gasoline tank rust

Crosley.In.AZ · January 26, 2014, 02:43:16 PM

My 1983 Monte carlo tank was dirty. I cleaned it out. Mentioned on this this forum.

the fuel filter in the Q-jet carb has clogged up a couple times. At first it looked like residual crud from tank and lines.

Now it looks like fine rust particles in filter, see photo

I have some POR 15 Prep & Ready , a quart

GUess I will purchase some more of the POR 15 product to treat this tank

UGLY OLDS · January 26, 2014, 03:31:45 PM

Tony ...That seems to be an issue in your area ... When my son was stationed in Tucson, he had so much trouble with the same "Brown Powder" in his '37 Dodge that I finally made up a "sediment bowl" type filter used on the mid- '60,s Fords ... ( Basically a screw-on "canister" that uses a GF-157 filter element ...)...That solved the issue ... He had the tank out of that car at least 4 times for cleaning & we could never find ANY rust problems from the tank itself ... It had to have come from the fuel that he was adding ....After we put the canister filter on , you could pull the housing & find 1/4" of "Brown Muck" in the bottom...

We moved the car to Florida , ( His next assignment ) , & the problem went away ..... :?

Try putting a strong magnet in one of the front corners of the bottom of the fuel tank & see if that helps the problem...

Bob.....

wayne petty · January 26, 2014, 06:21:13 PM

i blew out a fuel injection filter that was clogged into my white drain pan..

i happened to have a 5/16 magnet on the work bench.. just for kicks
i tossed it in.. and then i noticed that it knocked away the sediment..

then i stuck my finger on it and pushed it along.. and WOW.. it did not push the sediment away.. it pulled it in.. ...

use fuel injection type filters inline before the mechanical fuel pumps so the pump only gets clean fuel..

i usually get fuel filters for a 90 ranger pickup as they have 5/16 inlets that if you add a tiny amount of grease. you can push the hose right over the ridge.. and then clamp it.. this is an FF745..

the 2001 explorers as i recall use a 10MM inlet filter.. of similar design..

this is an FF756 with 9MM inlet and outlets..

FF756 9Mmfittings this is an FF744 with 10MM inlet and outlets.

chucking some magnets in the fuel tank...

http://www.allelectronics.com/index.php?page=seek&id[m]=pattern&id[q]=NEODYMIUM++MAGNET&x=38&y=9

or in the short run.. sticking a big speaker magnet to the bottom of the fuel tank will attract all the sediment to it.. even thru the tank wall..

Crosley.In.AZ · January 26, 2014, 11:06:43 PM

I tried to pick up this red powder with a magnet... nope. did not pick it up at all

I have a common fuel filter before the pump on the engine. the ol see thru plastic filter canister with 3/8 inch hose barb fittings. Some debris in the filter, sitting at the bottom. Not much

ragdol · January 27, 2014, 12:17:30 AM

Had the same problem back in '64 in a '62 Olds using Mobil gas. Switched brands, problem went away. Maybe something in their additive package? Larry

purplepickup · January 27, 2014, 10:17:54 AM

Quote from: "Crosley"I tried to pick up this red powder with a magnet... nope. did not pick it up at all

Red rust doesn't attract to a magnet. Black rust does. I don't know how to tell if it is red rust.

Sometimes we get contaminants in fuel also if we are filling our cars at the same time carriers are dumping a new load of fuel, stirring up sediment in the tank. The color of that powder looks like the dirt/dust in lots of parts of the country.

No answers, but stuff to think about.

rooster · January 27, 2014, 02:01:48 PM

I wonder if that might be varnish! That stuff you see in a gas tank after its had old fuel in it for some time.

Maybe place the material in a very small container and add a few drops of fuel and mix it, see if it turns to a sticky goo!

Arnold · January 27, 2014, 02:25:37 PM

I wonder if something like Seafoam or that aggressive GM Fuel System cleaner would break this stuff down?

tom36 · January 27, 2014, 02:48:45 PM

When I was building my 53 Mercury, the car was a pretty rust free South Dakota car- Still had factory paint on the floor boards. It had TONS of fine silt packed in the frame . Anyhow after I had it done, I kept fouling fuel filters. I took the tank out and had it cleaned. Put back in and the same problem- looked like fine rust sediment in the filters. The only thing left was the fuel lines themselves that looked perfect from the outside. Changed all the lines and no more problem. Tom...

rooster · January 27, 2014, 05:07:56 PM

red dust maybe when it drys?

Crosley.In.AZ · January 27, 2014, 09:57:12 PM

couple fotos of the inline filter at frame rail. From this filter, hose runs to the fuel pump on engine.

Sediment in this filter, tends to indicate to me the problem is the fuel line from the tank to the filter or the tank or both

Odd that so much sediment gets past the filter at the frame and up to the filter inside the Q jet

river1 · January 27, 2014, 10:27:34 PM

Quote from: "Crosley"couple fotos of the inline filter at frame rail. From this filter, hose runs to the fuel pump on engine.

Sediment in this filter, tends to indicate to me the problem is the fuel line from the tank to the filter or the tank or both

Odd that so much sediment gets past the filter at the frame and up to the filter inside the Q jet

How old is the fuel line?

maybe the fuel line is rusting after the filter, as tom mentions above

later jim

purplepickup · January 27, 2014, 10:31:18 PM

Maybe there was a tiger in your tank....orange....never mind

phat rat · January 27, 2014, 11:39:51 PM

Quote from: "tom36"When I was building my 53 Mercury, the car was a pretty rust free South Dakota car- Still had factory paint on the floor boards. It had TONS of fine silt packed in the frame . Anyhow after I had it done, I kept fouling fuel filters. I took the tank out and had it cleaned. Put back in and the same problem- looked like fine rust sediment in the filters. The only thing left was the fuel lines themselves that looked perfect from the outside. Changed all the lines and no more problem. Tom...

Beautiful car

chimp koose · January 28, 2014, 11:24:21 PM

when I got my 84 ford f150 going after sitting for years it filled the carb with red stuff. fuel was blood red.fuel tank had sat for years and sediment was almost plated to the tank. pressure wash, solvent and rolling a chain inside broke up most of it. On Waynes advice I put a speedo cable in the drill and ran it up the fuel lines, nice trick!Then magnets from an old speaker tossed inside .I also put a screw on hydraulic fluid filter in line under the cab. no more problem,