Gasser Fuel Tank Rust

[JDToumanian]

Hi Group,
I've been working on getting my V-18A/MTQ running, it has not run since I bought it 2 years ago or for several years before that. The previous thread about it is here:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/8367-1952-studebaker-v18a-mtq.html

The previous owners told me it had "fuel system problems".... The carburetor and governor have now been overhauled, and the auxiliary governor is currently being overhauled....

So I decided to get to work on the fuel tank. I knew it was going to be bad when I removed the drain plug and nothing came out! There was over an inch of sludgy old varnish in there... I had to poke a hole through the cake of crud to get the remaining liquid varnish to drain out. It would not even burn! I had to add some oil to it to burn it off.

Then I chiseled off the screw heads holding the fuel pickup and sender. Later, using heat, I was able to grab the remaining studs with Vise Grips and get them all out cleanly.

The fuel pickup was so bad I couldn't believe it... I don't know if the pics show how bad it was, but the porous filter was completely plugged - you could not blow through it. The pickup tube was also completely blocked. I got NOS replacements for these parts, and a new sender as well.

I let the tank air dry for a few days before cleaning it out. I discovered that by pounding the sheet metal tank with my fist the varnish crumbled off, and I reached in and scooped it out... Piles of it!!! It looks like rust in the pic, and there is indeed some surface rust, but most of it is thick dried varnish that looks like black volcanic glass.

The inside of the tank actually doesn't look too bad, so I have decided not to treat it with anything. I rinsed it out with water and let it dry in the desert heat for a few hours. Then I poured in a few gallons of paint thinner and sloshed it around for a while, and drained it again. I plan to keep the tank filled to keep water out, and some additives - a little 2-stroke oil and some Sta-Bil - should keep the gas and the tank in good shape.

Jon

 

[stampy]

Muratic acid does a great job just don't use it on anything but steel! Oh and aways wear protection.....heck thats good advice in any situation

 

[cranetruck]

Good job covering the basics Jon. Rust is a big problem for the multifuel engines (IP & FDC) in particular. You saw first hand some evidence of that when I visited you a couple of years ago.

I cut access openings to make it easy to clean behind the baffles inside the tank as shown in image below. Now, I'm in the process of installing an in-line magnetic fuel filter to help protect the sensitive parts of the 8x8 engine, since I can't fine any of the original aluminum tanks.

Thanks for posting and let's see more of the polesetter.

The fuel tanks have a plating on the inside (outside also?), so be careful with acids.

 

[Floyd]

Wowza! I think the previous owner was right about the fuel problem. Nice work JD.

Floyd

 

[JDToumanian]

Muratic acid does a great job just don't use it on anything but steel!

Stampy, I had thought about using acid but like Bjorn said above - the tank is zinc plated inside and out, I think that's why even though there was so much crud in there, the tank bottom didn't look too bad. It still had some shiny areas and only a very light coating of surface rust where the plating had worn through.

If acid touches zinc, hydrogen is released.... So be careful - we know what static and hydrogen can do. (Oh the humanity!)

Bjorn, I like the access covers but on my old gasser I would put them on the back side near the top to preserve the original look... The baffles are one of the reasons I wasn't going to get the inside of the tank treated at a radiator shop. I had called around and asked how they do it, they all said they sand blast the tank and then pour in the coating and slosh it around to cover all areas. When I told them the tank had baffles, they said they would have to cut access holes to sand blast and then weld them shut. I wasn't convinced they would get the surfaces clean enough for the coating to not peel off in a few years, which is a common problem with these treatments.

Jon

 

[stampy]

ROFLMAO too funny. Actually I did not know about the zinc plating! Thanks! I have only used it to clean out radiators (steel) and it does a great job. HMMM I always wanted a hydrogen generator.......Kidding only kidding!!!!!

 

[vj]

thanks jon, for the post and pictures, i deal with the old gasser myself, like ww2 m.v.. we normally cut a gas tank open, get all the junk out then sand blast, all the in side, then weld them back. then add the sealer. but these are gas tank that are very hard to find. i know this is a lot of work but if that all you got, it will do. i got 4 halftracks, ww2 ,5 ton semi, 2 jeep,[ parts studebaker,duce, gasser] like the old stuff. thanks vj