How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

A previous owner of my 31 cabriolet applied pour in gas tank line material without cleaning the tank. As a result of the underlying rust is causing the material to flake off and clog my fuel system. I pulled the tank out and delivered it to a radiator shop today to see if hot tanking it we'll get it off. Unfortunately this will require repainting the gas tank which I guess is OK considering I don't trust a vehicle to drive it now. The last few times I have driven it pieces of the liner have loaded into the fuel system stalling the engine. I have tried flushing the gas tank out multiple times with the problem just reoccurring a few days later. I put a scope in the tank and was able to look around the corner of the baffles and I can see where there are multiple areas where the lining is flaking off. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions of what to try in case the radiator shop is unable to remove the material?

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

There's a strainer you can add that goes in the top of the gas tank valve, might be an option

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/gas-tank-screen


Saving iron from the scrap pile one piece at a time

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

cut open the tank to clean it out properly or get another one.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

x 2!

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Yeah I was planning on cutting 3 holes in the back, one in each baffled chamber and media blast it out. I was hoping someone had a miracle chemical that would clean it out.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

That is the only way to do it right. I have never read of a way to get the stuff out of the tank other then cut it open.

As a last ditch effort put gravel and a little water into the tank, strap it to a cement mixer and leave it on for a day or two. Seems to work for most of the rust but I have no idea about sealer. PIA to get all the gravel out by the way.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31907

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

You could try some E-85 gas to see if that will dissolve it. After all it was the ethanol crap gas that loosens most older liners in tanks.

I used a gallon of E-85 and a couple handfuls of lag bolts and wood screws to finish removing the old liner from my Studebaker tank, and it came out looking like new inside. 23 years ago someone thought they were doing good by lining a mint tank.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Hi Mac,

In my humble opinion, it would have been helpful to know a few more details like both color and composition of tank coating; however, at this late date, if the task of removing one's Model A tank is already done, and the transporting of it to a radiator shop is already accomplished, just pay the radiator shop owner when you pick it up.

If he removed the coating, report the details; and if he was not able to remove this coating, also report the details of what he tried.

Just relax and do not give up because there will be a few options for discussions on how to approach Step Two (2), if a Step Two (2) is required.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

I hope the shop knows what it's doing.
A guy in our club sent his 29 tank to the strip place, and it came back minus the threaded fill pipe.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

From my experiences, cutting the holes in the back still leaves you with two areas that will be uncleaned due to the baffles obstructing the media. Look at the picture below.

Also, hot caustic (-which most radiator shops no longer use because it is deadly on aluminum radiators) generally will soften the sealer somewhat where it can be scraped out, but if you just try to blast it out, you will likely overheat (and possibly warp) the surrounding sheetmetal with the media. Most of those sealers are a real pain to get removed unless they did not adhere well when they were poured in.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Brent is correct
Cut the top off following the track welds. It is easier to put back
And gives full access to the tank as shown.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Brent, is this how you clean them out in your shop? I didn't realize there is another baffle in the side chambers. That picture was very informative.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Going further......
Once it is cleaned out to that extent, where do you go from there. They were originally galvanized. What is used after re-welding??

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

interested as well....

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

I wonder also... it seems that welding would melt away the Terne coating only in area of the welding but I suppose that most of the Terne coating, percentage wise, would remain intact.

Then again ... how effective was the Terne coating if the tank was rusted inside?

I do not know...

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Wouldn't it be NEAT, if someone could make a FUEL CELL, that could be popped in the tank, while the top was off? BUT then, it would MELT, while welding the top on??? Back to the drawing board.
Bill W.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

Mr. Mac's Radiator Shop News about their trying to remove his Model A tank's sealer and rust has lots to do with guessing exactly at what Mr. Mac can expect next.

Always interesting. Just wonderful everybody is sincerely trying to assist.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

I have a great idea...Call a few of the companies that make this stuff and ask them just what they would recomend in desolving this material...I would think that their technical departments would know of such a process...might save you some time and money, especially cutting up the tank!

Pluck

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

If the tank sealer is black & can be dissolved with part Ethanol fuel, there is one (1) possibility.

The MAFCA 1973 article recommended a Model A fuel tank sealer made with black "Permatex" gasket sealer, dissolved and mixed with alcohol, which obviously worked very well to seal Model A gas tanks until the later Ethanol Fuel Era.

When Ethanol fuel was later added to these "Permatex" treated tanks, this type of sealer began to dissolve.

Re: How to remove old pour in gas tank liner
 

I thought acetone dissolved most of this stuff.I cleaned a couple out using it,the sealer was the gray stuff.I put a gallon in a tank,and let it set for a few days,sloshing it around whenever I walked by it.What I drained out looked like K 36 primer as it comes out of the can.I did it twice more,and it seemed to get it all out.I know many years ago guys would mix up permatex and alcohol and slosh that around in a tank,then let it dry.I ran into this on a car that the owner said was making pink gas.We figured that was what had been done to his.After all of us guessing the valves were going to stick,or the rings gum up,or something happen we kind of forgot about it.The owner said it took about a year for all the stuff to dissolve.It must have melted away so slowly that it just ran through the carb and burned.I am not a fan of any kind of tank liners.