Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

[Ted K.]

My 56 vette dies about every 3 miles from fuel starvation. Cleaned carb, put in new filter with glass bowl and see brown sediment accumulating in bottom of filter. Any tricks on cleaning out the tank while in the car.

Have a 54 with tank OUT of car. Have been sloshing around laquer thinner and then repeatly with gasoline. Each time I drain gas out into container I get brown sediment. Any short cuts or maybe just a way to get it cleaned out once and for all.

[Roy B.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

Take it to a radiator shop they will boil it out,works OK

[Howard M.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

Ted:
Corvette Central has a tank cleaning and sealing kit made by POR-15.

[Edward B.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

You're not going to get it clean while still in the car, nor will you be able to adequately inspect for weak spots, potential rust problems, etc. Dismount the tank and take it to a shop that does such work for a thorough cleaning and reseal. If no shop available in your area, there are several over the counter preparations that will allow you a fairly good job on you own - just be careful. Gasoline vapor is nasty thing and very risky. If you have any doubts along the way, I would opt for a new tank.

[Paul H.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

I would go with a new tank. I put a new tank in my 61 made by Quanta. Real nice. I don't like old gas tanks or old radiators in cars that are driven and enjoyed.

[Michael L.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

Ted, my '55 sat for 20+ years with the leftover from the last gallon or so of gas in it... Other than that, the tank was free of rust and in good shape. I opted for the POR 15 treatment. If you follow the directions to the "T" and don't mind some physical work ( sloshing the tank around with the cleaner and coating ) you should be fine. Make sure you dry it well before adding the coating. I used a heat gun to both dry the tank on all outside surfaces, and then blew the hot air through both the filler neck as well as the sending unit hole. I made sure it was HOT to the touch everywhere, then let it cool and further dry overnight. From what I can see, the tank was cleaned well and nor coated evenly. It look good inside.

Mike

[Christopher R.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

You can't clean it in the car. You're going to have to take it out of the car. There are kits you buy for this. Eastwood sells one.

You clean it with lacquer thinner first, and muriatic acid after. Block off the openings; pour in the chemicals; and, shake it all around. You do that a few times. Hose out with lots of water in between. You'll get a real upper body workout. You can put a length of chain in there or pea stones too to help out. 'Course then you've got to get all that out of the tank. And you'll need to properly dispose of the old gas, lacquer thinner, and muriatic acid. Most towns have a hazardous waste disposal day. You'll need jugs and a place to store this stuff until you can dispose of it.

You might be able to find an old time radiator shop that'll "boil" the tank out.

When you finish, and if everything works correctly, you'll have a clean and sealed 52 year old tank. It'll cost about $100. You must assume, though, that the crud in the tank is rust. And if the tank rusted, the metal is now thin in spots. It'll really ruin your day, if the 16 gallons of gas you keep in there while the car is stored empties onto your garage floor some day.

For about $160, you can have a new tank. With a new tank or with refurbishing the old one, the work is about the same. The hard work is getting the old tank out. You'll do that in either case.

The tank is not judged. It can't be because it's hidden. If you buy a new tank, get the 61-62 version. It has anti-slosh baffles. Whether you buy a new one or refurbish the old one, replace the fill hose and the vent hose. They deteriorate over time.

[Dennis A.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

Be sure to install a new fuel strainer on the gas tank meter...

[Mike B.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

I suggest that you put a clean length of chain in the tank to help mechanically scour the insides when you shake it around with solvent. If you want to get crazy, thread bolts and nuts through a few links for even better crud busting.

When done, it will all come back out as one cruddy mess.

Mike

[John H.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

I wouldn't bother with any of the "clean-out" solutions - the tank is 50 years old, and apparently some of the traditional "sealer" treatments are attacked by the 10% ethanol that's in almost all gas these days. Replace the tank, button it up, and never worry about it again.

[Gary C.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

John's solution has my vote. My '57 tank was cleaned and sealed. It was 4 years after the sealing that I put it in the car. After a few days I noticed the sealer broke down. Replaced fuel lines and tank as well. Luckily I didn't run the FI unit but on the 1st day. Gary....

[Richard N.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

The sealer they use to line the fuel tanks won't hold up against the new gasoline formulations. I've got two cars that have this problem.

Richard Newton
Car Tech Stuff

[Mike T.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

For all the effort needed to pull, clean, coat and reinstall the tank with possibly less than long-lasting sealing, I'd also go with a new tank. I had a similar issue with the tank in my 65. Some of the particles were small enough to get by the inline filter I had so it was time for a new tank.

[Richard N.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

I made exactly the same decision. The price of a new tank is not that great. You can't get an exact duplicate bur you can buy one that's very very close. Besides the judges won't be able to see the new tank once it's installed.Then save the old one for the next owner.

Fuel Tank in Place copy.jpg

This tank is from Corvette Central. The fit is very good. I just can't imagine how quickly they did the installation on the line in St. Louis. They did do it every day - all day though. You have to get good at it.

Richard Newton

[Chuck G.]

Re: Cleaning C-1 Gas Tank

Many years ago when I restored my 54, I had the original tank boiled out at a radiator shop. I put gas tank sealer in it, followed the directions, sloshed it around, etc., and let it "set up" for months.

The car was finally finished and driveable. I put about 10 gallons of gas in it. Came home from work one day, opened the door to the house, and the smell of gas fumes was INTENSE. Walked out to the garage and found all 10 gallons of gas on the floor. Opened the garage door manually, got a hose, and washed the floor down to get the gas out. I was really concerned about an explosion, and conceivably, if there would have been a "spark" from the electric garage door opener or some other electrical device, that could have happened.

When I got the old, previously sealed tank out, the sealant had failed, and weak areas at the bottom of the tank had let loose. The bottom of the tank looked like a salt shaker.

Repros were not available back then, so I scoured my sources and came up with an original solid tank......... That lasted W/O problems till I sold the car about 6 years ago.

I wouldn't mess with trying to seal/restore an old tank anymore with repros available from Quanta and maybe others.

Chuck