How does a gas tank get restored?

[Cartel]

I took my tank to the local rad shop to get "restored"
This place is under new ownership.
The tank was pretty grungy but far from the worst I've seen.

The owner boiled the tank he said and so I wanted to go see how it came out.
Right way I didnt see much change inside or out except a hole that wasnt there before that looks like someone drove a 1 inch chisel through the tank.
He said he "added a drain hole". I dont know what to say. Then the outside of the tank was still rusty and had glue from the mat still on it and he was saying I could wire wheel the rust and glue off.
Thats where I started getting worried.

Should he be sandblasting to tank? How do shops restore a tank?

I'm kinda upset about the hole, he could have drilled a hole but its all torn inwards enough to stick my thumb into and I almost feel like forcibly going there and taking my tank home.

Something doesnt feel right to me.
Should I be worried or am I just over thinking this?

I'm looking at close to $400 for this, he said something about hydrochloric acid and then red kote too.

that hole though....

 

[halifaxhops]

At this point I would fine a new aftermarket tank.

 

[Samplingman]

A drain hole in the gas tank? I had to take a look at the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1.

 

[Cartel]

A drain hole in the gas tank? I had to take a look at the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1.

I dont get it.
I didnt ask for a drain hole, especially one that looks like a .45 blasted it

 

[halifaxhops]

LOL prob to drain whatever they used to clean it. I would have him get me a new tank no charge.

 

[Cartel]

LOL prob to drain whatever they used to clean it. I would have him get me a new tank no charge.

its got 2 huge factory holes each end though....

 

[CBODY67]

(Early April's Fool reference).

Back in the 1950 Plymouth FSM, those tanks were shown to have a drain plug in them. To drain "bad or watered gas" withoug removing the tank from the vehicle. Think "minimum labor charge" as people generally had less money back then to spend on emergency things like getting a bad tank of gas. So drain plugs did exist, just not in more modern times.

The radiator shops will chemically clean the tank just like a radiator core, which is with a somewhat corrosive liquid, which is drained and the residual neutralized in the last steps of cleaning. Which cleaning (not unlike putting a slightly corrosive substance in the radiator to remove rust and scale) can also leave holes in the tank where rust was removed from the inside of the tank. They usually are sealed from the outside to fix them.

The licensed process of "Gas Tank Restore" is completely different and more involved and expensive. In this process, they separate the halves of the tank for cleaning and restoration. This way, they can "for certain" get at any compromised area of the tank's insides, to fix them. When done, the metal receives an OEM-style final coating (inside and out) and the tank is put back together in an OEM-style manner. End result is that it is probably better than new.

In the earlier years of ethanol fuel, there was also a coating the radiator shops used (which a DIY might also use) to coat the insides of the tank. But the longevity of such coatings usually was the result of how much rust was not removed in cleaning. Worst-case scenario was that sheets of the coating would come loose and clog the fuel system. Not sure if somebody like Eastwood still does not sell them, but I haven't looked lately.

Get a flashlight and/or borescope and look through the sending unit hole to see if the innards of the tank are reasonably clean. If not, then you can go back to the shop and talk to them. Using the outside of the tank as a guide might not be a good one, though, as the cleanliness of the innards is what is important. They did not "restore" the tank, just cleaned it, as that is all they are capable of doing, usually.

You might go ahead and use the tank as is, making sure the drain plug is tight with a good gasket/seal on it. PLUS putting a clear glass fuel filter (think boat style, with a removable filter element), before the fuel pump, to monitor for any further rust in the system, from getting to the fuel pump and carburetor.

Then you might start looking around for a good (cleaner) used tank or a repro model (shopping prices and shipping costs!!!) just in case you need to get another one.

OTOH, two new drain plugs might be a bit much and possibly indicative of the quality of their work (which they obviously feel is "fine"). Your judgment call. Two drain plugs added when there is already a BIG hole for the sending unit?? Good luck.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[Cartel]

(Early April's Fool reference).

Back in the 1950 Plymouth FSM, those tanks were shown to have a drain plug in them. To drain "bad or watered gas" withoug removing the tank from the vehicle. Think "minimum labor charge" as people generally had less money back then to spend on emergency things like getting a bad tank of gas. So drain plugs did exist, just not in more modern times.

The radiator shops will chemically clean the tank just like a radiator core, which is with a somewhat corrosive liquid, which is drained and the residual neutralized in the last steps of cleaning. Which cleaning (not unlike putting a slightly corrosive substance in the radiator to remove rust and scale) can also leave holes in the tank where rust was removed from the inside of the tank. They usually are sealed from the outside to fix them.

The licensed process of "Gas Tank Restore" is completely different and more involved and expensive. In this process, they separate the halves of the tank for cleaning and restoration. This way, they can "for certain" get at any compromised area of the tank's insides, to fix them. When done, the metal receives an OEM-style final coating (inside and out) and the tank is put back together in an OEM-style manner. End result is that it is probably better than new.

In the earlier years of ethanol fuel, there was also a coating the radiator shops used (which a DIY might also use) to coat the insides of the tank. But the longevity of such coatings usually was the result of how much rust was not removed in cleaning. Worst-case scenario was that sheets of the coating would come loose and clog the fuel system. Not sure if somebody like Eastwood still does not sell them, but I haven't looked lately.

Get a flashlight and/or borescope and look through the sending unit hole to see if the innards of the tank are reasonably clean. If not, then you can go back to the shop and talk to them. Using the outside of the tank as a guide might not be a good one, though, as the cleanliness of the innards is what is important. They did not "restore" the tank, just cleaned it, as that is all they are capable of doing, usually.

You might go ahead and use the tank as is, making sure the drain plug is tight with a good gasket/seal on it. PLUS putting a clear glass fuel filter (think boat style, with a removable filter element), before the fuel pump, to monitor for any further rust in the system, from getting to the fuel pump and carburetor.

Then you might start looking around for a good (cleaner) used tank or a repro model (shopping prices and shipping costs!!!) just in case you need to get another one.

OTOH, two new drain plugs might be a bit much and possibly indicative of the quality of their work (which they obviously feel is "fine"). Your judgment call. Two drain plugs added when there is already a BIG hole for the sending unit?? Good luck.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

thanks for the reply. The tank is still there, this is a dedicated rad shop (was) and has a huge square boiler with a lid and he boiled the tank. he said he's going to use hydrocloric acid to clean inside and then use red kote.
Maybe they dont clean the outside? He said he will solder a drain plug. Guess I'm just expecting too much

 

[Justin Plant]

Seems to me if he submerged the tank, then whatever is on it or in it would boil off. I've cleaned transmissions in a steam cleaner and they are spick n span both inside and out when they are done

 

[Samplingman]

Sorry, April 1 is April Fools Day in the states, not sure how it translates to Canada.

Red Kote is known to fail, as documented here on the site, and trash your lines, filters and possibly carb. What year, make and model car do you have? Van’s sells new tanks for under $400, and I think Spectra Premium is made in Canada. If you haven’t given up any money yet, I’d order new and tell the guy to keep the scrap.

 

[Cartel]

Sorry, April 1 is April Fools Day in the states, not sure how it translates to Canada.

Red Kote is known to fail, as documented here on the site, and trash your lines, filters and possibly carb. What year, make and model car do you have? Van’s sells new tanks for under $400, and I think Spectra Premium is made in Canada. If you haven’t given up any money yet, I’d order new and tell the guy to keep the scrap.

good grief what?

 

[Mudeblue]

I took my tank to the local rad shop to get "restored"
This place is under new ownership.
The tank was pretty grungy but far from the worst I've seen.

The owner boiled the tank he said and so I wanted to go see how it came out.
Right way I didnt see much change inside or out except a hole that wasnt there before that looks like someone drove a 1 inch chisel through the tank.
He said he "added a drain hole". I dont know what to say. Then the outside of the tank was still rusty and had glue from the mat still on it and he was saying I could wire wheel the rust and glue off.
Thats where I started getting worried.

Should he be sandblasting to tank? How do shops restore a tank?

I'm kinda upset about the hole, he could have drilled a hole but its all torn inwards enough to stick my thumb into and I almost feel like forcibly going there and taking my tank home.

Something doesnt feel right to me.
Should I be worried or am I just over thinking this?

I'm looking at close to $400 for this, he said something about hydrochloric acid and then red kote too.

that hole though....

Don’t waste your time and money, buy a new one. This is a prelude of problems to come. Been there, done that!

 

[Milo]

Gas tank renu has been around a long time and has a warranty I had mine done 20 years ago and no problem whatsoever they cut the topside clean out and coat then put the coutout back in and coat the outside mine was really gunked up when I took it in and the turn around time to get it don was not bad

Locate a Dealer - Gas Tank Renu

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www.gastankrenu.com

 

[Mudeblue]

Gas tank renu has been around a long time and has a warranty I had mine done 20 years ago and no problem whatsoever they cut the topside clean out and coat then put the coutout back in and coat the outside mine was really gunked up when I took it in and the turn around time to get it don was not bad

http://[URL][URL][URL]https://www.gastankrenu.com/locate-a-dealer/

[/URL][/URL][/URL] Spanking, shiny new tank for $300 vs a cut up, welded, gunked up, old seams, potentially going bad in other places, more trouble to fix gas tank but what the hey! Gas Tank -1965 Fury

Gas tank renu has been around a long time and has a warranty I had mine done 20 years ago and no problem whatsoever they cut the topside clean out and coat then put the coutout back in and coat the outside mine was really gunked up when I took it in and the turn around time to get it don was not bad

http://[URL][URL]https://www.gastankrenu.com/locate-a-dealer/

[/URL][/URL]

Brand Spanking, shiny new tank for $300 vs a cut up, welded, gunked up, old seams, potentially going bad in other places, more trouble to fix gas tank and when your all done, you still have an old gas tank with potential problems and you save how much but what the hey! Gas Tank -1965 Fury

 

[Camshaft]

Yeah, but it's a numbers matching gas tank! LOL! I took my 67 300 tank to a local rad shop, had it boiled and the inside sealed up with some pink plastic stuff that looked like Pepto Bismal, but smelled way worse. They also welded up a small hole in the corner where dumb *** tow truck driver wrapped a chain around it. Primered, painted, new tank pad, sending unit etc, it's all good! Now if only I could get that lock ring to seal properly, I would be gold. C Shaft

 

[Mudeblue]

Yeah, but it's a numbers matching gas tank! LOL! I took my 67 300 tank to a local rad shop, had it boiled and the inside sealed up with some pink plastic stuff that looked like Pepto Bismal, but smelled way worse. They also welded up a small hole in the corner where dumb *** tow truck driver wrapped a chain around it. Primered, painted, new tank pad, sending unit etc, it's all good! Now if only I could get that lock ring to seal properly, I would be gold. C Shaft

Cut the number off and weld it on the tank! LOL! Like I said, I had mine done three times with the coating and going for the fourth when they started reproduction of the tank. That was 10+ years ago and never looked back and it is still a nice shiny silver; Arizona of course! I am just finishing a three year, off frame restoration ( I know, unibody), new and salvaged parts, convertible, only made 6,272 of them and mine is an Indy 500 which is 1 of 1,300 or 1,500 or 1,900 who knows and I spent a king’s ransom. I had this car from hell for 34 years and couldn’t tell you if even two numbers match. Didn’t need to add that to my nightmare!