Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-19-2018, 11:07 AM   #1
wingski
Senior Member
 
wingski's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon
Posts: 432
Default removing rust the old way

Ok, here’s another one.

One of the A’s that I bought as a kid had a lot of rust in the gas tank. This was back in ’57 or ’58. Dad told me to remove the tank and he’d show me what to do. I did. He had me collect a pile of sharp stones, not river rock, that were small enough to easily fit into the tank’s openining, and more important easy to get out.

The tank had been flushed several times with 25 cents a gallon gas and had the living daylights shook out of it each time and then drained. When the gas started coming out fairly clear, Dad had me put all those rocks into the tank with about two gallons of gas. He then had me support the tank with rope from a big branch of our Bing cherry tree. The cap was on securely and the gas outlet was plugged.

For about two weeks that tank was yanked, twisted, shook, and moved around so those rocks made one hell of a racket. This must have been done hundreds of times because it became sort of a game for everyone in the neighborhood to give that tank a yank everytime they walked by it. Mom, Dad, my sister, me, and a bunch of others all gave that tank a good shake whenever they walked by. It was a weird sound to heard that thing being shook by someone. Sometimes, we even heard it at night. Dad re-adjusted the tank every once in awhile so it was sometimes right side up, sometimes upside down.

After about two weeks, Dad had me lower the tank to the ground, turn it over so the gas cap was facing down, remove the cap, and raise it back in the air. Gas and rocks formed a big pile under the gas tank. We shook that tank until everyting came out. Boy, was there a lot of rust. After we had everything out, Dad had me use a water hose to really wash the inside of that tank. I drained it, and Dad hooked up our Electrolux vacuum cleaner so it would blow and stuck the nossle into the tank opening and let it run for half an hour. I remember hearing a big WHOOSH bcause Dad threw a match on that pile of rocks and rust and watched it safely burn. He told me he didn’t want the chance of anyone throwing a cigarette into that gas. I still think he just liked the sound of that WHOOSH.

After I put the tank back on the car, Dad told me to keep that tank as full of gas as I could to keep rust from forming again.

I never had any problem with rust from that tank again,

Mike
wingski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 12:36 PM   #2
Gastrap
Junior Member
 
Gastrap's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 23
Default Re: removing rust the old way

I've used Coca cola and rocks in motorcycle tanks several times, even strapping them to a piece of barstock in the lathe running slowly in back gear. Works great!
Gastrap is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 03-19-2018, 12:43 PM   #3
Farrell In Vancouver
Senior Member
 
Farrell In Vancouver's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Pitt Meadows BC
Posts: 1,003
Default Re: removing rust the old way

You can strap it to the front of a cement mixer changing the angle every now and then. I used small nuts, screws and sand blasting media. Works a charm. Just keep a count of the screw and nuts for later retrieval.
Farrell In Vancouver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 01:01 PM   #4
ursus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,369
Default Re: removing rust the old way

My understanding is that the inner surface of the tanks were coated with Terne metal in order to retard rust. You can easily see it remaining on most of the inner lining and that the metal coating is rather soft and easily abraded. Wouldn't the use of rocks and agitation tend to remove the remaining Terne and expose more of the tank to future rust?
ursus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 01:38 PM   #5
wingski
Senior Member
 
wingski's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon
Posts: 432
Default Re: removing rust the old way

Ursus, that's why Dad told me to keep that gas tank full most of the time.

Mike
wingski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:04 AM   #6
Terry, NJ
Senior Member
 
Terry, NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks Co, Pa
Posts: 3,740
Default Re: removing rust the old way

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
The Tractor guys over in "Yesterday's Tractors" occasionally spoke about strapping Ford 8N tanks to the wheel of other tractors for a week with a hand full of gravel inside.
Terry
Terry, NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:24 AM   #7
Corley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Battle Ground WA
Posts: 293
Default Re: removing rust the old way

Some modern tank sealer applied after the gravel/cement mixer treatment will save one even with pin holes. Did that on my pickup about 8 years ago and still no leaks or rust.
Corley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 02:01 PM   #8
walls
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SE PA
Posts: 101
Default Re: removing rust the old way

If it’s just rust, a few gallons of vinegar for a couple days should do it.
If it’s just in the bottom of the tank, that’s all it would take.

If it’s everywhere, I’ve read it can be diluted to keep cost of purchasing it down, but don’t know what that would do to its effectiveness.

I’ve used it on motorcycle tanks multiple times with good success.

After it’s clean, try to keep it filled.
walls is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:11 PM.