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Small To Large Fuel Tank Swap


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#16 gazza82

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Posted 11 August 2020 - 06:45 PM

I'm just off to browse "Best way to prevent ethanol in fuel rusting your expensive new tank as quickly as the old one"...!


I've read somewhere to keep it topped up .. it's condensation in the tank that forms when it's always left low ..

#17 goat64

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Posted 18 August 2020 - 08:34 PM

I've heard the same. Once condensation has formed on bare cold metal inside tank, it trickles down to bottom of tank (fuel flotas on water) where is sits, quietly corroding the mild steel. You can't keep fuel always up to the brim, unless you never use it. Once trapped , the water never evaporates again, as it is now trapped under a layer of fuel. In the good old days of leaded fuel, the lead prevented corrosion (something to do with relative redox potentials of lead versus iron).

 

Then someone decided that childrens' brain devleopment is more importat than anti-knocking, protecting valves and fuel tanks (yes, apparently so) and mild steel tanks have been rusting away ever since.

 

Since the same person decided to add ethanol to petrol to save the dolphins or something, water collection in tanks is even more rapid. This is becuase ethanol is hygrosopic (attracts water). Now we have to dig up lots more rainforests to dig out yet more ferrous metals to keep replacing the rusting ferrous metal tanks.

 

That's progress for you,



#18 gazza82

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Posted 18 August 2020 - 09:59 PM

Hence most moderns have plastic fuel tanks ...

#19 Gilles1000

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 06:47 AM

Hence most moderns have plastic fuel tanks ...

 

There's another reason for plastic tanks.

As most people need to change their cars once every 3-4 years (ok maybe not here on the forum where we kove our old rusty smelly cars), the manufacturers need to produce a lot more cars than before. 

Plastic tanks are easier to put in shape so that you can reach every small cavity under the car body, and they are also cheaper to produce for a big volume's car model. Only the tool is very expensive as way more complex than a die.

 

I work in a company which builds plastic tanks.

 

Maybe someday when I have nothing else to do I can start a side project. Redesign the Mini tank to build it in plastic?

Any potential rust fighters interested?? :)

Could be in fact a good idea, I need 300.000 signatures :)



#20 nicklouse

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 07:02 AM

 

Hence most moderns have plastic fuel tanks ...

 

There's another reason for plastic tanks.

As most people need to change their cars once every 3-4 years (ok maybe not here on the forum where we kove our old rusty smelly cars), the manufacturers need to produce a lot more cars than before. 

Plastic tanks are easier to put in shape so that you can reach every small cavity under the car body, and they are also cheaper to produce for a big volume's car model. Only the tool is very expensive as way more complex than a die.

 

I work in a company which builds plastic tanks.

 

Maybe someday when I have nothing else to do I can start a side project. Redesign the Mini tank to build it in plastic?

Any potential rust fighters interested?? :)

Could be in fact a good idea, I need 300.000 signatures :)

 

Funny that I had a hand in designing a few plastic fuel tanks which were made in France. Very interesting how they were made.



#21 Ethel

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 08:26 AM

Would've thought they were were rotomoulded?

 

The IVA test has a downer on plastic tanks, so just making one could be only part of the game. Van tanks are available in stainless, so maybe that's a more likely solution. 

 

I prefer the smaller tank, the strap is more likely to allow the tank to move, rather  than get squished & burst in a shunt - plastic could have an added puncture risk - if you're a jobbing knife thrower, or similar. Besides, 5 gallons gives up to 3 hours of driving I reckon. Any longer in a Mini and it's seriously doubtful your back 'n legs would function well enough to be able to stand & operate a petrol pump.



#22 GraemeC

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 08:48 AM

I seem to remember a few years back that plastic right hand tanks were available. Not seen them for a while though.



#23 timmy850

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 09:05 AM

Yes, a guy in Aus was making/selling the plastic ones a few years ago. He made more than 500 apparently, then sold the equipment onto another guy - no more have been made yet though



#24 whistler

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 09:23 AM

 

I'm just off to browse "Best way to prevent ethanol in fuel rusting your expensive new tank as quickly as the old one"...!


I've read somewhere to keep it topped up .. it's condensation in the tank that forms when it's always left low ..

 

Correct. There is a small amount of water in all petrol and when the petrol evapourates then the water is left and corrosion happens. Used to say years ago that the longest lasting steel fuel tanks were ones in reps cars, as they're always toppingthem up.



#25 gazza82

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 11:02 AM

 

Hence most moderns have plastic fuel tanks ...

 

There's another reason for plastic tanks.

As most people need to change their cars once every 3-4 years (ok maybe not here on the forum where we kove our old rusty smelly cars), the manufacturers need to produce a lot more cars than before. 

Plastic tanks are easier to put in shape so that you can reach every small cavity under the car body, and they are also cheaper to produce for a big volume's car model. Only the tool is very expensive as way more complex than a die.

 

I work in a company which builds plastic tanks.

 

Maybe someday when I have nothing else to do I can start a side project. Redesign the Mini tank to build it in plastic?

Any potential rust fighters interested?? :)

Could be in fact a good idea, I need 300.000 signatures :)

 

 

In most moderns the tanks are under the rear seat area and forward of the axle/suspension making them a lot safer from a rear-ending than a classic ..

 

The tank for my Austin is under the boot floor and actually visible from the rear! That would probably split in a rear-end smash,but a plastic one would definitely split open (unless it is filled like race car tank). At least the Mini has a bit of bodywork around it!

 



#26 nicklouse

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 12:50 PM

Would've thought they were were rotomoulded?

 

The IVA test has a downer on plastic tanks, so just making one could be only part of the game. Van tanks are available in stainless, so maybe that's a more likely solution. 

 

I prefer the smaller tank, the strap is more likely to allow the tank to move, rather  than get squished & burst in a shunt - plastic could have an added puncture risk - if you're a jobbing knife thrower, or similar. Besides, 5 gallons gives up to 3 hours of driving I reckon. Any longer in a Mini and it's seriously doubtful your back 'n legs would function well enough to be able to stand & operate a petrol pump.

dont think that would work as tanks are not one material. they are (or were) 3 or 4 layers (depending on point of sale) and they were parison extrusioned.

 



#27 Magneto

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 03:11 PM

You can add a small amount of methanol and isopropanol additive to your tank periodically and it will get the water out of the tank - it bonds with the water molecules allowing them to mix with the gas and be burned. One such product sold over here in the States is called "Heet".

 

It also keeps your fuel lines from freezing up in really cold weather like we get in our northern areas.

 

 

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#28 goat64

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Posted 11 May 2021 - 03:04 PM

Very belated follow-up to this topic, for anyone stil interested.

I tried twice and failed twice to seal the small ooze in my orginal 5,5 gallon tank.

I sold a couple of children and invested in a new 7.5 gallon tank.

The LHS 7.5 gall tank was perversely a LOT cheaper than a 5.5 !

I don't think plastic ones are avilable in UK for mounting inside the boot, probably for the safety reasons mentioned (collision / puncture resilience).

 

It all fitted fine, no problems with position of outflow or breather tube, sender unit, mountings.

 

1st thing I did once I'd checked it fitted is coat it with ethanol and water-proof sealant liner (Tapox).

 

If it springs a leak before I die,you will hear about it here!

 

Goat

ps: I'm already ancient, so it should see me out!






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