Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Fuel Tank Rust

For older carbureted cars that have rust problems causing issues with the fuel pump and carburetor, I install a fuel filter designed for fuel injection. This filter has a two-micron mesh, which prevents rust dust from entering the fuel tank. The two-micron filter eventually clogs because it doesn't allow rust dust to pass through, unlike the carburetor fuel filter which has a ten-micron mesh and allows rust dust to pass through.

In 2002, our 1984 was struck from behind in 2002. The resultant fire, caused by the breached stock fuel tank, ignited and the car was utterly destroyed. For the next 16 years, I used a bespoke Formula One fuel cell. These consist of a foam filled impact-deformable bladder held in an aluminum shell. Foam alone will not stop leakage, only mildly inhibit petrol fumes where they fill space. I am not sure why some Morgan tank preparers ignore that and sell aluminum tanks without bladders foam-filled or not without bladders. I also sorted the pre-June 1993 reason for the breach and posted a quick costless fix to GoMoG. [/i]

In 2018, I decided I could do better. I designed a more traditional tank with the help of dear Peter Mulberry and had it made in graded SS in a thicker gauge after testing sheets of the stuff for puncture sensitivity. It is strong enough SO THAT IT CANNOT BE BREACHED and can be safely supported on Mulberry brackets without the very heavy board support puzzle the cars come with. Our internal design (baffling) strengthens the tank further, stops sloshing and I used a collector for the pickup with ss pipes rather than Morgan internal hose plumbing. The brackets also make removal and installation a one-man job taking 20 minutes. Ridding the car of heavy too often petrol soaked boards lightens the car notably, allowing more fuel capacity while preserving the ideal 50-50 front rear balance that most trads are blessed with. The Morgan boards are quaint but do not hold the tank in an impact.

But like everything in the western world, machine shops have become super expensive so until this point, this post is anecdotal for most of us. I deeply dislike the thought of trying to refurbish a trad tank in situ, despite being tempting for us amateurs. There are too many vital steps necessary to a proper job that require it being out of the car. But the punchline for this thread is that it is not petrol that explodes, it is [b]petrol fumes, even residual unseen ones. [/b] I shall hope that this warning is sufficient to act accordingly take precautions as in do not use a mildly sparking hairdryer to thoroughly flush the fumes out. Such things can cause great sadness. Google " flushing an automotive fuel tank of fumes "

Lorne

Fixed it.

Probably best going down the route of having a new one fabricated from either alloy or stainless.

The original lead coated steel (turnplate) from which they were originally made is no longer easy to source.

I've repaired petrol tanks quite successfully by steaming them out with a steam cleaner. It does also get the crap off the outside. I still work on them out doors ans always wave my oxy torch around and in the filler pipe stub.

Arwyn

G

You’ll likely have the Old Ford lever style fuel sender (assuming it still works)… this would be an ideal time to consider a more modern and reliable set up … it just means a slightly different fuel sender bolt pattern.

You mean the one made by, and stamped Smiths?

Arwyn

Good question - I didn’t look to see what was stamped on it. I have the tank still but would need to go check. I appreciate Old Ford was, on reflection, a bit of a lax description.

Hi Arwyn! Hope this finds you well.

Steam cleaning is an excellent procedure! Outdoors and out of the car makes the job so much easier with a so much better result. There are other key tasks that require the tank to be remove. For example, an effective old trick is to toss in nuts and bolts and shake the tank to have them thoroughly detach unwanted flakes and rust. Obviously impossible to shake the tank and flip it over to drain debris and liquids when the tank is still in the car.

Yes, I agree again, A new tank is the safest and smartest but it is beyond many. They don't have the usage to justify the cost/hassles.

b]Alloy tanks gives me the creeps.[/b] Alloy goes from solid to liquid in an instant without warning a warning sign. I watched for an hour while liquid alloy rain drops spray fell like rain with each minor explosion after our accident..lighting up anything it could in a big circle. I was forced to stay for that until the fir department arrived. Other trad-burned owners told me the same since. I realize that alloy is cheap and easier to work with but it should be banned as a fuel tank material unless it holds a racing bladder. Actually, having paid for both, a sturdier affair like mine now is smarter and less costly. As you know, the cost difference between metals, their grades and their gauges, is immense. And having an easy tank to remove opens up a lot of options.


I am using an old Smiths lever arm sender again. After using a hitech Centroid sender for 16 years, https://centroidproducts.com/ The old Smiths are a relief, albeit with their very weird ohm pattern to fit their arc trajectory. I also used a made to order VDO sender. But they are not adjustable and I was just so happy I could eliminate the foam so I joyfully celebrated with a Smith's) .

Good to have you here.

Lorne

Thanks for all the input. I have fitted a finer filter for now before tackling the inevitable. the fuel seems to be pumping through clean now, we'll see how often I need to change the filter.