1953 Buick Super gas tank coating?

[Guest TheDude]

Hi,

It's been a while since I've been here, and I'm sad to say that not much has been done with the Buick, even after being in my possession for a year. There's been no time and even less money to go around, but since the summer is here I have a little more time (still no money <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />). I'm going to find a place to boil out the gas tank, but I'm not sure what coating I will need to put on it. It still has the factory undercoating on the bottom.

Thanks,

Justin <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[RocketDude]

Most radiator shops can boil out the gas tank, and put in the coating. Probably depends on what area you're in, but I paid just over $100. to have my tank boiled, sandblasted inside, and coated.

I doubt the undercoating on the outside will be affected by the boiling process

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

A couple of years ago I used the "Fuel Tank Repair Kit" available from Kanter Auto Products. www.kanter.com 1-800-526-1096 among others. You can also search POR 15 and find a slew of dealers selling the same thing. POR 15 makes the sealer part of the kit.

Now here is how I did it.

First, after draining and removing the tank from the car, I removed the sending unit from the tank. Now you have three holes in the tank, The fill hole the sending unit hole and the drain hole.

I sat the tank on a pair of sawhorses.

After putting the drain plug back in, I poured about a half pint of Dawn dishwasing liquid into the tank and filled the tank with hot, hot water. I had hooked a water hose with a spray nozzle up to the hot water spigot at the washing machine, thus giving me all the hot water I needed. I sloshed this around for several minutes, drained it and rinsed it several times.

The kit comes with 2 quarts of Marine Clean. With the drain plug in, I poured one of the quarts into the tank and a couple quarts of hot water.

I then inserted about 5 feet of steel chain into the sending unit hole, and put duck tape over the hole to help secure the chain and capped the filling pipe. I sloshed this solution with the chain around for a good 30 minutes, turning it every which away so the chain would clean all of the rust and scale. And clean it it did. I couldn't believe how thick and rusty nasty the water was when I drained it. I then rinsed it several times shined a mirror into the tank to see what I could see and for good measure put the chain in again with hot water to make sure I got it all.

After rinsing that good several times with hot water, I added the other pint of MC to about three quarts of hot water, taped the hole and shook shook shook that for about 20-30 minutes.I then let that soak for an hour or so shaking it everyone in awhile. I then drained the tank and rinsed several time till the water ran clear.

I then cut a bath towell lengthwise into 2 inch wide pieces leaving the top end without cutting. I then inserted that into the tank and shook it around to dry the tank. I then attached the end of a shop vac up to it and vacuumed and blew into the tank to thouroughly dry it.

I added the container of Metal-Ready from the kit and let it sit in the tank for an hour, turning it and shaking it about every 10-15 minutes. I then drained it back into the container and saved it for another project. This solution really finishes cleaning the tank and leaves a coating of zinc phosphate for the sealer to bond to.I rinsed the tank 3-4 times, drained it for 10-15 minutes and did the towel drying trick again. The sun was out so I let the tank sit in it for a while then hooked up the shop vac again to THOUROUGHLY dry it. I wasn't satisfied that it was dry so I used a hair dryer on it until the hairdryer started smokin.

I sat the tank on the saw horse again and poured the sealer in. I sealed the hole with duck tape and slowly and methodically turned the tank so that the solution first traveled along the sides and seams, then the top of the tank, then the bottom. I then continued turning the tank in every direction for probably 20 minutes. The solution had started setting by this time. I sat the tank so the drain hole would be the low point and drained all the excees sealer out. I then turned it around and around again until the sealer was setting good and it wasn't a chance of it pooling. I then left the tank sitting level on the sawhorses for it to start curing. The sun was shining the next 5 days so I set the tank out in it . I sprayed it with undercoat before I installed it into the Century again. I also cleaned the sending unit with the Marine Clean and it is operating smooth as silk where as it use to want to hang up showing a half a tank all the time. I ordered a gasket from Bobs Automobilia. I really think the hot water and using the chain is critical to getting all the scale and rust out. I tell you what though, after wrestling with that tank for about 4-6 hours you would think you had been wrestling a gorilla. Your arms will feel like they are about to drop off!!

And oh yea, be sure to WEAR RUBBER GLOVES when handling the sealer. I didn't and my hands were a MESS. And GAS won't cut it and GOJO won't touch it so you just have to let it wear off. You may want to make sure your tank doesn't have baffles in it as the chain could get hung then you'd be up the creek.

The towell did get hung for a brief moment on the fill pipe as it actually is inserted into the tank about an inch and it evidently got wrapped around it. But a prayer and a tug got it free.

that's what worked for me!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Guest TheDude]

Thanks alot for the information. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have the shop do it, as I have no idea what is in there and I want to make sure I do this right. If it was any other car of mine I'd try it myself. As for the coating, I was referring to what kind of paint/sealer I need to put on the outside of the tank. The guy at the shop said he could supply me with the coating for the inside. Sounds like I won't get as good of a deal as you, RocketMan, but this is the only place in my area.

Thanks!