As I was wandering around the automotive section of the local Wally World, I noticed they sell a 7 gallon air tank for $19.95. Even though a little small, for that money, you can weld whatever bungs in you'd need and make a gas tank. Would it need to be sealed somehow? Anybody else done this or something similar?
I ran out of time(and money) on my last t-bucket, so that's what I used. I welded a bung in the bottom, and used the top bung for a breather. Worked good, but use a good filter. I used a glass filter and watched flakes of rust come from the tank. There has to be something you can run inside to seal it up. Karl
What do you mean? Its an air tank, I certainly wouldnt expect any leaks... Do you mean like an inner coating to prevent rust? Depends. Is there paint inside it? I am pretty sure tank coating (kreem is a common brand) wont stick to paint, needs a bare metal surface. But, if it was painted, it isnt going to rust anyway. Which brings up the second concern. If it is painted, is that paint going to hold up to the gasoline without loosening and falling apart? That would sure be a rude awakening if that paint came off and got into your fuel lines, filters, and carburetor. Also, even if the paint does hold up to gas, it wont hold up to you cutting and welding bungs and such into it. I think the best bet would be to get the tank mocked up with all your fittings welded in place (and dressed, if you are inclined), pressure check it for leaks, and then sandblast the inside if it. Then rinse it out well with gas or thinner or something. Then you are left with a bare metal inside, so you can choose to leave it bare and hope it wont rust, or use a liquid tank liner that dries to a protectant film. I have used the stuff on 3 tanks without problems, and I left it plenty of time to dry/cure (over a month). As I mentioned, the common brand is called "kreem" and alot of bike builders use it. However, I do know people who have had bad experiences with that brand coming loose and plugging stuff up. Off hand I dont remember the brand of stuff I used on my tanks, but I can get the name if you want. It wasnt cheap, it was around $40 a quart, but you get what you pay for. If you buy a can of tank liner for $4.99, dont expect much more than a hassle of having to replace/clean your fuel system and reblast your tank, so you can start all over again and use the good stuff. Lots of people dont use this liner at all, and thats probably fine too, as long as you have a good fuel filter and change it once in a while. Another thing to think about is if you are going to have a gas gauge. The tank has to be deep enough for the sending unit. Maybe you could get 2 of the tanks, and run the fuel lines into a "Y". Then you'd have a 14 gallon capacity, probably handier than 7. Briggs
My only real concern would be that it probably has no baffles, so all the fuel is sloshing around in there. As the fuel level gets low, that could lead to starvation whenever you went around a corner. Maybe you could stuff some fuel cell foam into the ends when you opened up a hole for a filler neck.
used a Kragen air tank for a gas tank. Works, well, like using an air tank for a gas tank! Less than ideal but it holds gas. We installed a really long filler neck tube down inside the tank so that sloshing fuel doesn't come out the top, and believe me it sloshes Ours wasn't painted, and after 2 and a half years it's all rusty inside. That's going the way of the birds when we redo the back end.
If baffles are a big problem, you could cut the tank in half, install a couple of your own personally designed baffles, and weld the unit back together, still way cheaper than buying a new tank, plus the round shape is attractive in an early hotrod, could be held down with leather belts. I guarantee there is no paint on the inside of an air tank. If a flake came off, it would plug the air line. Same as air compressor tanks, they're clean inside and they will rust if you get water in them. There are several products made to seal the inside of gas tanks, mostly for use on old rusty tanks, but to put it on a brand new tank which is clean inside would be ideal. Talk to the chopper motorcycle guys and ask them what they use to coat the inside of thier custom built tanks. They would also be a source of nice looking filler necks and caps for your custom tank. I love the idea of using an air tank as a gas tank, not only is it cost-effective, but it's got bragging rights too. Who needs a new fancy $200+ gas tank, when I made my own for $19!
Up here in Oregon we have GI Joe's sports and auto store. They sell 12 gall boat tanks that are a perfect square size. got one in my plymouth and it works great!
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