| Author |
Message |
daves_ale
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2004
Posts: 1044
Location: Home of Happiness, Texas
|
 Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:47 am Post subject: Sticky Situation (Gas Tank) |
 |
|
SO my bus has been sitting for years, and then some. Either at a former shop or in my garage. I'm gearing up for restoration and removing all the final stuff for bare metal, get to the gas tank and notice, it still has gas in it! Not just a little but a good 5~8 gallons of the stuff. The fuel line is just hanging there swinging in the breeze. I went to remove it anyways (this sucker is heavy!) and when I lifted it up it appears that the water that was in the bottom of the tank rusted some pinholes; but the gas that's left in there has evaporated so much that only some thick goo has been able to seep out.
WTF do I do now? Is there a solution that I can pour in there to revert it or at least loosen it up so I can pour it out? Disposal is going to be an interesting challenge...
_________________
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wishes us to be happy"- Ben
'66 Euro Beetle 1200A
'71 Single Cab
'78 Westy
'02 Jaguar XK8 convertible |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
widehatch
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2007
Posts: 775
Location: Memphis, TN aka The Armpit of the South
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
you're better off just buying a new tank. they're making them now. a friend of mine has a new aftermarket tank and loves it. but if you insist on using the original tank POR-15 makes a product called Marine-clean that will dissolve the old syrup like gas. or some radiator shops can boil the gas tank and put in a new liner. good luck finding someone willing to weld up the rust holes. id just go with a new tank.
_________________
Missouri Micros |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
daves_ale
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2004
Posts: 1044
Location: Home of Happiness, Texas
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
Will Marine Clean go through that amount of tar? I did the POR15 treatment in my bay with good results. Right now I'm just trying to get all of this crap ( Gallons of the stuff ) out. Has anyone else come across this situation before? One way or another I'm going to have to find a way to dump it out. Just looking for the best way to free it up.
_________________
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wishes us to be happy"- Ben
'66 Euro Beetle 1200A
'71 Single Cab
'78 Westy
'02 Jaguar XK8 convertible |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ToolBox
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004
Posts: 3439
Location: Detroit, where they don't jack parts off my ride in the parking lot of the 7-11
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| mousegrey64 wrote: |
| you're better off just buying a new tank. they're making them now. a friend of mine has a new aftermarket tank and loves it. but if you insist on using the original tank POR-15 makes a product called Marine-clean that will dissolve the old syrup like gas. or some radiator shops can boil the gas tank and put in a new liner. good luck finding someone willing to weld up the rust holes. id just go with a new tank. |
The new tanks flat out suck. Thinner metal, the neck is at the wrong angle and most crack at the tank to filler joint. I sent 3 back before I said no more and fixed the one I removed.
Find a good radiator shop and have it boiled, then find a good welder to repair the holes and seal it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ian
Samba Moderator
Joined: August 28, 2002
Posts: 4930
Location: 713
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
pour out the old gas somewhere, in a container, at the junkyard, maybe an oil change station, somewhere.
then get some hot water and dawn dish soap. get some chain. put chain in tank with hot water and soap. shake shake shake. drain, rinse, shake, drain, rinse shake drain, until the water comes out clear.
then fill it with water again and see where it leaks. fix the leaky holes with some sheetmetal patches. fill with water again to make sure the welds don't leak. coat inside and out with the por-15 tank sealer. bam good to go
_________________
All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dufo's Pizza and Auto
Samba Member
Joined: September 10, 2007
Posts: 195
Location: Pee Yay
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
If you're not in a rush....
Pour off the liquids...and just let the rest "air dry." It'll take 6months or so. The gooey stuff gets all hard and dry and falls out in chunks after banging on the tank with a rubber mallet.
_________________
Dufo's Pizza & Auto Repair...."You do fo me and I do fo you"
...'cause it ain't easy bein' cheesy! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zozo
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2005
Posts: 5217
Location: South of Ol' San Antonio
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I had the same situation. My tank weighed about 30-35 pounds when I pulled it out. I poured about a quart of liquid out, and this is what was left, minus the gasket and the grass clippings. I don't think all the cleaning in the world would have fixed this thing.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bugcollections
Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2007
Posts: 795
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| then get some hot water and dawn dish soap. get some chain. put chain in tank with hot water and soap. shake shake shake. drain, rinse, shake, drain, rinse shake drain, until the water comes out clear. |
A mechanic friend of mine uses glass marbles for this purpose instead of chain. With the glass marbles there is no chance of a spark setting off the gas fumes as there would be with a chain. Even with the water in there it is still possible to have combustible fumes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
daves_ale
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2004
Posts: 1044
Location: Home of Happiness, Texas
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm really curious as to how much goo is going to come out of it. From what I can tell it's Super Gooey. It's thicker than dehydrated honey. I've actually have time on my side so I'll try the air drying idea and then go with the usual Marine clean/ Por15 seal. Radiator shops around here won't touch gas tanks anymore. Believe me, I've tried.
_________________
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wishes us to be happy"- Ben
'66 Euro Beetle 1200A
'71 Single Cab
'78 Westy
'02 Jaguar XK8 convertible |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
KevinAlbrecht
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 970
Location: Ocean City > Boca > Pompano > Kirkland > Eugene
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| daves_ale wrote: |
| I'm really curious as to how much goo is going to come out of it. From what I can tell it's Super Gooey. It's thicker than dehydrated honey. I've actually have time on my side so I'll try the air drying idea and then go with the usual Marine clean/ Por15 seal. Radiator shops around here won't touch gas tanks anymore. Believe me, I've tried. |
How 'bout a media blasting joint? Not sure how entirely difficult it would be to get results with it being such an enclosed space, but pop the sender off and you have a direct shot at the bottom.
_________________
Kevin Albrecht
Wait, what...?
| WideFive wrote: |
| Single carbs are for lawn mowers! |
Don't forget those seat-belts!
Click to view image |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
