Fuel Tank Protection

[jaymanek]

Hi,

Ive ordered a reproduction fuel tank from SLS. Id bet that its not going to last the 40 years the original one has so would the panel recommend any type of galvanising or other rust protection prior to fitment?

I plan to give it a final good coat of waxoyl as i do with everything on my cars!

[jaymanek]

nobody?

well I did some googling and it seems galvanising is not a good idea with fuel tanks as the zinc reacts and causes armageddon...

So im thinking just a good powder coat on the exterior...

[mdsalemi]

WHOA!!!

Powder coat?  Are we certain that the tank is not already painted?  What about the plastic "flower pot" inside?  I would not risk melting it with powder coat.  Proper powder coat will start with metal prep and a pre-bake at about 425 degrees F for some period of time.  Then, after the coating, another bake at about 400.  

If you do not like the paint job it comes with, well by all means have a good and proper paint job done on it...but powder coat?  Too risky for the parts inside.

[jaymanek]

Yes you are completely correct, I had forgotten about the flower pot.

The tank im sure is painted but my experience with these paints is that they really dont last long... I guess I will just ensure I keep the tank wax protected on the exterior and keep the fuel full so that internal corrosion is inhibited.

[Wolfmann]

I don't know how old you are Jaymanek but I suspect that, unfortunately, if the tank exterior is properly painted then any problems with it are not likely to tax us !

I know we all want to live forever...  

PS I just heard from my mate Methuselah and he recommends having one fabricated in stainless steel !

[jaymanek]

Yes my plan is to keep the original tank and if this pattern part is not up to spec then I can have one custom made for around £2-300 locally... The only problem is the process takes weeks, this is why I went for an off the shelf part...

summer is passing us by here in the UK and I want to enjoy the car after all the work ive put in!

[Wolfmann]

I know Jay, Summer is passing us by, at least you will get a drive, here's the state of my "car", coming on but I fear next Summer for me...

Steve.

[jaymanek]

The hard work will bring its rewards!

[mdsalemi]

Jay,

More often than not, the trouble with fuel tanks is from the inside, not the outside.  So, paint quality aside:

1)  Keep your car clean.  If you use your car in foul weather, and in winter weather, and if they salt the roads in said winter weather and you drive in them, visit a car wash and keep the undercarriage clean.  Doesn't matter if that car wash is your driveway.  You have to get the grime and salt off the car.

2)  Keep your fuel tank full, especially when the car might sit for extended periods.  If you "lay your car up" for the winter, about the worst thing you could do is doing it on an empty tank.  Fill the tank, add the required amount of Sta-Bil or similar.

You will not have to worry about your car for many years.

[jaymanek]

Thanks all, now lets hope SLS have shipped my tank.

I have just found out that the original Mercedes Tank sourced from Europe would have only cost me £200 GBP more due to the exchange rate... Next time I will explore this option for anything expensive!

[Wolfmann]

Sometimes SLS are (were given MB's recent refusal to continue supplying them) much cheaper than the MB Classic centre at Poole for some things, but on others genuine MB parts are actually cheaper. It is always worth comparing, don't assume SLS are always a better deal is my advice - I found out the hard way too.

Steven.

[jaymanek]

Well the tank arrived within 48 hours, very impressed with SLS.. Just wish they would send out confirmation emails like every other online seller these days.

I gave it something like 8 coats of hammerite paint and then a good coat of protective wax.

However im not overly impressed with the tank after fitting.

1) the drain plug didnt fit right, the theads are way too loose on the tank... I had got a new plug from Mercedes, that just wouldnt fit. The old plug (& filter) were a better fit but I wasnt confident that the threads would hold so had to wrap the threads in plumbers tape... seems not to be leaking but i dont like it!

2) The filler neck is positioned slightly wrong, so getting the rubber gasket on was good fun... Had to drop the tank a little to fit it and then the top was too tight and the bottom too loose.

3) The chrome fuel cap is very difficult to get on... I managed to get it to turn with rubber gloves but to undo it I had no choice but to use some large plumbers grips with some rubber again. Very frustrated as I managed to mark the chrome even though I was very very careful.
A modern fuel cap would have fit no problem as they are spring loaded but the original one has very little give.

Overall im not that impressed and will be having a tank made or mine properly split and re lined... This one will have to do in the mean time.

If id have known that an original tank could be had for only 200EUR more than this one, I would have gone for that. I based my decision on the Uk price which is much more expensive than elsewhere in europe.