| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
jimlagos
United Kingdom
205 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Nov 2015 : 22:31:43
|
Don't know if I'm telling my grannie how to suck eggs, but I've just removed the fuel tank from the barn find that I acquired for spare parts. The lower half of the tank was perfectly ok, Under sealed, under that was paint, no problem. The top of the tank was very thin in parts, due, no doubt, to the ingress of moisture between the boot floor and the tank. I'm now in the process of using "rust converter" and Hammerite paint to try and preserve it. The inside of the tank will be cleaned (chemically) and lined with a varnish like substance, designed to stop the effects of ethanol in petrol and reinforce the structure of the tank. Perhaps every series Rapier owner should drop their tank and check the integrity of their tank? I don't know if the newer Rapiers have the same problem, but beware!
jim |
|
|
Royston
United Kingdom
48 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2016 : 19:56:08
|
Petrol smell and damp patches on mine too, just decided to take it out tmrw and probably do the same as you have. Any advice on suitable sealant, are they really effective against Ethanol I wonder ?
I have tried this before on past projects without success and ended up having tank resoldered by an expert firm in Tunbridge Wells.
I suppose newly manufactured tanks are unobtainable ?
My investigation started last weekend with a fuel shortage at carbs and I eventually discovered a rubber hose which did not leak fuel but allowed air to be sucked in, especially up hills and under load, now corrected with new rubber and new fuel clamps, but nthen discovered the damp patch on fuel tank, oh well , all good fun !
Royston
with a Sunbeam in my life |
 |
|
|
jimlagos
United Kingdom
205 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2016 : 09:13:08
|
On a couple of my past "classic" cars I've cleaned and sealed the tanks. I firstly made a plywood blank for the fuel gauge hole, then used the cleaner with a handful of clean gravel. when dried I used the sealer as per the instructions. A compressed air supply is essential for help in drying the tank, and blowing into the fuel take off point to clear any sealer from any mesh filter that might be there. Parcel tape was good enough to blank off the filler neck, I found. The sealer was called "Slosh" and I bought the cleaner and sealer off Ace Classics.
http://www.aceclassics.co.uk/products/petrol-tank-sealer/
I'm fortunate to have a spare tank now and will be doing mine soon, now it's warmer. Sunshine is useful to dry the tank out!
jim |
|
|
|
Royston
United Kingdom
48 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2016 : 17:53:31
|
Hi Jim, I've started on the tank and exactly as you say the problem I have is also around the seam where bottom meets top, it runs down over the tank, and mixes the underseal into a beautiful messy sticky gunk, hence hard to see where the problem was to begin with.
I've posted in the HELP section as a topic, maybe a replacement tank is my best solution, or even take it apart around the seam and then resolder the joint.
I really should have put less fuel in the tank !
Anyhow thanks for prompting me to take a close look and hopefully before too long I will have it sorted.
Due to go to Gravesend 100 years of transport, St Georges Day celebration on SAT in Rapier, so certainly won't be this week !
Royston
with a Sunbeam in my life |
|
|
|
jimlagos
United Kingdom
205 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2016 : 20:02:42
|
I'm a great believer in brazing fuel tanks. As long as you're ultra careful in cleaning the tank out and drying it well. I always run a flow of air through the tank to make absolutely sure that petrol fumes have gone. Air can be through an air line or from a vacuum cleaner with "blow" facility. Either way, if you've been successful in repairing the leaks, you can then do the system of cleaning and sealing as I suggested. Once the outside is rust converted then Hammerited, it should last a few years more.
jim |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Fuel tanks
