'35 gas tank yuck

[Steve in Denver]

Any ideas on how to get the remaining yuck out of a gas tank? I had it hot tanked and he got most of it out.

He says the only way he can get the rest out is to cut the tank open and sand blast it.

POR 15 has a cleaner, but not sure if that will get the remaining yuck out if hot tanking it did not.

Then POR15 only comes with a quart of sealer, not sure how to get that all over the tank including the baffels. Seems like a gallon would be a better solution.

[TJ]

Why not buy a new tank? Saves you time and money and you have new fresh metal.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by TJ

Why not buy a new tank? Saves you time and money and you have new fresh metal.

Tom, do you know if the sending unit hole on the new tank is compatible with the OEM sending unit? I've always wondered about this.

[TonyM]

Use two old tires around the tank. Add the POR-15. Agitate the mix by rolling the tank around for a couple hours. Or pay some kid to do it. Worked for me.

[Anteek29]

Time for a new tank!

[petehoovie]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by TonyM

Use two old tires around the tank. Add the POR-15. Agitate the mix by rolling the tank around for a couple hours. Or pay some kid to do it. Worked for me.

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks, yes I have suggested a new tank to this owner at least 4 times. New tank, new electric sending unit, new dash gauge, new wire. He wants to stay original. I have also told him that several Barners have said his hydrostatic sending unit will probably quite 6 months from now, then he will be buying a new tank, etc....

[marko39]

Muratic acid will dissolve that rust followed by neutralizing. Then a good metal prep and then the sealer. Just make sure you do it outside (acid)

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

Thanks, yes I have suggested a new tank to this owner at least 4 times. New tank, new electric sending unit, new dash gauge, new wire. He wants to stay original. I have also told him that several Barners have said his hydrostatic sending unit will probably quite 6 months from now, then he will be buying a new tank, etc....

You can install a 1936 electric sending unit and gauge in a 1935 car. You probably already know that though.

[OhioRick]

Another option.
Rent a small cement mixer and buy some polishing media.
Cheap. The mixer must have an opening large enough but it’ll clean that tank quickly.

[Don T]

Muriatic acid will take the rust out but you will find it only marginally effective if it has not been degreased prior; any type of degreaser will do. Do not breath the fumes, do not do it on concrete you want to keep, wear rubber gloves and old clothes, do not cause a splash. When the rust is gone you will have to dilute the acid, then neutralize then dry the tank. You will get flash rust but the sealer should take care of it. One qt will do a tank; you will have to roll the tank to place the sealer. You will have to figure out where to dump the cruddy contents/acid. It is not expensive but is a lot of dangerous time consuming work. I did my truck tank only because it was going to cost a gazillion $ shipping for a new one and I had the place to do it. It is still sealed after 6 years, was a Hirsh product. How long it will last I do not know. A rad shop will not likely be able to clean it well enough to apply the sealer. I suggest that if I had to do it again I would spend my children's inheritance and go for a new tank.

[woodburnranch]

Originally Posted by OhioRick

Another option.
Rent a small cement mixer and buy some polishing media.
Cheap. The mixer must have an opening large enough but it’ll clean that tank quickly.

Some of my farmer friends have tied a dirty tank containing polishing media to the rear wheel of a tractor and driven it a while to clean things up.

[OldGold360]

I use either a radiator shop or a metal cleaning service. The radiator shop that I’ve used many times (Performance Radiator, Tacoma WA) can also coat the inside of the tank which I’ve had good luck with.

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks everyone, it has been hot tanked and is as clean as they can get it, not grease, just 80 years of old gas residue. I delivered the tank to my friend and for the 5th time, I told him what all of you said, Buy a new tank. But he wants to keep it original and the '35 tank has a smaller opening for the sending unit than the '36 has. He is going to try the 'POR 15 cleaner. I suggested to him that he get several quarts of their sealer as it has 3 baffels in it and one quart will not coat everything.

Somene suggested two tires and rolling it around that way and I told him that.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

Thanks everyone, it has been hot tanked and is as clean as they can get it, not grease, just 80 years of old gas residue. .

[swedishsteel]

If it is old gas residue, try a solution of lye. Worked good for me cleaning a fuel tank off an old bulldozer, looked worse than yours.

[Kube]

Time to speak with the owner on his level. Something like "listen dumbass, this tank is not gonna be 100% no matter what".
It is really time for the owner to get a reality check.

You can bring the tank to a place like Redi-strip and have them dip it. It will come out appearing as new.
Be very careful with the application of any sealer. If that tank is not super clean and free from any residue, the sealer will peel away in due course.
Also, if you apply the sealer and there are edges that didn't get coated, the sealer will pull away.
Just get a new tank....

[Steve in Denver]

had that conversation this afternoon when we delivered the tank. I said, "For the fifth time, everyone I have talked to on the Barn, says, REPLCE THE TANK". He wants to keep it original. When it leaves him on the side of the road because the line is plugged up, then maybe he will listen. Or someone will get a great deal on a really nice maroon '35 roadster.

[Planojc]

_I installed a new tank and sending unit, along with a 35 fuel gauge in my 35 several years ago and it works great. The 36 gauge was a bolt in with no mods and is hard to tell it's not original to the 35. I went with a tank and sending unit from Tanks.

[19Fordy]

Like many have said. Best bet is to buy a new tank. You can redrill the new tank to match old sending unit mounting holes or buy an adapter OR simply make one.

[Steve in Denver]

The only adapter I have found has 6 holes to mount to the '36 tank and 5 holes for fastening the '35 sending unit to the '36 tank. But the '35 sending unit has 6 holes. Besides drilling holes or making one myself, anyone know of an adapter ring?

[TJ]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

Tom, do you know if the sending unit hole on the new tank is compatible with the OEM sending unit? I've always wondered about this.

Seth, I have seen some new tanks that had a dual pattern in them to use the original sender and the aftermarket one. Unfortunately I can recall who made them.

[Steve in Denver]

I purchased my stainless steel tank from Tanks. i don't recommend it as their stainless steel tanks have two holes in them. One for the sending unit, the other for an internal pump. Problem is, neither of these holes line up with the original '36 sending unit hole. Thus when the tank is installed and you need to adjust the float, you can't get to it through the access hole in the trunk.

Why would they design it like this???
Probably because they never installed one!!!

[OldGold360]

My vote is to save the tank. There are many services as well as many products designed for just this sort of thing. Just my two cents!

[pistonbroke]

A couple of guys, a couple of beers a bucket of 38"- crushed rock and just enough water to make the rock slosh when shaken/rocked works very well. Been there done that many times before everybody and his brother was remaning tanks. Tim

[OldGold360]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

There is a Performance Radiator in Denver. I have had good luck with the Tacoma radiator shop cleaning, etching and sealing gas tanks for me. It can be a good option if you do not want to do the work yourself. It is pretty nasty work.

[Steve in Denver]

The dilemma is, in the effort to save the tank, having already had the tank cleaned, using POR 15's etching process, then coating it. if all the rust is not removed, then the tank is coated, and not compeltely coated as you can't see inside the tank, will rust then get under the coating and loosen it. Then it wil plug the line!

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

The dilemma is, in the effort to save the tank, having already had the tank cleaned, using POR 15's etching process, then coating it. if all the rust is not removed, then the tank is coated, and not compeltely coated as you can't see inside the tank, will rust then get under the coating and loosen it. Then it wil plug the line!

Yes.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

The only adapter I have found has 6 holes to mount to the '36 tank and 5 holes for fastening the '35 sending unit to the '36 tank. But the '35 sending unit has 6 holes. Besides drilling holes or making one myself, anyone know of an adapter ring?

I have found that you really don't need to use all the holes in the sending unit to securely attach it to the tank.

[aandkt]

I just went through the whole process. Getting the old one out was a chore in that it actually have to pry it out of the chassis. There is a company called "Tanks" that will sell you the 12 gallon original for about $529. BUT they also make a 14 gallon tank that is the same width and 2" deeper. You will be shocked at how it easy slips back in. Buy it through "Hot Rod Hardware" 507 527-1020 I got Tank, sender, 6" connector to the new filler Tube for $356.20 . I had to cut the old filler tube because it was not possible to unscrew the connecter pipe with a spanner. BUT Yes you do have to make the hole in the trunk bigger to install the s.ender unit and fuel pickup

[aandkt]

If you put the fuel pickup on before you install the tank and connect the fuel hose to it you won't have to cut the floor so much but you won't have access to it if there is a problem. I will patch my trunk floor with sheet metal. The rumble seat covers everything. The job is easy with a friend to help. I suggest you install a drain plug in mine had none.

[Steve in Denver]

I put the stainless steel "Tanks" in my '36. Its the one with the two holes that dont line up. Yes, I installed the sending unit before I installed the tank. My friend said the POR15 cleaning stuff got lots of yuck out. He put a quart of the sealer in and rolled it around. I doubt he was able to coat the baffels. I had recommended he put in several quarts, but he just went with one. If it rusts and lifts the sealer, then maybe he will listed to all of us.

[19Fordy]

Steve, Chances are that no matter what your friend does to clean out his OEM tank it will continue to deteriorate and cause problems.

Years ago, I carefully cut the top off my OEM 1940 tank to actually see the damage done by stale gas and rust over the years. I cleaned up everything inside but, couldn't clean inside all the baffles. Welded the top back on (terneplate is hard to weld) and fiber glassed the tank. It still continued to deteriorate inside causing fuel flow problems. Finally realized I needed a new tank to cure the problem.

[Steve in Denver]

My friend will just have to try it his way. If it deterioates and pluggs the line and leaves him on the side of the road, then maybe he will replace the tank.

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks everyone. I think this is the end of this thread. He will have to learn on his own that what we all suggested, from experience, is the solution.

[tubman]

I'll be one and continue this thread, but in a little different direction. I have had my '51 coupe since 1987. Every year since then, I have run 5 to 10 tanks of gas through it in normal use. It gets a full tank and a dose of SeaFoam every fall when I put it to bed for the winter. The next summer, it gets a half can of MMO every other fill up (the rest goes in the crankcase). I have had no problems over the last 37 years, and up to now wasn't expecting any. It looks to me like this is adequate; does anyone have any knowledge to the contrary.

I think this thread has made me paranoid.

[Brian]

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336485

[TJ]

Rust never sleeps!

[aandkt]

Like PLANOJC said, 'Call TANKS". I did and they were very helpful. Ask them to set set you up with everything you will need. Free shipping and all on most. I bought the larger 14 gallon tank and it fell into place as opposed to the original tank in my 36. get their sending unit unit as it goes in their 6 hole Tank.
The only problem is that you will have to weld in a drain hole bong and the gas pickup tubes go in the top of the tank and you will have to make the access hole in the top of the tank larger to access the sending unit and pickup setup.
Note: You can beat this problem by installing the sender and pickup prior to installing the tank.

[Ken/Alabama]

I cleaned my 40 tank using the electrolysis method. Worked very good at removing all the rust. Slow but effective. I then sealed it after it was clean.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Ken/Alabama

I cleaned my 40 tank using the electrolysis method. Worked very good at removing all the rust. Slow but effective. I then sealed it after it was clean.

[danliveshere]

I bought the por15 tank cleaner kit for my roadster. After 10 minutes of shaking I started to get acid dripping on my feet. The rust was just too deep!

[nobby]

the senders 12 volt gm style come with the 5 to 6 adaptor
then you can run an aftermarket gm fuel gauge
the benefit here is the OHMs rating will be the same
i.e. you will get a correct reading
note IF you buy a poly plastic tank, the central losenge prevents the long length of the rod and float,
buy the stainless steel version.
if its a pickupo 37 you need the one with the filler into the corner.