[DeTomaso] Gas Tank Sealer

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/02/06 12:46:36 PM, johnmaffeo1 at yahoo.com writes:

<< thanks for the replies. I do not have any leaks or any other problems. i 
was thinking this would be a good time for some preventative maintenance while 
my engine is out of the car. >>

Look inside & see if you can spot any corrosion if not, I wouldn't mess with 
it. The last time I cleaned a gas tank, it really needed it & was out of the 
vehicle. This is an alternative to patented do-all tank coatings:  
I removed the sender & other fittings, added a handful of big nuts 'n bolts 
and a quart or two of solvent, plugged the openings and shook the tank in my 
arms for several 5-minute sessions; having the radio on pretty loud keeps your 
neighbors from wondering what the h... you're up to this time. The shaking 
knocks loose any scale the debris can impact. Then the slop is emptied out and 
water from a garden hose added until no more slop is seen in the overflow. Then, 
I added a quart or 2 of phosphoric acid driveway etch, filled the tank to the 
top with water and let it soak for 24 hrs. A final dump, THOROUGH rinse & 
overnight drying, and I had a white-coated tank inside. At room temperatures, 
phosphoric acid attacks rusty iron much faster than un-rusted iron, and the 
reaction product is iron phosphate, which is white and is chemically bonded to the 
'good' steel. It is inert to gas additives including alcohols. If you find 
leaks from pinholes during all this, welding or brazing can be done (with care) at 
this time. One tank was from a 1940 Ford, the other from a 1957 Matchless 
motorcycle, and both had set with no caps for many decades before I acquired 
them. Both worked well afterward & the Ford tank was still on the car when I sold 
it, non-leaking. I still have the Matchless tank. Total cost= $5 for etchant, 
$2 for paint-thinner solvent and 2 days of intermittent labor (as always, no 
cost). If you've got storage space, the acid can be saved & re-used, even on 
driveways. Good luck- J DeRyke