Fuel tank

[Gooseloony]

Ok I've decided to try the "California shake" on my fuel tank to try and get whatever is clogging up my carb (sediment I assume). Anyway, have read all the threads and being new to this whole Model A thing I want to eliminate costly mistakes as I proceed. I have read the mention of putting Acetone, muriatic acid and even water in the tank as a rinse, that all really concerns me--should I go that route or just shake and drain, shake and drain...? Any other helpful tips like best location to open up, equipment, tools etc?

Thank you in advance, Nick

[Mitch//pa]

for rust removal i fill it with evaporust to dissolve it then shake rattle and roll it
and add pencil filter when done

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Drain what you can & add the pencil filter.
Bill W.

[Gooseloony]

Excuse my ignorance, do you or anyone have a photo of a "pencil filter", where it's installed and how to install it?

And to Bill, I've heard alot about you, read a lot of your posts and welcome your return here--hope all is going well with you!

[jkeesey]

Heres the pencil filter. http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/2140
It sits on top of the gas valve when you reinstall it.

[Gooseloony]

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Heres the pencil filter. http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/2140
It sits on top of the gas valve when you reinstall it.

Outstanding, thank you Jkeesey. Will give it a try. Any other pointers or install snafus to be aware of?

[Purdy Swoft]

A pickup magnet on a telescoping handle works pretty good to pick up loose rust in the bottom of the tank. I have had good sucess with Marine clean to remove varnish that looks like rust from the gas tank . Marine clean is made by POR 15 and is mixed with hot water and sloshed in the tank and then left in the tank to sit over night. I've seen this stuff clean a tank so good that the original galvanized or zinc coating could be seen again. After using this product, I have used a vacume cleaner to draw out any remaining loose particals and licquid that remained in the tank followed with a heat gun or hair drier to finish dring the inside of the tank. I also use and recommend the stand up or pencil filter that stands up in the bottom of the tank attached in the cut off valve. I don't recommend any type tank sealer. Who knows what they may put in the gas that could loosen or remove a sealer. It is always best to first remove the tank so as to do a better job of cleaning.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The tank I cleaned for a customer 10 years ago was dry, so I blew into it with an air compressor while sucking at the filler with a shop vac. This got rid of a lot of old dried gas and rust. Then I put 5 gallons of laquer thinner in the tank and drained it into a pail with a cloth on top to catch the junk. I did this several times while rocking the car back and forth. I had the drain cock removed and installed a fitting and hose for quicker draining. After this the tank was clean enough to install the pencil filter and drive it. Just have to clean the glass sediment bowl once in a while.

My Studebaker gas tank has some fine rust that finds it's way through the large gas filter and into the carb. I'm going to rig up my electric fuel pump to a couple hoses and large filter, and let it run for several hours to see if I can't get it cleaner. I can remove the sending unit and stick the hoses through that hole. I'll point them in opposite directions to make the gas circulate and hopefully pick up and carry out the fine junk.

[Gooseloony]

Thank you Tom, great info and direction as always.

[Big hammer]

I was told a story years ago, a man struck a match near an open gas tank and boom went the tank. Could have been a tall tail. IMO I would be careful with electrical vacuum and gas tanks. Then again I watched a welder weld a filler neck, with tank full of gas!

[Ronnie Lawson]

FUEL TANK REPAIR is more than just pouring in a quart of sealer and sloshing it around. If gum, varnish, sludge, or fuel is inside, they must be removed first.
When I cleaned mine I put a quart of POR‑15 Marine Clean. and 3 quarts of water to remove the gum, sludge and varnish. I strapped the tank down in back of my pick-up truck and drove to Austin Texas. The roads in Arkansas were the roughest in the USA. Every time I would hit a bump in the road I would say shake a tank, shake a tank. After I got to Austin Texas I drained it out and it was a brownish color. On the way back home from Texas I added another quart of POR‑15 Marine Clean... and 3 quarts of water. When I got home and I drained the tank it was clear. I rinsed the tank with clear water and went to the next setup.
The next step I use POR-15 PREP & READY™ to remove rust & prepare tank for sealer. I followed the instructions on the container and rinsed the tank out with clear water. I used a hair drier to dry the water out of the tank and went to the next step.
The last step was to coat the inside of the tank with U.S. STANDARD TANK SEALER™ to permanently seal tank. You can purchase this kit from http://www.por15.com.
Have you ever wanted to know what the inside of the 1928-29 gas tank looked like? The gas tank is hard to clean, because of the two baffles inside.

[Chris in CT]

Hi Gooselooney,
Remove the tank and take it to a radiator shop who will steam clean it for you. Pick a radiator shop that does custom work and perhaps has done antique car gas tanks in the past. Then have him pressure test the tank and repair it if necessary with silver solder - never weld a Model A gas tank, because the hardened sheet metal will spider-crack. Happy Motoring.

[JohnLaVoy]

Removing the tank is the best way to get it cleaned up. Yes, it is a lot of headaches and expense but once it is done it is done! I take the tank to a radiator shop first and have it boiled out and pressure tested. Then use the POR15 tank seal kit. You need the tank out as the pictures show the baffles that you need to work the product around to get coverage of the whole tank. I did this process to my sedan and have over 40,000 miles on it and the gas is as clean as it was new. I don't just the screens because once you have sealed the tank there is not rust build up in the system.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

With those baffle plates, I SERIOUSLY doubt that ALL the surfaces could ever be coated with TANK SEALER!!
Too bad that ALL the gas tanks aren't the same, if so, someone would be manufacturing them (SIGH!)
Bill W.

[jkeesey]

Theres too much liability involved so no one will go near making a model A gas tank. The best way to clean it is to remove it and have the tank cut open, sandlbasted, reassembled, and coated. Its not easy or cheap but it is the only way to guarantee the tank is 100% clean.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Big hammer

I was told a story years ago, a man struck a match near an open gas tank and boom went the tank. Could have been a tall tail. IMO I would be careful with electrical vacuum and gas tanks. Then again I watched a welder weld a filler neck, with tank full of gas!

Once the tank has been properly cleaned with Marine clean and water, a vacume cleaner and hair dryer are safe to use, worked for me anyway .