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Fuel tank, keep or replace


MarcDeSoto

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I'm debating keeping the original fuel tank on my 1948 DeSoto or replacing it.  A new tank with all the trimmings, including straps, filler neck, clamps, sending unit is $500 on Ebay.  Or I could remove the old tank and take it to a radiator shop for a boil out and a rust treatment.  I've heard bad things about the rust treatments, that the plastic coating they roll around in there comes off with the Ethanol gas.  So maybe going all new is the way to go.  I don't know what a radiator shop would charge to treat my old tank.  Any opinions on this?  

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Is it worth $500 to know you will never have a fuel tank problem that could result in a flatbed ride home?   ?

 

Disclaimer: My P15 has a new tank, sender, lines, filter, and electric pump. One flatbed ride was enough for me......

Edited by Sam Buchanan
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Is the shop going to just boil it out or coat it? I've got 20 years on my 46 pickup tank that was just boiled out at the local radiator shop. I also have about 16 years on my tank that was cleaned and coated at gas tank renu

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4 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Is the shop going to just boil it out or coat it? I've got 20 years on my 46 pickup tank that was just boiled out at the local radiator shop. I also have about 16 years on my tank that was cleaned and coated at gas tank renu

 

Keep in mind your tanks were 20 years newer than the old tanks in our cars now (and hadn't been exposed to ethanol)....lots of bad stuff can grow in a tank in twenty years especially if the car has been idle or the tank has old ethanol gas in it.

Edited by Sam Buchanan
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Just now, Sam Buchanan said:

 

Keep in mind your tanks were 20 years newer than the old tanks in our cars now....lots of bad stuff can grow in a tank in twenty years especially if the car has been idle.

That really shouldn't apply. If his metal is solid it's solid. Just pointing out the cleaning does work and lasts. 

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If your tank isn't leaking it may be worth the effort and expense to have it cleaned and sealed. If it's leaking I'd toss it. I replaced the leaky fuel tanks on two of my non-Mopar cars in the last few months. Both replacement tanks were made in Taiwan, perfect fit and great quality. $500 for a new tank, straps, sending unit, and filler neck is reasonable. For the price of a couple of tires you can have a tank that you'll never have to worry about again. 

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6 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

I'm debating keeping the original fuel tank on my 1948 DeSoto or replacing it.  A new tank with all the trimmings, including straps, filler neck, clamps, sending unit is $500 on Ebay.  Or I could remove the old tank and take it to a radiator shop for a boil out and a rust treatment.  I've heard bad things about the rust treatments, that the plastic coating they roll around in there comes off with the Ethanol gas.  So maybe going all new is the way to go.  I don't know what a radiator shop would charge to treat my old tank.  Any opinions on this?  

 

my opinion is you asking the forum to ball park a price and only your local can do that and I am sure your local will want to inspect the actual tank prior to accepting the job and making of any price quote or statement of work.  As for the work performed, ask the shop for references and testimonies on work prior performed for other customers.  An up front shop should have no problems with any of these request.  If you seen feet start tap dancing to your questions move out and away quickly.  I assure you there would be no getting restitution or satisfaction after the fact.  This is no different approach to any task/procedure farmed out in the course of this hobby.  

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Ten years ago the tank in my car had a crack in the top corner and a broken solder joint where the filler tube connected.  I had a local radiator shop clean and repair it, but did not have it lined.  It has been fine since. 

Of course the car has been used every year since, and I have been adding Startron fuel additive year round. Ifyou have the tank coated, then leave it full of un treated ethanol gas for a year or more you may expect problems. 

Edited by busycoupe
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The actual cost of a new tank is much less than $500 if you take into account the cost of repairing an old tank. The ethanol-contaminated gasoline has changed the equation for new vs repaired. Ethanol is hygroscopic and that is challenging for old tanks.

 

Some of us are biased toward frugality and that is just fine, I tend that direction myself. But the main lesson I learned with my P15 (my first really old vehicle) is that piecemeal repairs are a false economy. I started out trying to replace just the truly bad stuff but never achieved daily reliability until total replacement of brake, fuel and charging systems occurred. I now have a car that can be driven anywhere just as it was intended in 1948....and the money was well-spent.  ?

 

(My new tank was $345 from Vans Auto)

Edited by Sam Buchanan
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Have you considered cleaning the tank yourself.     On my 49 tank, I strapped the tank to my Uncle's cement mixer, added Purple Power soapy type cleaner, and some lug bolts.      After cleaning, and washing out several times, I coated with diesel fuel, and let dry.      The tank worked great.       There are other new or used tanks that may fit worth considering also, like Jeep tanks, may be a close fit, and cost much less......

fuel tank 49.png

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Tank Inc . sells very good tanks at a good price , perhaps they make one for your vehicle . When I had my tank lined by the Re-New local branch , new tanks were not available . About once each year I had to use an old choke cable to auger out the pick up tube as it kept getting plugged up . Not fun getting stuck on the side of the road .The lining in the tank held up fine . New tanks were finally available at a good price and I put one in . No more worries . I wish that new tanks were available when I first needed one . I noticed that the pick up tube in the new tank is a lot larger diameter than the old pick up tube was . 

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11 minutes ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Did it include all of the trimmings, such as new sending unit, new filler neck, new straps, new clamps, etc.?  

 

No, that was just the tank. I bought a new sender and hose coupling for the filler neck and reused the straps and hardware. Total was less than $475. Your $500 figure is in the ballpark if everything is included.

 

If you buy a new tank pressure test it with a shop vac and soap bubbles....best to find any manufacturing defect before the tank is installed.

Edited by Sam Buchanan
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wow!  There are quite a few procedures that are required to clean the gas tank before you put the sealer in.  There are so many steps, I wonder how many of those steps does a radiator shop do when they clean out a tank?  Do they do the whole thing including the sealer, or are there still more steps that you have to do when you get the tank back?  

 

Here is the POR 15 method of cleaning a gas tank:  

 

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I haven't sealed a gas tank since the 80's and then it was a motorcycle tank, so YMMV.

 

As I recall you to an empty and dry tank, poured the cleaner in, I think is was some sort of an acid, closed the tank up sloshed it around for a certain amount of time to cover the whole tank, poured it out, neutralized it then put the sealer in and sloshed it around till the entire tank got covered.  Who knows what reformulations have happened since then and how that affected the process.  But a radiator shop is likely to have more effective cleaning agents and the equipment to handle large jobs that a DIY'er like us here will not have access too.  You can always ask them.

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repair/renew/replace......cost cost and again it could cost even more in the end.  The number one answer to IF is AVAILABILITY....in many cases where one cannot find a replacement...the salvage of what one has is the avenue of approach.   For realistic reasons only....the involvement to remove and replace either will be similar task with going back on the car as new/renew and clean.  The sensible part is to put aside the in and out process and weight only the cost of new verse old....metal maybe against the new poly tanks if available and the most important question of all, DO I WANT TO REVISIT THIS ANYTIME SOON....I am afraid most all locals will not warrant it for x time, companies like RENEW (is this right) will warrant, but you paying dearly and often at price comprisable to new.  Having done a bit of all on my vehicles over the years...including taking a donor tank and cut and weld to fit as needed...the best bet is on the new tank in my opinion.  I am in the market for a new tank now but I want one of substantial size in gallon count compared to the wee tank from factory....search is not netting anything that would not entail a bit of slice and dice to use... so yes frustration is now a large part of the decision making....weight it all...go with the best of all points where possible.

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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Well, any tank can be made new, all you need is the ability to fabricate, or find someone that can.  I had my sending unit out and the inside looked real good.  Someone put a new pump and hose up front and my fuel delivery system has no issues, so I am good, for now.  However, I am approaching the point of installing my EFI setup soon(ish) and I will probably replace the fuel system hard lines when I add a return line. 

 

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Will toss my 2 cents in, and sure others already agreed or disagreed with my opinion.

I would not feel comfortable putting some X brand liner in my own tank at home .... I know many have done it with great success. While I have read one Hot Rodders nightmare tail of his experience.

I trust his work, He has the same 32 ford since he was a teenager and is in his 70's today, and built many a car in-between. 

He followed the instructions perfectly, and had success with other tanks. When it was time for the first long out of state cruise, all the liner came apart and clogged the fuel filter,  broke down on the side of the road ... figured it out and was able to limp into town to a parts store. Had to tear apart and clean his carb in the parking lot, the auto parts store had 7 fuel filters in stock that would fit his car,  and he bought all of them.  He was able to limp back home .... just  saying his trip turned into a nightmare and the fuel tank was junk after this.

 

To avoid a trip like that with your wife along .... what would you pay?  .... Any idea how long a  wife's memory is? 

 

I think I would be more comfortable sending the tank to a company who does this professionally, and maybe offered a warranty.

I bought a new tank for my truck, seemed reasonable cost to me ... I would actually feel comfortable applying a name brand liner to it, new metal, never had gas, clean ... just not sure what benefit I would receive.

 

I imagine the cost of sending one out, would be about the same as replacing with a new tank .... which way you want to go? Maybe you do not have a choice?

 

20 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Well, any tank can be made new, all you need is the ability to fabricate, or find someone that can. 

Buddy of mine was retired and lived in a motorhome in a park on the lake 100 miles south of south of Albuquerque, he decided to move back to Albuquerque.

1/2 way there his tank was rusted out and broke down in some podunk town. Local machine shop towed him in, cleaned his fuel system, and fabricated a new fuel tank out of aluminum.

Took a couple days, my retired buddy just lived in the motorhome behind the machine shop while they worked on it ... They charged him just under $700 for the job.

I wonder what it would cost, if a guy dropped the tank and brought it to a fabricator and had something made that would work, not a duplicate, something that would bolt in and do the job?

 

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26 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

 

1/2 way there his tank was rusted out and broke down in some podunk town. Local machine shop towed him in, cleaned his fuel system, and fabricated a new fuel tank out of aluminum.

Took a couple days, my retired buddy just lived in the motorhome behind the machine shop while they worked on it ... They charged him just under $700 for the job.

I wonder what it would cost, if a guy dropped the tank and brought it to a fabricator and had something made that would work, not a duplicate, something that would bolt in and do the job?

 

 

 

That was my fall-back on the tank in my car. I've built aluminum aircraft fuel tanks from scratch, the P15 tank would be a simple build if original appearance isn't a priority. But a new replacement tank that looks like the old one was readily available so it was a no-brainer after I stuck a camera in the old tank and saw the alien life-forms inhabiting it.....  ?

Edited by Sam Buchanan
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13 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said:

was a no-brainer after I stuck a camera in the old tank and saw the alien life-forms inhabiting it.....  ?

Thats where my opinion comes from ... I just do not have the tools to fight Alien life forms at home in my garage.  :D

At a bare minimum,  needs to go to a radiator shop and be hot tanked. Depending on the 17 year old kid doing the work, or the 5 month old liquid in the tank that needed replaced 4 months ago ... just a lot of variables as to if you are really going to start out with a clean surface to start with.

 

Maybe with the new military group "space force" If enough of us get together, maybe they could open a side business of cleaning out the alien life forms  ?

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I am at this very crossroads right now with my current build.   While my tank is super clean and intact I would have to remind this crowd that at factory specs of 6.25 gallon is not what I call a fuel tank to be taken seriously  unless found on a motorcycle.    I have off and on searched for generic fuel tanks and THUS FAR will not consider a fuel cell...I think they the most ungodly looking device and has no place in a serious street build and racing applications only.  They mount and fill systems is a total bastardization of clean and neat, But hey....that is just me...others view things differently.  So I can easily understand the call to stay stock but I also know the need to modify and definitely know where to draw an line in status quo....

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