m-mman Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 The car is a 1942 Hudson. It was restored about the 1990s. The gas tank is gorgeous EXCEPT after cleaning the tank way back when, they put a sealer coating in it. Now 30 or so years later the sealer is coming off. It is peeling and making powder which is seen in the filters. The tank metal is great, the sender is still in excellent conditions. I suspect that the sealer is an older formula that is incompatible with current fuels(?) The sealer is white in color if that helps determine the type. Yes I know about Renu but I really dont want to cut the tank open. A radiator shop (that does gas tank work) looked at it and said that IF he could get MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) it would easily wash out the old sealer. HOWEVER I am in California and MEK was banned many years ago. . . . . Anybody have experience with removing ancient sealer? In a simple manner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtech Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 MEK may be available from aircraft suppliers for dope and fabric work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 15 minutes ago, Oldtech said: MEK may be available from aircraft suppliers for dope and fabric work About 10 years ago I bought a gallon of MEK from my local Ace hardware for the same purpose--and it worked well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted November 1, 2021 Share Posted November 1, 2021 Sounds like a drive, tour, vacation to Nevada, Oregon, Arizona.... is in your future.😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted November 1, 2021 Share Posted November 1, 2021 MEK is not banned where I live, but has become impossible to obtain. Don't assume it is available until you have a can of it in your hand. The sell a cheaper chemical, Ethyl Acetate, calling it "MEK substitute" with the "substitute" in small print. Funny, the price has not come down. Maybe Ethyl Acetate would work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted November 1, 2021 Author Share Posted November 1, 2021 Glad that I am not alone in this. Guess that I will be getting a gallon of that MEK substitute and report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 (edited) On 11/1/2021 at 12:10 PM, m-mman said: Glad that I am not alone in this. Guess that I will be getting a gallon of that MEK substitute and report back. Please let us know how it works. I have a tank with a similar problem. Bill Edited November 3, 2021 by hook spelling (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtech Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Aircraft Spruce list it in the recovering materials. I don't know what the shipping regs would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Ash Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Whatever solvent you use, throw a couple short lengths of 1/4" or 5/16" chain and/or a few pounds of old nuts and bolts (big ones) in the tank along with the solvent, then roll the tank over and over to scrub the old stuff out. Be sure to take out the fuel level sensor when you do this so you don't damage it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 After you get the old liner out, cut it open and sand blast the inside........or the new sealer won’t stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans1 Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Most tanks have baffles, difficult to have chains, nuts or other little items to scrup it all out. Most likely have to open it up in more than one location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 Follow up and my experiences The car a 1942 Hudson restored in the late 1990s. The fuel tank The problem: Ancient gas tank sealer. That was flaking off and rust coating below it. Radiator shop said he could boil it and clean it BUT I would have to remove the old sealer. He said that MEK was the stuff to dissolve the old sealer but it is no longer available in California. Today they sell this: Not actual MEK, it is some other chemical. Who knows what?? There is nothing explicite on the label, just instructions that if you have to know, to go to their website. I wanted to try it on some uncontaminated sealer first and that existed in the filler neck. So I stuffed an old sock in the neck and soaked it with the new MEK. IT WORKED!!! The old sealer softened up and peeled off like paint stripper Easily removed with a wire brush. Now what about the rest of the tank? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 OK so now I know that the new MEK does soften up the old sealer what about the rest of the tank? Peering inside I could see that some old sealer was stuck but some was already flaking off due to the light rust developing behind it. Before I wasted the gallon of New MEK I tried just flushing it out with water. Sure enough most if it came out with filling (high pressure nozzle) sloshing and pouring. You can see the old white sealer and the rust covered back side. filling (with water) and sloshing and dumping I was able to get 99% of the old stuff out. <hurray!> BUT the question originally posed was "Does the new MEK soften up and remove old sealer?" I took a pile of the chips to the bench and covered them with the new MEK. Sure enough the big flakes of old sealer did soften and break into tiny soft segments AND separated from the rust. Maybe not that clear the heavier rust particles were swimming around separately from the old sealer. Conclusion: Yes, the New substitute MEK does indeed soften old gas tank sealer for sloshing removal. I now have a decent tank with a light coat of rust. . . . . The reflexive solution is to open it and sand blast it and reseal it. It currently does not leak and has patches from the older cleaning. I am hesitant to open it up again and use more sealer. A thought came to mind. Has anybody ever tried sloshing with Miracle paint or POR15? This stuff is great on suspension and undercarriage parts. I have put it over light rust coats and it sticks and does not seem to be affected by any fuel or solvents that I have spilled or applied to it. Theoretically it SHOULD cover and seal the light rust in this tank, as it does on my suspension. . . . . Has anybody tried it?? However I am a little hesitant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Well, Miracle Paint is sold by Bill Hirsch, and they also sell gas tank sealer, so give them an email as to what they think. They do sell a cleaner to be used before the sealer. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickelroadster Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 You really should use a phosphorus solution to remove the rust and etch the inside of a cleaned tank. This will give something for the sealer to bond to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Thanks m-mman for the detail trial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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