John Deere 60 Gas Tank Scouring and Resealing

pmarkel · Sep 24, 2015

I have a 1952 John Deere 60 and I am about to replace the currently non-functioning automatic fuel shut-off gas bowl with the original manual type shut-off. Before replacing the sediment bowl I thought I might clean and reseal the gas tank. I read that to do this one should fill the removed tank with a lye based cleaner and an abrasive (either pebbles or roof nails) and agitate the contents of the tank. After doing this, one should rinse the tank out until no rust flakes are present in the rinse water. Finally one should reseal the tank. Has anyone on the Forum done this? If so, what particular products did you use and what general advice might you give? Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Peter Markel

Bob · Sep 24, 2015

WHY not follow the instructions that came with the gas tank sealing/coating kit that you will be using?

leon · Sep 25, 2015

I had a local radiator shop do a JD Model MT tank for me. They made a mess of it. They had to put a port hole through the top of the tank to clean out their first attempt. They sandblasted it while it was open on top, then brazes a patch on the top of the tank. (The top of the tank is hidden under the hood anyway.) Their second attempt using Red Kote turned out OK.

I did the tank on my Allis Model G myself. It's only about 5 gallon size so easier to handle. I shook it around a lot with a chain inside it to knock the rust and scale loose, then rinsed it out well with water and let it dry thoroughly in the hot sun for a couple of days. I used Red Kote and was very pleased with the results I got.

Mike M · Sep 25, 2015

How bad is your tank ? I too had a tank goofed up by a repair shop. I'd only do one as a last resort.
I have cleaned many of them out with a hot pressure washer and sand blasted the outsides and sealed to holes with solder. If they just had old gas varnished up in them I dump carb. cleaner in them. I saved my old buckets of carb. dip cleaner just for the tanks.

PJH · Sep 25, 2015

Mike - how did you locate the holes? The tank on my 630 is seepy from somewhere in a six inch circle around the sediment bowl. It has a perpetual wet look - not enough to drip, and the fan dries it when the engine is running. I can't pinpoint the location of the leak. Sometimes I wonder if it's leaking at the sediment bowl threads and moving UP on the tank, but I don't think that's physically possible. Liquid has always flowed downward in my world. . .

Mike M · Sep 25, 2015

Sure sounds to me like your threaded adapter part is leaking where it joins the tank. Holes usually are on top from rust.
If you really want to test it block the filler neck sometimes a tight cap and duct tape will hold good enough,better to have some leakage here it seems too. Then put an air chuck in the threaded hole. VERY IMPORTANT use an air pressure regulator and DO NOT go with much pressure ! start with zero and turn it up and listen just a few lbs it won't take much to buckle a tank. once some air pressure is into tank spray soapy water around and look for bubbles.

D- · Sep 25, 2015

Great idea!
Different sealers are different so you don't use them the same way.
Some are just coatings to seal rust.
Others are thicker, will seal holes up to 1/16 inch and stay rubbery.
They use different pre-rinses.

pauldeere · Sep 25, 2015

Several years back I went through a ordeal cleaning a gas tank off a old stationary engine that was badly rusted on the inside.
Listening to everyone and trying most all of the recommended suggestions with total failure. Then an older gentleman who operated a
automotive repair garage for 44 years before retiring suggested Muratic (sp) Acid. Worked perfect, made the inside of the tank look
like new.

PJH · Sep 26, 2015

Thanks Mike! I'll try air pressure.

John Deere 60 Gas Tank Scouring and Resealing

pmarkel

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Bob

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leon

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Mike M

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PJH

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Mike M

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D-

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pauldeere

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PJH

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