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Old 06-11-2019, 06:24 PM   #1
Pamlico
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Default Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

I recently discovered I got water in my gas tank thanks to Hurricane Florence. Rust showed up in the see-thru fuel filter. I drained the gas and a lot of rust particles came out. I can pull the tank and go through the process of cleaning it out as usual. The problem is, on this tank, the pickup in the tank has a "sock" around it and is not easily accessible. I don't want to be so aggressive as to ruin the sock around the pickup. This tank is about 12 years old. Any ideas?
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Old 06-11-2019, 11:26 PM   #2
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Post Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

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Originally Posted by Pamlico View Post

I recently discovered I got water in my gas tank thanks to Hurricane Florence. Rust showed up in the see-thru fuel filter. I drained the gas and a lot of rust particles came out. I can pull the tank and go through the process of cleaning it out as usual.

The problem is, on this tank, the pickup in the tank has a "sock" around it and is not easily accessible. I don't want to be so aggressive as to ruin the sock around the pickup. This tank is about 12 years old. Any ideas?
Most likely, and you ain't gonna want to hear this ...

The tank is rusted. FORD did not use a "sock" until later models. Any rust particles (if any) were filtered out with a magnet setup in the fuel pump. The sock is most likely a field fix by a previous owner.

You need to find a radiator shop that can tank it, review the extent of damage and go from there.

E10 is a gift from your EPA.
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Old 06-12-2019, 08:21 AM   #3
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Thank you KULTULZ. This was a brand new replacement tank from Bob Drake. The ORIGINAL tank was rusty and had pin holes and had the "sock". Maybe someone in the past put it in there. I am only assuming at this point that the replacement tank has the sock. When I take it down I will check and if there is no sock, I can go ahead with the cleaning.


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Old 06-12-2019, 11:56 AM   #4
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Don't worry about the inlet filter (IMO). It may be the original owner (who put the new tank in?) just transferred the inlet filter into the replacement tank. Those filters (nylon screening) are still available from FORD I believe.

Just get the tank tanked and see what you have. Ethanol blended gasoline will speed the rusting process.

BTW- When one posts here with a beautiful car, it is customary to include photos so the rest of us will be jealous ...
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File Type: jpg FUEL FILTER - Tank Pickup 5-16in - D1FZ 9A011-A.jpg (35.2 KB, 12 views)
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Last edited by KULTULZ; 06-12-2019 at 12:03 PM.
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Old 06-12-2019, 12:58 PM   #5
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

I put the new tank in. I always use non-ethanol gas. My avatar is the only picture I have. Thank you for the fuel filter reference. Once I get the tank out, I will try to take photos to show the inside. I got this neat little scope camera off the internet that works off a smart phone.

Thanks again!
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Old 06-13-2019, 12:44 AM   #6
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Exclamation Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

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I forgot to mention ...

Even straight gas will draw moisture (result of outside air replacing fuel draw in tank). If the tank has a bung/drain plug, you can replace the plug with a petcock and drain the water from the tank on a regular basis.

Also consider DRY-GAS (isopropyl alcohol).
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Old 06-13-2019, 09:04 AM   #7
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Petcock in tank a good idea. I'm using ethenol free gas, but here on the Tx. coast you'r going to get moisture anyway. Thanks foor the idea. Al
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Old 06-15-2019, 08:20 AM   #8
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

I've had great success using a 50/50% solution of Super Clean & water. 8 to 10 gal total. Use an outside burner to bring it to a boil. It will remove even decades of old gas and rust. My tanks have come out looking like new. Having a 15 gallon kettle helps.
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Old 06-15-2019, 12:05 PM   #9
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

I just use drano crystals and water to remove the thick layers of crud on old tanks. New ones are sometimes different. They used to terne plate the tanks inside and out to slow the deterioration by near a decade before it wears thin. I don't know if drakes supplier uses terne plating or not. All the older tanks of the early 50s & earlier just had a stand pipe for the fuel pickup inside there. If it has a screen, a person is stuck with it if you can't change it through the sender or filler bungs. I don't care for screens on there myself but what's a person to do about it?
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Old 06-15-2019, 07:13 PM   #10
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Thanks for all the replies. This is what I did....
Once I got it out and got the float assy out, I could tell it was only rusty where little pools of water had settled--not too bad.
I could also tell it did not have a sock on the inlet--one less worry.
After cruising YouTube for solutions, I got 4 bottles (1 gallon total) of "the Works" toilet bowl cleaner and poured it in with the tank sitting pretty much level. I let this percolate (at outside temp) for 4 hours. When I checked on it, the metal looked like it had just been stamped! I dumped out the cleaner in an environmentally friendly manner (as far as you know) and took my garden hose to it for a water rinse. Then I spent about 30 minutes with soap and water cleaning the outside of the tank. Well I wish I had done that part later because after 30 minutes I looked back in the tank and it had "flash rusted". The bottom was orange! Next I poured a gallon of WD-40 in the tank and sloshed it around good for a few minutes. Then I poured that out and put in a little over a gallon of fresh non-ethanol gas. I sloshed this around for a few minutes and then poured it out. That was all I did except I reached in through the float hole and filler neck hole with my extendable magnet and snagged what few little specks I could see.
If I had to do it over, I might would skip the water rinse altogether.
Then it was on to the fuel line. I blew it out with compressed air and some rusty crud came out. Then I did 2 courses of carb cleaner followed by more air. I decided to pull the line between the fuel pump and carb and found more crud.(See I had the engine fired a few times after getting water out of it---that's another story.) Then I took the top off the Holley 94 and the bowl was about 1/3 full of orange mud. So there was nothing to do but rebuild the carb (actually cleaning it out real good). At this point, I only have to check out the fuel pump and I can hopefully start again with a freshened fuel system.


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Old 06-16-2019, 03:39 AM   #11
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

You guys might love this Video if you hate Ethanol,it's a mind blower! https://www.facebook.com/andrew.buma...3284346305944/
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Old 06-16-2019, 07:46 AM   #12
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Cool. Will have to try that. Just have to find a clear plastic jug.
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Old 06-16-2019, 08:39 PM   #13
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Default Re: Cleaning out gas tank 1958 Ranchero

Here in NJ we have had 10 % for years and years. I run my 302 powered 48 Conv, 312 powered 54 and my 56 Tbird (312) on this stuff and never had a fuel related problem. I think the problems with 10 % ethanol are overblown, but you do have to make sure any rubber parts are made for ethanol gas.
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