Do-It-Yourself Automotive Nightmare: Rusty Tank Syndrome; Eastwood has the Cure
Pottstown, PA (Vocus) August 17, 2010
When restoring a vehicle, loose rust inside the tank, presents a nightmare to the diy auto restoration hobbyist. A clean supply of fuel is critical to the performance of any vehicle. Hard starting, stumbling under load, and sluggish response may be symptoms that the restoration car’s fuel system is dirty.
The best way to ensure that the fuel is clean is to be certain that the fuel tank is free of rust.
“When the exterior of the tank and its mounting points have heavy rust, it’s a sure bet that the inside of the fuel tank is rusty enough to cause an issue.” said Matt Murray, Eastwood’s social media marketer and recognized motor head.
The first step in the fuel tank rust removal is to coax the nuts holding the gas tank straps to come off. Eastwood suggests CRC Freeze-Off, a rust fighting penetrate before attempting to remove the nuts. After dousing the threads on the stud, and the nut itself with the freeze-off for a few times, it is important to let it sit. Working the nut back and forth, then tapping with a small hammer, the nuts will thread off without breaking a stud or needing to cut off the nut.
The next step is to remove the fuel pump lines, the fuel filler hose and any associated breather hoses. Using a floor jack, drop the fuel tank out of the truck and set it on a fender stand to begin work. “A simple hint is to drop an old chain into the tank and shake it around for a few minutes and then follow it up by pressure washing the inside of the tank and flush out all of the loose rust,” Murray recommends.
Before attempting to seal the inside of the tank, make an assessment of the corrosion on the outside of the tank to assure it won’t rot or leak after a year or two. Hit the tank with a wire brush and a metal scraper to get all of the heavy rust off and then check the tank for thin spots. “Using Eastwood’s Tank Sealer Kit makes it easy to treat and convert surface rust on the outside of the tank. The fuel resistant silver coating leaves the tank looking like the day the vehicle left the showroom,” Murray boasts.
Apply Eastwood’s Rust Converter and allow it to sit on the tank for 24 hours. This will turn the rust to a blackish/purple color and the outside of the tank is ready to be primed and top coated.
Murray notes that Eastwood’s Tank Sealer Kit for Cars will seal minor leaks, saving the restorer from needing to replace the tank. The openings in the tank needs to be plugged and then a bucket of Eastwood’s Metal Wash, diluted with two gallons of hot water should be used to soak into all surfaces and etch the metal.
After draining and rinsing the tank out, a small amount of muriatic acid diluted in a half gallon of hot water should be poured into the tank. There will still be brown and contaminated liquid coming out of the tank at this step.
Eastwood’s Fast Etch should be poured in next and it will clean and etch the tank. One small can of Acetone will finish cleaning the surface and help evaporate any other water in the tank. Finally, the tank sealer is poured in, taking care that all of the surfaces inside are covered and the sealer isn’t puddling of filling the center baffle.
“Here’s a strong warning, Matt cautions. “The sealer fumes are intense and it is important to not breathe in or inhale the fumes coming out of the tank after the sealer has been applied.”
Using an air nozzle in the tank, running it at a low PSI for about an hour, dry the sealer and stop it from puddling as much as possible. Once the Eastwood Tank Sealer has dried and there are little to no fumes remaining, apply Eastwood’s Tank Tone to the outside of the tank. “This really makes a world of difference. After I restored my gas tank, I still have trouble convincing friends this is the same tank!”
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