Swiss cheese gas tank

fixerupper · Feb 23, 2021

Not a tractor tank but tractors have gas tanks too and the fix for rust holes is the same. This tank is out of the 62 Rambler Classic I am working on. The gas tank is the last item on the car preventing me from driving it down the road. The pictures are of the top of the tank the bottom isn't nearly as bad. Is there something I can slather on the outside before I use Red Kote on the inside or do I just give it up and sell the car as it is? I have the inside cleaned out and I went over the entire outside of the tank hard with a needle scaler to find all of the weak spots. There is maybe 100-150 BB sized holes scattered around in the tank but the basic tank is solid.

Whadda ya say?

wore out · Feb 23, 2021

Wonder what these outfits would charge to repair or replace it?

https://orozcosautoservice.com/gas-tank-repair/

http://www.gas-tank.com/

https://www.donhart.com/fuel-tanks/

P I Pete · Feb 23, 2021

Try an auto parts store O'riellys napa or what ever is in your area.

Pete

roy prins · Feb 23, 2021

Dont waste Your money fixing something that bad -- Find a different one or put in a fuel cell in the trunk--Roy

super99 · Feb 23, 2021

If you are going to line the inside of the tank and your cheap like me, I'd either cover the holes
with JB Weld or Bondo let it dry and then line the tank. Flame away!!

Russ from MN · Feb 23, 2021

Get a 6 gallon outboard tank and put it in the trunk, tied down!

Moonlite37 · Feb 23, 2021

I had one about thet condition on a '62 Corvair, I lightly wire brushed the outside and applied Bondo. The
repair lasted until I sold the car about 7 years later. I did nothing to interior of tank.

Stephen Newell · Feb 23, 2021

That's pretty bad. I believe I would replace it if I could find one. If you end up having to repair it you could braze some pieces of sheet metal over the big holes and the red kote would take care of the rest. I would still put red kote in a new tank if you can find
one. About 20 years ago I put new tanks on a Jeep I restored and have had to replace them since. The second tanks I put red kote in them before installing them.

Jaden · Feb 23, 2021

I have used a sealer kit that NAPA, etc. sold. Get it ultra clean, degrease it, and be careful about using gasohol in the tank. It
dissolved one of my patches.

37 chief · Feb 23, 2021

That's bad all right. I like a challenge, but I would walk away from that one. Even if it holds for a time, it will start leaking when you least expect it. There is a auto wrecking in Arizona that specials in older cars. I think if yo google old car auto wrecking yards in Az something will come up.Stan

Tracy Brown · Feb 23, 2021

It could be made useable by cleaning the outside to shiny metal, then fiberglass the entire outside surface.

mudcreek183 · Feb 23, 2021

I had a tank off a jeep that looked that bad get a fiberglass repair kit and cover the whole tank. Did the jeep it last for 7 years until i sold it.

cjunrau · Feb 23, 2021

If you only wanted a 5 gallon tank I think I would cut the top open a rig a boat tank inside
it so you could still fill the tank the same as the old car. run the fill spout onto the
tank with a rubber sealer or such. Or like others have said, fiberglass the whole thing.

1948CaseVAI · Feb 23, 2021

It would be a shame to sell the car over that! Please replace if you can. Russ had an excellent idea and unless you are going to take long road trips a 5 gal tank would work fine.

Carls70 · Feb 23, 2021

Another vote for tank Renu, a complete fiberglass wrap with woven roven or the marine outboard tank(s) tied down in the trunk. Sure there are easier or cheaper fixes but if you get knocked in the hindquarters at a stoplight what is it worth to NOT have a tank rupture\thermal event? Just thinking out loud...
Carl

M-MAN · Feb 24, 2021

I would sell the car as is before I made
a death trap for someone else. There are
older junk yards where the new owner can
find a tank.

Duner Wi · Feb 24, 2021

This might help
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/rambler-nash-amc-fuel-tanks

and
gastankrenu.com told me if they have enough tank to hold it shape they can fix it with lifetime warranty.

Determined · Feb 24, 2021

I have repaired countless pinholes using a piece of old blue jean material saturated in Seal All with excellent results.

I believe the condition of your tank would be asking for more than a sealer alone can offer.

If I were to attempt a last resort repair on that tank I would start with cleaning up the area around the holes with some muriatic acid, tin the area with solder then hammer out some sheet metal patches and solder them in place.

An application of denim soaked in Seal All over the seams may still be required depending on your soldering skills.

rusty6 · Feb 24, 2021

I have patched a small pin hole leak in a gas tank with a screw and JBweld and its been permanent. But the one in your picture is way beyond that. I'd scrap it and either go new tank or put a 5 gallon "boat tank" in the trunk like I did with my 52 Merc. Even if you get it to hold gas there could be enough rust going on inside to be a constant source of fuel line and carburetor blockages.

DoubleO7 · Feb 24, 2021

Is that big hole for the level sender and fuel line out??
Or the filler?
Either way it looks a bit ragged.

Get three rols of gorilla tape and wrap it up.

Will be just as good as the other bubble gum fixes already mentioned.

SparepartsTN · Feb 24, 2021

Back in the 80's my 1955 Ford F-800 gas tank behind the drivers outside step started leaking from a hole in the bottom. I found it when I stopped in a parking lot, leaking out pretty
bad. Caught a ride to an auto parts store and bought a 'gas tank repair kit', two part epoxy for gas tanks. Went back, kneaded the two parts together according to instructions, made
a cone shape of it and stuffed it in the hole. never leaked again, still have it. Didn't do any metal prep at all.

Swiss cheese gas tank

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