gas tank treatments, It is out, should I coat it? Options

[qa1142]

who has done the internal coating of their tank?

Should I do it? With who's kit? (por15....)

Or pay to have it done?? what does it cost?

Thanks gang

[bperry]

If you have it done, make sure you talk to them in great detail
about what they will actually do and how they will do it.
Some radiator shops will want to cut a hole in it to ensure they
completely clean out the inside.

--- bill

[Gint]

My $.02 Have a radiator shop boil or ultrasonic the tank and DON'T coat it.

Keep gas in the tank and drive the car. It'll be a long, long time before the tank rusts again. On the other hand, if the coating flakes off and plugs up the lines or injectors or jets or whatever else you have, you'll be stuck on the side of the road.

[jr91472]

My tank was not in that bad of shape, but I figure while it is out......

I used the POR-15 kit about 3 months ago, pretty simple and so far so good. I just wasn't that keen on having someone cut a hole in the tank, although I hear that its a fairly common procedure.

Think is was about $50 bucks (check their website).

good luck

[andys]

My $.02 Have a radiator shop boil or ultrasonic the tank and DON'T coat it.

Keep gas in the tank and drive the car. It'll be a long, long time before the tank rusts again. On the other hand, if the coating flakes off and plugs up the lines or injectors or jets or whatever else you have, you'll be stuck on the side of the road.

Well, maybe I shouldn't have had mine coated, but I did. No one ever mentioned anything about flaking coating. I had mine boiled out and coated by a radiator shop that the local restorers use. $100.

Andy

[Doug Leggins]

I coated a gas tank earlier this year with a product from Hirsch Automitive. They gave me a step by step on what to do. I first cleaned the tank with Simple Green. Then used their etch product. And finished up by putting in their sealer. The one warning that they provided was to not use products that contain MEK (Gumout carb cleaner contains MEK). MEK will attack the tank liner.

So far the tank is performing just fine!

Here is their website Hirsch Automotive

I think that I spent about $50 on the products. And it took 3-4 hours of effort over the course of several days to get the process completed.

The Simple Green step was recommended because gas had sat in the tank for about 10 years - yuk!!!

[McMark]

Acid dip or boil and don't coat it. I'll never do it again. Last time I was charged $95 for the install. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) But regardless, I don't think it's necessary. The tank will last another 30 years and longer if you keep driving it that whole time.

[Mark Henry]

Have a radiator shop boil or ultrasonic the tank and DON'T coat it.

Keep gas in the tank and drive the car. It'll be a long, long time before the tank rusts again. On the other hand, if the coating flakes off and plugs up the lines or injectors or jets or whatever else you have, you'll be stuck on the side of the road.

BTDT

I will never coat a another tank with that crap (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[RON S.]

I did mine a couple years ago.
I used a kit from Eastwood.It was less than $50.00.
Really straight forward,and I was amazed how fast the rust came out of the tank,and how shiny the metal turned before I added the coating.
Really simple,never need to worry about it again.

Ron

[dmenche914]

Unless you have leaks, or metal so pitted that it is too thin to trust, i would just clean the tank, and skip the coating. If you got pinhole leaks, then coat it, or have someone weld it (and by one who knows the special safety percautions for a gas tank!!!) Else get a new (used) one.

What are good used gas tanks going for these days?

I have used Eastwood tank coating on a Ghia (becasue tank was pinholed, and there are no reproduction 1958 tanks around, and used are scarce) I will see how it holds up. Coated it five years ago or more, just put gas in the first time about two months ago.

I do not recall any warnings about MEK back then on Eastwood coatings, but I will avoid any fuel treatments unless I hear otherwise that it is ok.

My big fear of coating is of them breaking down with chemicals in the tank. Who knows what the wacko politicians will force on us in the gas tank next (oxygenates, low octane, MTBE, alchohol, and other "s*#t, hell they might even decide MEK is what should be forced down our necks next (filler necks that is))

Any rate, a cleaned, etched, and nuetralized tank (and the nuetralization step is very important) that is made free of rust should last a long time, as a bare surface is what the factory used. Just keep the tank near full most of the time, that will keep moisture laden air out of the tank, the more air space the more air. Run the tank down to empty most of the time verses running it to only half most of the time means double the air space available, which is double the water let in, which is twice the water to rust your tank, which might mean half the life of the tank, so keeping them topped off is important.

If you are doing a restoration, and will not have the tank re-installed anytime soon, then it is perfectly fine to pour a bit of light oil in the tank, rotating to caot all the inside, this will prevent rust while tank is awaiting install, (and a bare tank can flash rust in days) The small amount of oil will not hurt your fuel system, and if you do not like it, is can be rinsed out with paint thinner prior to install

On the old 356's there was a water / settiment trap under the tank (easy to access) You could switch off the gas valve (even with a full tank) and open the trap, it would hold about a shot glass full of gas, or water, or settiment or what ever was at the bottom of the tank. Guess they didn't trust the gas back them, gawd, what a joke, not trusting the 100 octane leaded gas! Admitably they built them to last, and there where more parts of the world back them that might have questionible gas quality than there are now
If you really want to go crazy with making the tank last, use a gas tank dryer solution once and a while (Basically it is anhydrous (water free) alchohol from a sealed container (once seal is broken water can be absorbed, making the alchohol no longer anhydrous, so it won't be able to pick up water anymore. else you everynow and then could drain the tank by removing the fuel valve (not fun).

Anyway that's my take on coatings, use only if you really need to fill a pinhole leak and if you do not care to weld the tank. If the remaining metal is sound after etching, no need for coating. PS after re-installing your tank, and filling with gas, be sure to park it outside over night to allow checking for small leaks, better outside than in a garage with a source of ignition. Keep the water out by keeping it topped off, and since you have little control on the gas stations tank, be sure to fill up before, not immediatly after the station gets a new load of fuel in (the filling of the underground tanks will stir up water and sediment inside the stations tank, which is then more likely to get pumped into your tank) Since you may from time to time pump water contaiminated gas into your tank, use the gas dryer stuff every now and then.

happy tanking!!!!! And tanks alot for reading!!!!
have a great tanksgiving!!!

[tod914]

There is a product that is a red gell. It bonds to metal and forms a "rubber" type bladder inside the tank. The radiator shops will know what it is. I had a shop do that to mine and it seems like a good product. Will never chip or leave residue in the tank. Cost $75 for the cleaning and sealing.