How to salvage a fuel tank?

[DaltonBarham]

Hello everyone,

Haven't been active in a while due to a number of reasons. But glad to back for a bit.

Dolly's been sitting a while and I haven't had chance yet to fix the latest issue.

The fuel tank outlet keeps blocking up. I think this is from little bits of rust collecting at the outlet and blocking it. As such i lose power suddenly when driving as theres's no fuel going to the engine.

My real question is how's best to deal with this. Drop the tank and give it a really deep clean?, Is there some sort of solution to help with this or seal the surface afterwards? Or do i bite the bullet and try and find a new tank?

Thanks guys,
Happy driving

[cliftyhanger]

Yes, tank must come out.
Wash it out a few times after draining any petrol. Hot soapy water a good idea.
Next, I suggest a mechanical clean. Take the sender unit out it you haven't already! Then chuck in a few nuts/bolts etc, hot soapy water and a VERY good shake about. Several times.

Then you can use one of the tank seal kits to finish the job. Frosts sell them, as do others. Usually a chemical cleaner followed by a sealer.

[DaltonBarham]

Thanks for the info, sounds like a plan to me
Dalton

[Mahesh]

Be careful with the sealer, I wasn't going to put my problem over the Christmas break, but will do in the morning.

[tony g]

On my fuel starvation problem I tried everything from the pipes to pumps. Still had the problem and although there was no loose bits in the tank, the end of the pick up pipe inside the tank was looking "furry" and I ended up changing the tank from my other sprint and all was good.
The nuts and bolts is a good idea to rattle about and when cleaned out I'd be tempted to drop a couple of magnets in there near the pick up pipe so as the fuel draws near it the magnets hang on to the them.
On my "furry" tank I have hole sawed a new hole and an in tank pump is going in there so the new fuel pipe will come out of the top and down the side of the tank and back through the hole the original does.

Tony

[DaltonBarham]

I hope I don't have to end up with a new fuel tank....... I don't think i could afford it for awhile. Never the less its something that's worth thinking about.

Thanks again
Dalton

[trackerjack]

When in 1996 I bought my Sprint it had this very fault, imagine my horror when driving up the hill out of Totnes in Devon when a poxy diesel peugeot went past me and I was flat out
I took out the tank and using white spirit flushed it through by inverting and getting all the loose flakes out.
Seventeen years later when I sold it the car was still going strong on fuel from that tank.

[Magenta Auto Sprint]

I had the same issue with my 1850 auto that had been sat for 12 years, I bought 6 gallons of catering vinegar from my local chip shop.

rotate every few days, rinse out with distilled water then dry off using a fan heater, hot air gun etc on the outside to dry off.

It was the rust falling of the top of the tank that was my main problem.

This process can cause a gas to be made as it is a reaction between a metal and an acid, so a ventilated area required.

Malcolm

[DaltonBarham]

Well, thinks are looking positive then, i'll update with results once i've completed the process.
Thanks again,
Dalton

[Carledo]

Think yourself lucky you don't have a Toledo for which tanks are hard to find.
Dolomite tanks are relatively easy to get 2nd hand if you need one, assuming your salvage attempts do not pan out.

I have also used the vinegar trick, with only so-so results but the tank was a VERY gunged up Toledo one, I had no choice! I was changing fuel filters on an almost weekly basis for some time afterwards, but at least it ran!

I would also recommend a thorough rod out of the feed pipe in the bottom of the tank as this can get badly blocked and no amount of sloshing will free it! An opened out wire coat hanger is good for this!

Steve

[DaltonBarham]

The coat hanger trick and the rest of it I'll give it ago when we have a nice warm day

[geeksteve]

The coat hanger trick and the rest of it I'll give it ago when we have a nice warm day

Let us know how it goes, some time in August right?

Steve

[Toledo Man]

You could try compressed air on the outlet if you have access to a compressor.

[trackerjack]

You could try compressed air on the outlet if you have access to a compressor.

This only works for a short while and then the flakes settle back to blocking.

[Toledo Man]

True Jon but I was thinking it could be done with the empty tank out of the car and then the dislodged crap can be rinsed out. It would be like you said if the tank was in situ.