Just wanted to vent (no pun intended)

[gtzero]

I got around to removing my gas tank today. I had no idea how long it would take to empty a full tank of gas!!! Why a full tank, you ask?

My car started running so poorly that I had to slip the clutch on and off to get near my home. I got as far as the service station near my house and decided to hell with this. Let them fix this. And it being the end of the day, they didn't get around to it until the morning when lo and behold, the car runs fine.

I pick up the car at the end of the day and drove her home. And of course, on the way home, I felt the slightest loss of power. I'm very sensitive to it now. And I thought, OK, it wasn't the fuel regulator since I replaced that about a few weeks ago. Everyone keeps saying to clean the tank. So what the heck, 3 day weekend, clean the tank. But I had just filled up the tank. DOH!

Anyways, it took forever and finally, I was about to remove the tank and it wouldn't come out! I had prototyped a frame in the back of my car for holding my targa top. The frame was welded in place. I thought it was a pretty slick solution. Until now! I've imprisoned my gas tank!!! I'm going to have to cut the frame to get the tank out! And I don't have anything other than a carbide hand saw!

AAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

Sorry, I just had to vent!

Manny

PS. Are PETE bottles OK to store gasoline? The kind for bottled water. I ran out of places to store my full tank of gas.

[namba209]

Manny, are you wanting to acid dip the tank or just get the garbage, if any, out of it? If the latter is the case, you can gain a bit of access through the tank sending unit hole. A strong flashlight will let you see how bad it is inside and you can take out the strainer sock through there also. By taking off the fuel line and putting a container under it you may be able to flush out the tank with a commercial cleaner. Some plastic containers have been known to melt when you put gas in them, so I would use a small amount and see what the effect is if any.

[oldopelguy]

Any chance if you drill out the pop-rivits holding the rear shelf in the tank can com up and over the front shelf brace and out through there? Been a while since I looked, and the rear 1/3rd of a GT I have here doesn't have a tank in it, but it might work?

[gtzero]

Originally Posted by namba209 Manny, are you wanting to acid dip the tank or just get the garbage, if any, out of it? If the latter is the case, you can gain a bit of access through the tank sending unit hole. A strong flashlight will let you see how bad it is inside and you can take out the strainer sock through there also. By taking off the fuel line and putting a container under it you may be able to flush out the tank with a commercial cleaner. Some plastic containers have been known to melt when you put gas in them, so I would use a small amount and see what the effect is if any.

Hi Ron,

I have about a gallon and a half in 2 water containers. I just put them outside in case they start to dissolve. I've sawed my way thru 2 of the struts. Just 2 more. But the last 2 are a PITA to get at. I might wait for the fumes to dissipate and go at them in a couple of days with a grinding disc.

[gtzero]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy Any chance if you drill out the pop-rivits holding the rear shelf in the tank can com up and over the front shelf brace and out through there? Been a while since I looked, and the rear 1/3rd of a GT I have here doesn't have a tank in it, but it might work?

Hi Stephen,

I no longer have a rear shelf. That was removed to open up the space. I don't carry a spare so I was planning on using the whole space for carrying stuff. I devised a frame to carry my targa top above the luggage I envisioned. It worked really well until now. I never even gave the fuel tank a thought when I designed the targa frame.

[namba209]

Manny, it appears you're determined to remove the tank, so I'll give you a couple of ideas. First off, you can purge the tank with water to get rid of the fumes. We did that in the USAF to get external fuel tanks ready for maintainence, but we had running water going through them for 24 hours. That long may not be necessary. You could fill the tank with water, seal it then cut away the rest of the struts. Speaking of, I hope you plan on being able to re-install the struts, but with bolts, instead of welding them back in. I'm sure you don't want to go through this again.

[gtzero]

"SHE'S OUT!" Amazing what a SAWZALL can do!

Ron,

I cut her very close to the welds so "if" I decide to put my targa storage system back in, it shouldn't be such a big deal.

I have questions about the "cleaning" of the tank. What actually happens? I think you asked earlier if I was having it acid dipped. What does acid dipping do?

I called around on Friday and got quotes from $200-$450 for "cleaning/refurbishing" a gas tank. I didn't get into details from one shop to the next. What actually happens?

In the end, should I expect a "like new" tank?

Thanks,

Manny

[gtzero]

One more question, can the shop doing the cleaning add baffles to the tank? Or is this a specialized skill?

Thanks,

Manny

[namba209]

Manny, I responded to your question in a similar thread, but I'll repeat here too. Try calling local radiator shops and see if they'll dip the tank for you. The acid they use will eat rust and corrosion but won't hurt anything else. If they can do it, give them just the bare tank. When you get it back, use Eastwood or POR-15 tank sealer and that should be the end of your tank problems. And don't forget to paint the exterior too. The tank should be as close to new as possible when taking into consideration how old it is and how much damage was done previously. Why baffles? Most radiator shops don't have the skills to cut and weld on steel, they are primarily working with brass and copper, so they will braze and solder the radiators.

[gtzero]

Originally Posted by namba209 Manny, I responded to your question in a similar thread, but I'll repeat here too. Try calling local radiator shops and see if they'll dip the tank for you. The acid they use will eat rust and corrosion but won't hurt anything else. If they can do it, give them just the bare tank. When you get it back, use Eastwood or POR-15 tank sealer and that should be the end of your tank problems. And don't forget to paint the exterior too. The tank should be as close to new as possible when taking into consideration how old it is and how much damage was done previously. Why baffles? Most radiator shops don't have the skills to cut and weld on steel, they are primarily working with brass and copper, so they will braze and solder the radiators.

Thanks Ron. My FI system doesn't like anything less than a quarter of a tank when turning. So I was thinking baffles would be the way to go since I had the tank out. But maybe a surge tank, as mentioned before in another thread, is the way to go.

Manny

[namba209]

Manny, here's a schematic of the surge tank system I made for Willit? It take two fuel pumps because of the need to bleed air from the top of the surge tank. One that feeds the surge tank and a high pressure pump to feed the fuel rail. I was lucky finding an old stainless 1/2 gallon water filter tank with all the fittings needed to adapt to the fuel system. The high pressure fuel pump has an internal bleed and pressure regulator that keeps the pump from overheating and dumps pressure in excess of 70 psi. In reality, I believe a quart container with fittings should be all that's needed. How far can you go with a gallon of gas? I don't believe you have AC in your GT so a similar system that I have can go behind the support next to the battery area, if you are inclined to go that way. BTW, disregard the blue line at the filter, I just noticed I didn't take out that line when I redrew the schematic. Sorry for the mistook.