Brand New Fuel Tank Preparation - Tips

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thspeller

thspeller

Active Member
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All,

Just got a brand new fuel tank for my Series 3 (the last one was a colander with anything more than 5L of petrol in). Its come with a very thin powder coating (see attached). Can people share their thoughts as to how best to test and prep? Can I test for leaks with water or is that a bad idea? Second, I am thinking red oxide paint with a few coats of black hammerite on top. I was tempted to seal gaps between stone guard and tank but think hat could trap as much water as it keeps out. Will red oxide likely adhere to the powder coat. Any guidance most welcome. The car is garaged and generally only out in nice weather.

Tom
 

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Not a double skin base as far as I can see but has a stone guard which means the metal no the bottom is ultimately double thickness (that may be what you mean). Tom
 
Yes that's what i mean, that's the worst bit in my opinion, water can get between and rot thru
It's unlikely you'll seal it completely, forever, meaning any water that does get in will have a harder time getting out.
You need to get something in there that will keep the water out. Thin down some oil and let it soak between the 2 layers maybe?
 
thspeller said:
All,

Just got a brand new fuel tank for my Series 3 (the last one was a colander with anything more than 5L of petrol in). Its come with a very thin powder coating (see attached). Can people share their thoughts as to how best to test and prep? Can I test for leaks with water or is that a bad idea? Second, I am thinking red oxide paint with a few coats of black hammerite on top. I was tempted to seal gaps between stone guard and tank but think hat could trap as much water as it keeps out. Will red oxide likely adhere to the powder coat. Any guidance most welcome. The car is garaged and generally only out in nice weather.

Tom
Click to expand...
I would used Corroless primer if you can get it, and black enamel or gloss paint as a topcoat.
And I would try and remove as much as possible of the powder coat first, or at least give it a good roughing up with production paper.
 
kermit_rr said:
Yes that's what i mean, that's the worst bit in my opinion, water can get between and rot thru
It's unlikely you'll seal it completely, forever, meaning any water that does get in will have a harder time getting out.
You need to get something in there that will keep the water out. Thin down some oil and let it soak between the 2 layers maybe?
Click to expand...
Dinitrol cavity wax between the layers might help. But the double skins always attract rust in the end.
But as he says he doesn't use it much, and mainly in fine weather, he should get 20 years out of it, and they aren't very expensive.
 
I am totally happy to replace every 10 years or so. If you think I'd get that out of a new tank without the faff of sanding/oiling/painting (which is probably £50 (half the tank value) in products), I'll probably just leave as it is.

It's only if it'll be dead in 2 years if I don't that'd make me do it. I live by the sea mind so lots of salt in the air.
 
Agree re water , don't! Diesel is good at finding leaks and easy enough to wash out with some petrol (if yours is a petrol) and you only need a cupfull as you can tip it about. Agree re poweder coat, its more trouble than its worth if its not done well. Certainly scrape off any loose. Decent primer etc. Double skin - I'd fill it with waxoil, any scope for a drain hole? (and yes drilling this could go so wrong!) Mine is ex-mil so it has side tanks, when I got mine I spent ages jetwashing all around the tanks, huge amounts of mud came out. What suprised me was that it had a lot of oil and waxoil on but even then i could price off 1/2" of oil mud and find water up againt the steel. That's why every summer I jet wash it all back and re-waxoil. Bare metal corrodes quite slowly, painted metal with damp under the paint goes through in a couple of years.
 
You will probably find it won't fit properly as the fuel pipe tends to be in the wrong place on replacement tanks.... unless you get lucky and find a NOS one. Its more likely the bodywork you will have to prepare not the tank.
 
From my research it’s the Britpart ones that don’t fit. Mine is a different manufacturer and the seller assured me the necks are in the right place.

Just to summarise the above - are we saying that it’s probably not worth the faff of trying to sand down powder coat, prime and paint relative to cost of paints vs fuel tank? It might be worth sealing the gap between stone guard and tank however? Tank should last a good few years as is.

Thanks
 
The paint on your tank does not look like powder coat to me, has the manufacturer stated it is powder coated?
Also the filler neck looks to be to far forward.
 
I would trial fit it 1st before doing anything as you would not be able to return it if you have repainted it.
Who is the manufacturer?
 
In my opinion not much will stick to powder coat permanently. One option would be to get that sand blasted off and recoated properly or primed and painted but for the use you describe, I'd just leave it has it is.

Col
 
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