Hello,

So basically i had my Austin running after it being in pieces for an unknown length of time. Lovely i thought, sounded faultless. So i cut it out and left it over night. Next day no compression. It transpires after having the head off that the valves are stuck open. The cause appears to be a black sticky tar like substance that was dissolved in the fuel but was left post combustion. I concluded that this wasn't the fuels fault because i rinsed the fuel tank out thoroughly prior to putting new fuel in and was in fact sediment that was inside the fuel tank that dissolved in the fuel. I have now removed the tank from the Ruby and my suspicions were correct. The tank was tremendously filthy. However much i shake it, clean it and rinse it, the fuel still becomes contaminated with the incombustible tar-like substance. Furthermore, the tank is split in three sections so even if i am able to get the middle section(the easiest) gleaming, i will be none the wiser to the outside two compartments.
Therefore i need to seek alternatives.
1) A new tank? Where would i go about looking for one? I've phoned a few people up but not many people are responding due to the bank holiday week end.
2) Professionally cleaned - i read somewhere that people cut the tanks open and the give it a really good clean before welding it together again. This option is above my ability level so i would have to get someone else. Does any one know of such a person?
3) unknown options....

Thank you,

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Jasper Mowatt

Location: United Kingdom, Bridport, Dorset

Hi

Just had such a tank done.

Good chap is Tony Wilder 01132872946 - he is Garforth Leeds.

Location: Centre of the Universe

Take a look at Frosts tank resto products.My 65 has a partitioned tank like yours but with judicious positioning you can get cleaners etc all over the inside.It's fairly vicious stuff[I think its called marine clean].In the instructions its says rinsing should come clean after 2 or 3 cycles-it took me TEN,but the final result has been totally satisfactory.I then followed it up with a rust-killer[metal prep?]but I did not seal the tank with the stuff in the kit as i was not sure of effects of ethanol on it getting a good spread beyond the baffles sealing in some residual horrors.
Also,take a look at the coarse internal filter which is brass and can disintegrate and also act as a focus for crud.I removed mine piecemeal with recycled keyhole surgery instruments[see a previous post}and rely on a modern disposable element in the fuel line as I think many folk do.
Anyway,don't despair-give it a go!

Location: The Pits,Leicester

Hi Jasper ,

We had the same problem , after the car had been stood for years . There was a black gunge in the tank , as you describe . Our remedy was to take the tank off and give it a good rinse out with caustic soda solution . That stuff is quite "hairy" to use , but got the job done .

Merv

Location: New Forest

Cheers guys,

Nick, I've just got off the phone to Tony and he is an option. But i am miles away so i would have to send the tank off. In total it will cost around £100 including postage. So i think I will try Richards suggestion.

Richard; Did you get the three (.7) litres or the 1 litres?

Jasper

Location: United Kingdom, Bridport, Dorset

Okay, Merv you've given me option one!

Sodium Hydroxide
Marine stuff from frosts
Tony

Thanks

Location: United Kingdom, Bridport, Dorset

I think it was just a litre;anyway its the size that comes with the kit-if you read the instructions on the can itself rather than the leaflet you can use a weaker solution;I think the secret is to keep at it until the washings come clean.

Location: The Pits,Leicester

I use Hereford Radiators (01432 274227) for my radiator and fuel tank repairs. A proper, old fashioned firm! Not exactly on the doorstep if you're in Dorset, but closer than Leeds!

Location: Herefordshire (with an "E", not a "T"!)

Location: It's raining in Cornwall - ...and I'm doing Plumbing work today .....

When |I acquired my present Ruby it had not run for years. I tried every thing to clean/flush out tank . to no avail.(constant blocked jets) In the end I took it out and cut off the bottom. You will have no idea how much rust and debris was in it!! I could never have cleaned it properly.I had to solder on a new bottom....no further problems

At risk of sounding like Hedd, the last tank I did I but ten pounds of pea shingle in it, blocked the filler tube and ratchet strapped it to a cement mixer.

An hour and a half later, the inside was gleaming bare steel!

Shall I get me coat?

Location: Near Bicester, which is nowhere near Europe

If you are considering going down the Caustic Soda route, be very careful indeed. First of all you MUST add the caustic soda (it's usually in pellet form) to water (lots of it) and not the other way round - the dissolution process is exothermic and pouring water onto soda will cause the water to boil and spit back at you. Furthermore, handling the stuff requires full protective gear - it is highly corrosive and will do untold damage to anything organic, including yourself.

In the first instance, I would try Ivor's method. It's by far the cheapest and probably just as reliable. I wouldn't use pea gravel though - use small limestone chippings no bigger than 15mm. The edges are sharper so they'll do the job quicker. Mind you it depends on what you have to hand - old nuts & bolts are as good as anything.

Reckless,
There are quite a number of old nuts on this site ,including me!
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

Well i've had the first go, used half a kilo of NaOH and warm water; exothermix indeed - terribly fun and burns to legs was kept to a minimum! I do like the idea of ratchet strapping to a cement mixer so i am going to have a go at that! Did you strap it inside or on the outside of the mixer?

Location: United Kingdom, Bridport, Dorset

Hi Jasper, I strapped it half in and half out of the hole where you shovel in the sand and cement, if you get my drift!

It looked a bit strange, but being at a wacky angle ensured that the gravel reached all parts of the inside of the tank.

Austin Seven owners can always be relied upon to find a solution to any problem, but the approach is rarely conventional!

Location: Near Bicester, which is nowhere near Europe