Auto fuel tank question...

[lspencer534]

I was doing minor work on my 1956 Thunderbird when I noticed that the fuel filter housing (glass) had a strange brown color. I removed the housing and found what I guess is rust but in a talc form that had formed a paste. I took off the carb fuel bowl and found about a 1/2 tsp. of the same stuff. That can't be good for the carb so I'll rebuild it.

Question: When I restored the car in about 1990 I I used a fuel tank cleaner and sealer. Should I do it again, or will the cleaner just be a waste and won't remove the sealer? Buy a new tank?

[Kerrmudgeon]

I had the same thing on my old Chev and I found about an inch of that powdered rust in the tank. I replaced the tank, pump, and line to the carb. I found about a half inch of that paste inside the carb bowl bottom. :ack:

Time waits for no one, and rust never sleeps.

[Tire Fryer]

I went through this 6 months ago. I just had the tank for my '36 Pierce-Arrow relined, and was told the previous lining chemicals were dissolved by ethanol. I had the same glass style sediment filter as your T-Bird, along with the same rust. You'll need to pull the tank, have it cleaned and lined. Flush out the fuel lines and most likely require a good cleaning of the build up from inside the carburetor.

[Olustee bus]

Once rust begins in a tank. I don't think you can stop it by cleaning and sealing.

[lspencer534]

I went through this 6 months ago. I just had the tank for my '36 Pierce-Arrow relined, and was told the previous lining chemicals were dissolved by ethanol. I had the same glass style sediment filter as your T-Bird, along with the same rust. You'll need to pull the tank, have it cleaned and lined. Flush out the fuel lines and most likely require a good cleaning of the build up from inside the carburetor.

You say have the tank cleaned and relined. Is this cost effective? A new tank is a little over $300.

[Kerrmudgeon]

POR makes a sealant that is for gas tanks but it's pricey. I've used it for motorcyle tanks before...... I'd go with a new tank. That's what I did......cost me about 180 bucks for the tank. And use non ethanol fuel if you can find it. I use shell premium up here.....says right on the pump "contains no ethanol" in fact I use it in anything that goes into storage or isn't used on a continual basis.

[Aerovette]

Whatever solution you choose, use fuel stabilizer if this is not a car that is constantly being filled and run empty.

[lspencer534]

I went through this 6 months ago. I just had the tank for my '36 Pierce-Arrow relined, and was told the previous lining chemicals were dissolved by ethanol. I had the same glass style sediment filter as your T-Bird, along with the same rust. You'll need to pull the tank, have it cleaned and lined. Flush out the fuel lines and most likely require a good cleaning of the build up from inside the carburetor.

How do you clean out the fuel lines?

[markids77]

How do you clean out the fuel lines?

Disconnect both ends and rinse well using spray carburetor cleaner. Run a line into a receptacle on the tank end and flush from the engine end. Blow dry with compressed air and reconnect. Do get a new tank though... yours is certainly not structurally sound anymore if it has already been sealed once.

[Sneaks]

I may be wrong here, but, I believe the stuff you're finding is lead deposits from old leaded fuel.
Use to be pretty common to find that kind of sludge in tanks and fuel lines.

[lspencer534]

I may be wrong here, but, I believe the stuff you're finding is lead deposits from old leaded fuel.
Use to be pretty common to find that kind of sludge in tanks and fuel lines.

Tell me more, please.

[markids77]

Unless the tank sealer has indeed failed there is nowhere for any deposits to come from since they were encapsulated when the tank was sealed. I believe you are seeing rust.

[Sneaks]

Tell me more, please.

Lead from the older gasoline gets deposited in the pores of the steel tank and lines. Over time, the new anti-corrives in gas loosen these deposits, and they move around until they find a place to settle. Fuel filters are a good place.

[Sneaks]

Also, i have never seen an old glass fuel bowl housing that was original, that was not stained brown. Gas back in the day had all kinds of shit in it that would turn the glass crap brown.
So I wouldn't immediately assume it is rust. Investigate further and you may find your tank is still good.
Or may not........:leaving:

[mrvette]

Lead from the older gasoline gets deposited in the pores of the steel tank and lines. Over time, the new anti-corrives in gas loosen these deposits, and they move around until they find a place to settle. Fuel filters are a good place.

Funny, my folks had a '63 Olds F85 predecessor to the 442 and had the 215 ci aluminum V8 that they sold off to Land Rover?? something British....anyway, that car was 'Mom's' car, but I put about 35k of the 36k it was showing when we sold it in the late 80's......I had my own cars by '66 and so, it sat in the garage.....you gotta know that tank had leaded gas in it....so it sat for damn nearly 25 years, I had to replace the brakes, and rebuild the carb, that showed nothing unusual that I noticed anyway....so once that was taken care of, it was driven the 6 miles to nearest gas station, under GREAT PROTEST.....but when filling it with GAS and not sludge, the thing smoothed out and ran great.......

NICE thing is about my Shark, I can pop the filler and shine a light down in there and see the reflections of a new gas tank the PO installed maybe 25? years ago, just as clean today as when I bought it 20 years ago.....be nice to do that to all tanks, probably have to remove them to do it though....:issues:

Mom's car was in G-burg/Potomac Md.....mid atlantic outside DC.....

funny in that a '71 motor home project down here the fuel tank was a mess, but a welder buddy fixed the rust through spot in the middle of the bottom.....he makes that shit looks SO easy.....ME, all I can do is light it up HOT, and burn shit outta everything in site, he makes it look like Rembrandt......:seasix:

[markids77]

Rust still sticks to a magnet. Let us know what you find.

[Kerrmudgeon]

Hey Larry, don't forget that if your line, pump to tank is steel, it too is full of rust, and you can't "rinse" it out. You need to replace it, and I know that the tri five t-birds have parts like that available......like the guys says...do in right, do it ONCE. :thumbs:

[mrvette]

Hey Larry, don't forget that if your line, pump to tank is steel, it too is full of rust, and you can't "rinse" it out. You need to replace it, and I know that the tri five t-birds have parts like that available......like the guys says...do in right, do it ONCE. :thumbs:

With the FI conversion, I did modify the fuel feed/return lines a bit on my '72 vette, but I can say for sure they are the OEM lines, and not a bit of rust....

heard many times about rusty fuel lines, and the funny part is, the filter is on the suck side of the electric pump, mounted under the tank on the frame rail....so any rust would hit the injectors, yet never an issue....:dance:

[Kerrmudgeon]

With the FI conversion, I did modify the fuel feed/return lines a bit on my '72 vette, but I can say for sure they are the OEM lines, and not a bit of rust....

heard many times about rusty fuel lines, and the funny part is, the filter is on the suck side of the electric pump, mounted under the tank on the frame rail....so any rust would hit the injectors, yet never an issue....:dance:

That would depend on a few things. How long your car sits at a time and the temperature variations it's exposed to, which cause condensation, which builds at the bottom of the tank, as water. That causes rust and if that water sits in the line it WILL corrode them. You want to see my old lines?....I'm sure they're around here somewhere.......:yesnod: