I've got an 85 GSL that I'm trying to restore, and I knew that the fuel system was in need of some serious TLC from the time I poured a bit of gas out of the gas tank - brown crap. So, past replacing the fuel pump and the fuel lines, I got to the gas tank, took it off, fuel sending unit was covered in rusty, layered, caked crap (crap = strange mix between rust and brown old gas sludge), strainer on gas intake line had tears in it, and the gas tank was dirty inside. I got most of the rust chips out of the gas tank (there's still a bunch left behind the inside wall that just won't come out). Also, one of the upper parts of the inside wall was rusted to a hole (I just removed the rusty bits as well as I could).

The question: with a gas tank like this, is it beyond repair? If so, should I replace it with another gas tank (new ones seem to be a tad pricey, and junkyard ones are likely to be rusty too, since the cars in my local scrap yard haven't moved in at least 6 years), or should I go with a fuel cell. The car will be a weekend driver at best, with occasional roadracing duty.

Help me, fb gods!

 

A local radiator shop can weld up any holes cheap.

The one by mean bolied out my old tank which removed all the gunkyness... welded up two holes... and coated the inside with some lining that is guarenteed as long as I own it. $150.

And my tank was a POS.

 

I had a fuel tank in a similar situation. I found that the "rust flakes" were, in fact, some kind of gasoline of the ancient astronauts. Probably 10 centavo gas out of a Juarez dip-jar... Anyway, with the tank off the car, I was able to clean all of the material out/off. I used a strong degreaser inside the tank mixed with water and the inside turned bright and shiny. If you are still concerned that it may be real-rust, you can use an annode and battery to test that theory; in all probability it's most likely just "goo."

... and expect to break the plastic breather that sits on top of the tank connected to the chassis.

 

my tank had a hole in it and gas. when my dad was welding my bodykit and i was in the house geting tea a spark fell in the gas tank and blown up but goodthing the gas was bad and the hole was not big really big.

 

... That's bad.

 

yep. good thing i had a parts car that had a mint gas tank

 

If you would like to DIY. I have used POR 15 cleaner and sealer on several tanks. Sounds like you are saying the hole is inside the tank in the baffle. If so you might get by with just cleaning the tank with hot water and a strong de-greaser, like the Marine Clean they sell. It takes a week or so to soak, rinse, soak, rinse, dry for 24 hrs, seal, and dry for several days .

 

An alternative, though not a quick one: Bill Rader re-furbishes gas tanks. He first puts walnut shells in them and puts them on a machine that spins them. This polishes the inside of the tank and removes all rust. Then he puts some sort of coating on the inside of the tank to seal it and prevent future rust. He has done one tank for me (currently in the ResurreXion-7), and I sent the old tank to him, so I'll have a spare.

That's the good news. The bad news is that he is sloooooow. 4 to 6 months turnaround time.

Contact info:

Bill Rader
540-432-6666

601 N. Main
Harrisonburg, WV 22802

open 8 - 5, M - F

 

Holy crap, openshot, that's nvts!

I want to diy, but I don't have a disposal site for the used chemicals. There's no room in the garage (two cars, 3 bikes in a 2-car garage), and I don't want to do it on the driveway, so I called the radiator shops around here, and one gave me a decent quote, with soda-blasting, etching, and a warranty on the lining that will outlast my car. Plus, they're willing to resurface the outside of the gas tank while they're at it without extra money. I cut out half of the baffle (the rusty half) and spent a solid 5 or 6 hours, rinsing, shaking, and beating the seams of the gas tank with a rubber mallet, and with the amount of rust flake that I got out of it, I'm hopeful that this tank can be rehabilitated.

Basically, I've come to terms with the fact that I am going to have to spend money to restore my 7.

Thanks for the advice, fellas.