Saving Gas Tank
 

Trying to save the original tank. Is in good condition after 70 years, but full of gummed oil or I don't know what that mass of material is called that solidified after being many years without having emptied the Gasoline.

I have saved a few tanks like that (without cutting them open). Put acetone into them, let them sit for a day, and pour it out. Methyl ethyl ketone is also good, but the fumes aren't so good for you. You may have to repeat a time or two, but in the end, I have had tanks that look like that come out whistle clean.

I was wondering if Methylated spirits might have any effect? No idea, but it might be easier to obtain? (for Mariano) It might also do nothing?

Thanks Rob and Lynn for the comments and advice.
A month ago I filled the tank with 5 gallons of gasoline and the content softened somewhat.
The products that Rob recommends are difficult to obtain here in Argentina, that is why I opted for a hand cleaning with a putty knives and some easy and inexpensive solvent that I can find here.
Then we will have to make some covers, riveting and soldering with tin.

If you can't get Acetone, then I am guessing meka is out of the question.

Do you not have home depot down there?

Rob
Home Depot left my country a few years ago..
This tank is the one on the left side, I still have to start cleaning the one on the right side, I think it is in a similar situation since I can put my hand through the mouth and I can find the same material at the bottom... :whinge

Yesterday i continued with the cleaning of the tank
Luckily only surface rust
Then pass a phosphatizing deoxidizing liquid

That's some work. I once did a Jeep gas tank. I used hot Pinesol (wood floor cleaner) to dissolve the gunk. But it revealed pin holes in the bottom of the tank. As the tank was dented from the Jeep being back into a stump or similar I opted to cut open the tank, reshape and patch in new metal. Still near boiling PineSol worked really, really well. I used it on a carburetor as well.

Matt

yesterday I continued with the work on the gas tank
I turned to the advice of several friends, all amateurs, so I hope that this way of doing it will give good results.
The plate was screwed to better support the weight of the 42 gallons, and it was welded with plumbing tin. It still remains to seal the head of some screws and do the leak test.

You made me think on a Monday morning - and that is not a good thing. I asked myself what is the active ingredient, and found the following. The Pine Oil gives the product its pleasant 'it must be working' aroma, but the active ingredient is glycolic acid.

https://pestcontrolhacks.com/is-pine...-disinfectant/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycolic_acid

I used plumbers solder on my tank as well. After several false starts due to pinholes I eventually got it sealed up. It appears to have been holding fine for a couple of years now.

Matt

Finished tank without leaks

The tank place under the seats.
Prior need to work on winch drum

Lovely work Mariano! I also have to repair my fuel tanks someday.....not sure if I go the route of welding it with a constant flow of exhaust gasses passing through the tank while welding......or if I go the less risky route with soldering.

Mariano, is this a late type Gun tractor with the straight body? It never occured to me that these had unique fuel tanks under the rear seats, in stead of them mouted on the side of the chassis rails.