Fuel Tank - Can I rescue it?

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Mike D - 12 Jan 2005 03:45 GMT

Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
on water. Tranny, drivetrain and engine were well maintained.

Patched 1 obvious leak in the fuel tank, and see some gas
seeping at a different spot. A new tank runs over $200
and I'm having poor luck with junkyards.

I'm wondering can I pull the tank, drain it, clean/brush
the exterior, and coat/epoxy/bondo the whole thing and
have it last 1-2 years?

Any Ideas Welcome

Thanks! Mike "On a tight budget" D.

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BBA - 12 Jan 2005 05:00 GMT

> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
> car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> the exterior, and coat/epoxy/bondo the whole thing and
> have it last 1-2 years?

No, no, no, don't mess with your vehicles fuel tank!

I would not mess around with this -- safety comes first, is your number one
priority -- save your $$$s and replace it!!!

BBA

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Jonathan Grobe - 12 Jan 2005 05:16 GMT

> Patched 1 obvious leak in the fuel tank, and see some gas
> seeping at a different spot. A new tank runs over $200
> and I'm having poor luck with junkyards.

There are lots of used auto parts places on the internet
put "used auto parts" and similar sets of words into Google.
You should be able to get one cheaper than the new cost.

Or you can just go to Yahoo Yellow Pages
http://yp.yahoo.com and start phoning several dozen
junkyards starting with the nearest first.

Signature

Jonathan Grobe Books
Browse our inventory of thousands of used books at:
http://www.grobebooks.com

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Daniel J. Stern - 12 Jan 2005 06:38 GMT

> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the car a wee
> bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take on water. Tranny,
> drivetrain and engine were well maintained. Patched 1 obvious leak in
> the fuel tank, and see some gas seeping at a different spot. A new tank
> runs over $200 and I'm having poor luck with junkyards.

www.car-part.com , searchable used auto parts nationwide.

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Mike Romain - 12 Jan 2005 16:36 GMT

Yes, but the coating usually goes on the inside of the tank. There used
to be an AC Delco place up the road that offered that service and it is
pretty common for motorcycle tanks too.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
> car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks! Mike "On a tight budget" D.

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dcg - 12 Jan 2005 21:19 GMT

Take it to a radiator shop (one that does repairs) - they should be
able to take care of it for you.

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Eric Janzen - 14 Jan 2005 20:43 GMT

http://www.por15.com/product.asp?productid=163

> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
> car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks! Mike "On a tight budget" D.

Reply to this Message

Corky Scott - 14 Jan 2005 21:30 GMT

>> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
>> car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>>
>> Thanks! Mike "On a tight budget" D.

The Loyal gas tanks are screwed tight to the bottom of the trunk.
Between the trunk and the tank are strips of foam rubber. If the car
is driven in an area where the roads are salted, the foam does what
sponges do, it sucks up water and holds it nicely against the tank.
Eventually the entire top of the tank gets real tender and begins
seeping.

Another place where the tank leaks is the fuel filler tube. It
develops numerous pinhole leaks and eventually fuel just pours out of
it while you're filling the tank. If you fill the tank to full, the
filler tube will leak AND the tank will leak. If you park such that
the car is tilted to the right and have around 3/4's of a tank, it
will begin leaking then too.

Ask me how I know. ;-)

A local mechanic friend had a source for brand new tanks built
somewhere in California, I think and ordered me one.

Replacing it wasn't easy, especially because it was winter, but it was
doable. The tank has a drain plug, use it to drain the tank. Don't
try this until you have a very empty tank.

You have to jack up the rear end and support it on both sides, then
drop the differential.

Remove the fuel lines and fuel sending unit and fuel filler tube.
Everything will likely break off rather than allow itself to be
unscrewed, it's the nature of old rotten Subaru's.

The tank is held on by bolts that go through the flange that goes
around the perimeter of the tank. They are a 10mm socket and most
will break off rather than unscrew (my experience anyway).

Once the last bolt is removed, There will be room to drop the tank and
slide it to the rear over the differential, which is sitting on the
ground suspended by the two axles.

Slide the new tank in place and replace the few bolts that did not
break off. The rest goes on in reverse order.

When you're done, go inside, wash that incredible black mixture of
fuel leaks and road grime off your hands, take a bunch of asperin for
your aching back and have a number of tall ones. You've earned them.

Corky Scott

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Mike D - 21 Feb 2005 03:01 GMT

> Bought a '90 subaru loyale (4wd) for $200. Body rust make the
> car a wee bit unsightly, although the interior doesnt take
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks! Mike "On a tight budget" D.

Turn out, I had one leak on the seam. I widened the hole and
J.B. Weld-ed a short pan-head screw into the hole. All of
the PERCEIEVED seeping was several pinhole leaks on the
fuel pump. The pinholes, under a goodly amt of pressure
were sending spiderweb-tin jets of gas onto the underside
of the tank. I saw the rust, saw the wet, well it LOOKED
obvious..

I pulled the pump, Priced it at +$200, and repaired it
with JBWeld after a thorough wire-brushing.

Painted the tank with rustoleum .

Thanks for the help all
Mike D

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HLS - 21 Feb 2005 15:06 GMT

JB Weld has a good reputation. As I have said before on this newsgroup, we
do what works for us.

I hope the repair holds safely for you.

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Mike D - 23 Feb 2005 00:22 GMT

> JB Weld has a good reputation. As I have said before on this newsgroup, we
> do what works for us.
>
> I hope the repair holds safely for you.

I check it whenever the cars up on jacks (seems like weekly)

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Steve W. - 23 Feb 2005 04:25 GMT

Pick up a Syson tank repair kit. Real easy to use and they work great.
It is a two part epoxy type material. You just knock all the rust/dirt
off and wire brush it good. Then you mix the repair material and apply a
thin layer, then you stick a piece of the included reinforcement
material, then brush some more on over it. Let it harden and then spray
the tank with rust converter. Let that set for 24 hours and then spay a
coat of bed liner spray on. Presto- just like a new tank.

Signature

Steve Williams

> > JB Weld has a good reputation. As I have said before on this newsgroup, we
> > do what works for us.
> >
> > I hope the repair holds safely for you.
> >
> I check it whenever the cars up on jacks (seems like weekly)

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Mike D - 23 Feb 2005 07:06 GMT

> Pick up a Syson tank repair kit. Real easy to use and they work great.
> It is a two part epoxy type material. You just knock all the rust/dirt
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the tank with rust converter. Let that set for 24 hours and then spay a
> coat of bed liner spray on. Presto- just like a new tank.

Stuff good for preventative treatment for the whole underside
or is it a spot type fix? Sounds like bondo for gas tanks.

tanks!

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Steve W. - 23 Feb 2005 17:02 GMT

Primarily spot repair. You could do the entire tank but the kits only
cover about 10 square inches. Not really Bondo, more like fiberglass
resin and 'glass cloth. Syson is REALLY tough once cured. Don't get it
on your hands or it will take a while to wear it off.

Signature

Steve Williams

> > Pick up a Syson tank repair kit. Real easy to use and they work great.
> > It is a two part epoxy type material. You just knock all the rust/dirt
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> tanks!

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