Snagger Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Hi folks. I’m hoping to be putting the 109 back into service later this year. Last time I went to exercise it, it started but soon died and wouldn’t restart, even with two cans of fresh fuel into the main tank. I suspect it is fuel starvation, possibly a hole in a fuel line or maybe diesel bug or fungus. Either way, the system is going to need stripping and cleaning, and I’d like to finally sort the weeping from the seams on all three tanks. They aren’t that rusty, perhaps a little just between the skins and cradles where the diesel has washed away the wax I applied. Rather than replace them, I intend to clean and line them. POR15 is one option, but there are others. Does anyone have any experience of doing this, any recommendations or know if one kit’s degreaser and prep solutions will work on three tanks, needing just more sealant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 I've used the por15 kit on the second tank on the 110 about 8 years ago. I used it inside and outside (even though they don't recommend it outside) it sealed the weeping seams and is still fuel tight. I would happily recommend it. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 I used Por15 on a rusted 30 year old fiat panda 4x4 tank that was covered in micro pin holes and had a bad leak around the seam - it worked really well and has lasted about 5 years so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 If you have friends working on aircraft you might borrow some PR1440 polysulfide sealant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 10 hours ago, muzaz said: If you have friends working on aircraft you might borrow some PR1440 polysulfide sealant. Hoping to jump ship this summer, so will have to forge new contacts, but that could be a good idea, at least for the front tanks with their large filler holes. Rear tank will need a liquid sealant as the Series senders are quite small diameter, preventing tools inside the tank. Pretty specialist knowledge, that - not Lufthansa Technik, are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 22 minutes ago, Snagger said: Hoping to jump ship this summer, so will have to forge new contacts, but that could be a good idea, at least for the front tanks with their large filler holes. Rear tank will need a liquid sealant as the Series senders are quite small diameter, preventing tools inside the tank. Always good to keep friends! You can thin it with acetone to the consistency you need and pour it...you won't find it in the instructions 😜 27 minutes ago, Snagger said: Pretty specialist knowledge, that - not Lufthansa Technik, are you? Yes, was there, moved on to Srt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 16 Author Share Posted September 16 Well, I drained the fuel from the front tanks after having the 109 recovered to a workshop today. The fuel in right and rear tanks stinks like turpentine, the left tank fuel is rusty. The right tank cleaned up reasonably well, but the left is pretty rusty up to where the fuel level was, and the underside of the tank caps are badly rusted. The telescopic tube in the left tank was rusted in place and only came out after using a screwdriver and hammer to separate it from the filler neck, so it’s now scrap. I think the left tank will be reusable after a treatment of tank cleaning and lining, the right certainly will. The aft tank will have to be drained another time. With some new fuel in the right tank and a new filter, it started but was still off. A new lift pump has it running well again. It’ll get new oil and filter and new brake fluid, then it’s going in for MoT on Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 20 Author Share Posted September 20 The aft tank has be drained in my absence (at my request). Apparently, he had to keep proving rust flakes away from the drain hole with a screw driver, so that tank is probably really bad. I’m wondering if I should just replace it outright. The thing is, I don’t think the quality of aftermarket tanks will be up to much, and though a new rear tank only costs a bit over £180, it’d probably need lining too in order to last any significant time. If I’m lining that, I might as well just clean and line the original, since it’s structurally ok and not leaking. I watched a few YouTube videos about tank lining, an many are very damning, but I wonder how many of the bad results were down to poor preparation, like not doing the washing correctly or not forced drying the tanks to have them bone dry before pouring in the lining paint. I am tempted to clean the front tanks with muriatic acid, then spray the innards with red oxide, but I’m not sure how well that will tolerate diesel in the long term. Maybe just an extra cleaning step of the muriatic acid after the degreaser and before the phosphoric acid in the lining kits will do the best job, Any more input from you guys would go a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 20 Share Posted September 20 Could you just put in a fuel cell bladder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 20 Author Share Posted September 20 I suspect that would trap so much condensation that it’d accelerate the rusting, and I’d expect it to interfere with the sender float arm. These are very simple tanks with no baffles, so cleaning them out ought to be straightforward, in principle. The front tanks have large enough filler apertures to get my hand and forearm inside, hence the thought of spraying with an aerosol of red oxide or perhaps a zinc rich primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted Sunday at 08:28 PM Share Posted Sunday at 08:28 PM All of which are solvent vulnerable. I've looked into 2k and epoxy paints for tanks, and am yet to find anything that's any more than petrol resistant, not petrol proof. Other than comments from the tank sealing kit vendors there's very few long term reports on these products. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted Monday at 05:10 AM Share Posted Monday at 05:10 AM I did our front tank with por tank sealer kit about 10 years ago. Haven't had a problem with it, I'll admit I haven't looked in there recently but it's works as it should. It was left with not much diesel in for quite a while but topped it recently and haven't noticed any problem. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted Monday at 06:19 AM Share Posted Monday at 06:19 AM Diesel isn't so bad, it's petrol/ethanol that's the challenge, ethanol encourages water and corrosion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted Monday at 06:46 AM Author Share Posted Monday at 06:46 AM I’m wondering about using electroplating on the innards. That won’t help the seams where they have become porous in isolated places, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted Monday at 10:05 AM Share Posted Monday at 10:05 AM 3 hours ago, Snagger said: I’m wondering about using electroplating on the innards. That won’t help the seams where they have become porous in isolated places, though. If you've got time to burn then this route is fine... if you actually want a semi reliable truck to drive about then I fear you just need to bite the bullet and replace. Yes aftermarket tanks most likely wont be as good but you'll probably find you'll get 10 years+ out of them if you give the outside a good paint treatment from the beginning and do some condensation management through the colder months they'll last. I went through some similar circles with my 90 last year, I came to the conclusion if the truck was still on the road in 10 years I'd be doing well. The other option I've toyed with it making stainless steel tank(s) the series stuff is relatively easy as its mostly box shapes, would be easy enough to draw out the profiles get a someone to laser cut them, then weld up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted Monday at 10:10 AM Share Posted Monday at 10:10 AM Electroplating won't get into every bit sadly, relies on line of sight between the electrode and the tank. Frankly there has to be a cost placed on your time, I'd buy a new one and seal it from the off, and slather the outside with some impressive sounding schmutz and get on and enjoy the vehicle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted Monday at 10:11 AM Share Posted Monday at 10:11 AM 4 minutes ago, Maverik said: The other option I've toyed with it making stainless steel tank(s) the series stuff is relatively easy as its mostly box shapes, would be easy enough to draw out the profiles get a someone to laser cut them, then weld up. This ^^^^^^ I made my own stainless tank 20 years ago, never regretted it Regards Stephen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted 5 hours ago Author Share Posted 5 hours ago Stainless tanks would be wonderful, but with all I have to do on the damaged house and garden, the finishing of the RR and trying to eat from time to time, it’s way over budget. Based on the advice on here, I have just received my order from Frosts of two tank lining kits and a third sealant tin, the idea being to first line a new rear tank that should arrive on Monday and need minimal prep, allowing me to reuse the cleaning fluids on the good front tank and use the other kit on the bad front tank. I will likely use a wash of muriatic acid between the kits’ two washing solutions to really make sure that any rust is properly removed. When I swap the rear tanks over, I’ll have a good look inside the old one to determine if it’s worth saving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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