Gas tank advice

[fearfair]

I have cleaned, treated, everything I know to do with the gas tank in my 1972 Miller Meteor. I am still getting tons of rust and crud out of it. This weekend I made a 120 mile round trip and had to change out fuel filters five times.

Does anyone have a source for replacement tanks or know of a generic plastic or other tank that is a decent fit with the factory straps? Thanks!

[Helvis]

did you have it boiled out and then redlined? that is the best way to go !!!
Happy Haunting
~E~

[tonytheskin]

You could prob use one out of a Dodge Caravan.....Just ask LMS

[Morella]

You can find plastic boat tanks at Overton's. I was thinking of putting some saddle tanks in my hindquarters, since my gas mileage isn't great. A plastic tank would probably end up holding less than the stock one, in the stock location, and you would have to put a piece of sheet metal around the bottom of it, or a bar of some kind to keep it from scraping.

I have heard that some radiator shops can fix gas tanks, so you might call one. I pulled the tank out of my 76, flushed it, dried it, and used a little Marvel Oil, just a couple of ounces to a tank. I filled up six or seven of those big fuel filters with gunk, but then it finally quit clogging them, and it has been OK for years. When I pulled the tank out, it had little squiggly things in it, and I don't know if they were rust or not. The metal didn't look rusty. Maybe it was just something that rose up from the bowels of hell's sewage system.

It seems to me that as long as the tank isn't leaking, a coating process might be the best way to go. Any other method is going to have some drawbacks, except for saddle tanks. Wow...I wish I had the time and money to put some in. You could probably put an extra 10 gallons in each fender, at least, and I would use transfer pumps so that I didn't have to add any filler caps.

BTW, keeping your gas tank full will help keep it from rusting, especially in cool and/or humid climates. All air has some moisture, and the fuel doesn't allow the metal to form condensation on the inside as the temperature rises during the day. It's a shame that cars don't have quick-drains on the tanks like airplanes do (with the exception of the Jaguar V12, which has quarter tanks with snap drains), but life would suck if you broke one off, I guess.

-denise

[Helvis]

Any Radiator shop can boil that tank out. Then just coat it and it should be good. Iredid mine and have had no problems for almost 9 yrs and it is a 1955 ...
Happy Haunting
~E~

[BIGEVIL]

Helvis make a good point.

And Morella has a good idea about extra fuel. The tanks are a little small.

[Morella]

Well, originally you just needed enough gas to get to the cemetery and back. Would the coachmakers have thunk that anyone would be crazy enough to drive one 2000 miles on a road trip?

[fearfair]

I have checked with all of my local radiator shops and none of them are able to boil the tank out, guess I will follow up on the mini van tank.

[LMS]

I just replied to your PM about the minivan tank.
I put the tank from a 1988 Dodge caravan in mine 1969 M-M 10 years ago and it still working just fine.

[tonytheskin]

I have checked with all of my local radiator shops and none of them are able to boil the tank out, guess I will follow up on the mini van tank.

You got some shitty radiator shops.