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Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 27 Apr 2014, 23:37
by CJH
How come nobody makes a stainless steel fuel tank for the T25? With it's water trapping design it's surely an obvious candidate. I'm getting orange sediment in my float chamber and fuel leaking from the top of the tank whenever I refuel, so I'm about to replace the tank, but all there seems to be is tanks in primer ready for painting and/or undersealing.

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 07:21
by camper
Agree about stainless steel .But a mild steel VW fuel tank proberly takes about twenty years to rust to being unservicable.Cost wise aprox £130 compared to a custom stainless steel tank price more dosh.

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 09:26
by Aidan
chances are the tank isn't perforated more likely the breather hoses are perished or incorrectly fitted or not fitted/damaged

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 09:39
by New Kentish Campers
If it is rusted and you do end end replacing it, as I did on my van, then try spraying a nice coat of wax rust proofing fluid, like waxoyl or something so as to stop it from going wrong in future. As for stainless, yes, good idea but probably expensive,even when mass produced and perhaps more weight too?
Good idea too to replace all the gubbins that goes onto the tank too while its out on the floor. And remember to replace it when its nigh on empty 'cos they are heavy :shock: And dont smoke or do it on a concrete floor etc where you might get a spark :twisted: :shock: :shock:

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 11:20
by CJH
Thanks guys - I'm about to order all those bits, so as to make a proper job of it. As far as I can see there's no way to tell whether the tank is perforated without removing it, and since I don't fancy doing the job twice, and since I'm definitely getting rust in the float chamber, I'm ordering a new tank anyway. It's only half the cost of the job in fact, by the time I factor in breather pipes, seals, grommets, a replacement for the split filler neck etc. I've run the tank down to the point where I'm afraid to take it out again for fear of running out. If there's any fuel left it should fit in a jerry can quite easily. Since this has probably put even more deposits into the filter and the float chamber, I'll replace the filter and give everything a good clean out again after reassembly.

When I bought my tin of colour matched Rustoleum, the first tin they sent me may well have been colour matched, but not to the colour of my van :shock: , so I'm planning to use a couple of coats of that before using the black waxoyl underseal. I may try spraying the Rustoleum with my compressor, just for a bit of practice for future reference.

It turns out I have an early tank, with a later filler tube and an adapter grommet. I'm planning just to get a later model tank with a standard (48mm) grommet.

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 11:54
by California Dreamin
You have confused me mate...early tank with the later type filler neck? how can that be! early type with larger filler neck grommet coupled with a later (plastic filler next) which has a smaller filler grommet?

Early metal filler necks are bigger diameter that later plastic ones...(I'm sure thats the right way around).

Adapter Grommet? never heard of that......

Martin

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 12:01
by CJH
California Dreamin wrote:You have confused me mate...early tank with the later type filler neck? how can that be! early type with larger filler neck grommet coupled with a later (plastic filler next) which has a smaller filler grommet?

Early metal filler necks are bigger diameter that later plastic ones...(I'm sure thats the right way around).

Adapter Grommet? never heard of that......

Martin

It's definitely a thing! :D

This is apparently what I've got in my tank at the moment.

More experienced eyes than mine diagnosed this from my photo below.

Image

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 18:27
by California Dreamin
I see....looks as you describe, some sort of hybrid seal. lol...never seen one like that before.

Martin

Re: Stainless steel fuel tank?

Posted: 28 Apr 2014, 19:03
by bigherb
California Dreamin wrote:I see....looks as you describe, some sort of hybrid seal. lol...never seen one like that before.

Martin
It was a standard part to convert early tanks to late filler necks 251 201 139B