Ok I'm having my fuel tank cleaned out and was wondering about sealer. The place thats cleaning my tanks says not too use the sealer due to the tank flexing and breaking off,keep it full and drive it, Some friends thats restore cars say use the sealer due to todays fuels will eat away at the tank, Ok which one is right?! My car (54 Ford Crestline) will not be sitting alot I plan on driving it in the spring-summer months, but storing it (of corse) in the winter with a full tank. Let me know your thoughts Thanks Kevin
Good question ! Well when I bought a new gas tank for my 55 Ford , all I did was paint the outside of the tank . If the fuel we use is so bad that it will eat up steal then how come my hands are still here ? I know there are sealers out there from Eastwood and other places but that is totally up to you . I would guess that the fuels of today and even 50 years ago would break down most anything like sealers or paints as we used gas to clean our brush's of lead paints that we used . I guess someone would have to prove to me that the fuels we use will eat up the metal tanks ! Then I guess we would have all the fuel lines and any other parts that are metal that come in contact with the fuel we use sealed , right ? So no I personally wouldn't use a sealer in a tank . This is just my opinion and I have never used a sealer yet in my fuel tanks PLUS they don't leak either . As long as you keep your fuel tank full , it can't rust . Jim
Take a look at thesepictures. This tank was cleaned out 2 times buy a radiator shop. After he was done I re installed the tank but coulden't keep the filter clean. When I upgrated the motor the electric pump kept clogging up. Went to the wrecking yard and got a donar tank and cut this one in half so we could graft on the electric in tank fuel pump. Look how much crud there was in there. We did use a sealer after the tank got a good sand plasting and 2 years it's still running great. Gerry http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?do=editpictures&albumid=28616&pictureids[]=323849&pictureids[]=323850&pictureids[]=323851&pictureids[]=323852
i bought my new tank for my 55 off ebay for under $200..well worth it for piece of mind and not knowing what the hell is floating around in the tank
I saw the picture of the inside of that tank and that is about what mine looked like when I replaced mine with a new tank I bought off Ebay about 5 years ago . When the gas tanks are that old , it just doesn't pay to have them cleaned and then maybe not even work . You can buy new ones cheap enough like Johnny said for about $200 . That way with a new tank you will never have to worry ever again ! Jim
I have used tank sealer twice. Once on a gas tank for my old Triumph, coated the tank when it was new, never had a problem with it. Second was on a friends Honda tank, he did the cleaning & sealing, it kept dissolving and gumming up his carbs. I think he finally got rid of the tank. I think it depends on how much prep you do and the quality of the job you do.