any way the filter was always clogging up and the tank would leak. That boilout cost me over $100. and it was no good. I removed the tank and took it to a place called Gas tank Renu in Stockton and they dessassembled the tank, cleaned it replaced the ends that were bad, sealed it and looks like new, cost:$500. But it was worth it, no leaks, clean fuel. Only problem now is the fuel in the tank prior to rebuild contaminated the carburator, even so the engine starts much easier and runs better. As long as your tank does not leak or have dammage, removeit get some kerosene and BB's, or if not kerosene use a heavy duty carburator cleaner, put the BB's in the tank with the cleaner and shake and shake, you will be surprised the stuff that will come out. Be careful not to get any on you, it burns. Good luck. Arnie

gone that route a few times. so, I'm stepping up somewhat. friend works in fab shop, made 3/4 inch thick side plates for my beadroller. now it acually works to do 16 gauge stainless steel. In process now in getting cheap stainless sheet. friend says "you should make hudson gas tanks and sell them". thought about doing 100% reproduction gas tanks. all this started from needing to have good gas tanks for my pickup trucks. you know, looking at my 41 tank, pretty easy to build one with right tools. so, I'll get one done for my 41 3/4 ton, post a picture, and see what everyone thinks about doing stainless repo's.

I had good luck with tank renu as well, but $500 is getting steep. I'd love to be able to pay that for a stainless repop stepdown tank if I could.

Thanks guys, I bllame the EPA more than the shop, they just won't let anyone use the products that will do the jobs they used to do. I've had lots of tanks boiled out in tractors and trucks and cars and have never had this happen before. I should have picked up some airplane dope and coated the inside of the tank, it is fuel proof and I should never have skipped that step.

Harry

Yeah, you should've coated the inside right after you had it boiled out ,Harry. The way most repos get started is by someone needing a part for their project. I know over the years,I've had to have several radio parts made to finish a project. I gets expensive but,what doesn't anymore?

I have had 3 tanks done by Kings Radiator in Morristown TN. They built a rotisserie that holds 4 tanks. They put shattered safety glass in the tank ( King's cousin owns a glass shop ) and tumble it for a minimum of 24 hours. He then checks it to make sure it is free of rust or varnish, if not he tumbles it again for another 24 hours, then seals it. I don't know what he uses to seal them but I have had no problems in 5 years.
It has been 3 years since the last one was done, so I don't know what the cost is now, but at the time it was $120.
Bob

If your gas tank has rust, boiling it out will not get rid of the rust. What I do is sandblast as much of the inside as I can thru the gas tank sending unit opening. After this, I dump in a few pounds of large size nuts and bolts and cover the sending unit opening. I then tie a rope around the gas tank and hang it from a tree branch or rafter and shake the heck out of the tank. Turn over as necessary. The rope has a little give in it and moves up and down as you shake. I also put in battery acid and clean out with water and baking soda.

Thanks guys, I guess it's the old case of you live and you learn from your mistakes. I asked the guy about coating the tank and he assured me it wasn't necessary unless the tank has holes in it. I should have followed my instincts and done it anyway. Now I need to burn up a tank of fuel without plugging up too many filters then start all over again. I think I'll fill the tank with ball bearings and put the tank into a cement mixer, pad the outside and let her tumble, that should clean it up for coating.

Harry

Is there some one who makes a reproduction gas tank for stepdowns?cost?