Your fuel tank, have you seen inside?

I was having a problem keeping my recently purchased GS running. Seemed like a fuel restriction, and my tank had a slight fuel leak, so I pulled the tank to check it out. Look what I found!! Have you ever seen one this bad on a "running" car?

The pipe you see inside was added as another pickup for the electric fuel pump. This was added by a previous owner (must have been a long time ago).
I knew the tank was junk, so I cut it open to get a closer look. Man, it's UGLY.:shock:

 

Man, that looks like one of my mother-in-laws burnt meatloaf pans.

Rick

 

I got that burnt meatloaf pan look in my '67, still trying to reactivate the Pam non stick spray!

 

I recently removed my tank to troubleshoot a fuel starvation issue. When I looked insude my tank was very surprised to see it sparkling shiny and brand new looking inside. I really expected to see what you found in your tank.

I hope you're replacing that tank??

Rob

 

Must have sat with partial gas in there for a long time.

 

Got a new tank on the way. I'll have to transfer the fill pipe. :TU:

I think it sat for many years.

 

What the heck? Never seen anything like that. Might want to keep the light away from the gasoline, don't want any sparks.

 

Maybe I shoulld check mine...anybody got a match?:bla:

 

I love meat loaf

Thank-you for posting the photos. I've not had the opportunity to see anything like that before.

 

Yikes !

 

Eric,

The tank had already been flushed with water for about half an hour, so there was no gas left in it. I flushed it out before I took a chisel to cut the opening, I was a little nervous about sparks when chiseling. :eek2:

You should have seen all the rust that was already flushed out, it was all over my driveway and grass.

 

That is almost as bad as this case:

Bought my 71 Vette in 83, was great then all of sudden got surging/hesitation and bogging. Oh, must be a bad fuel inlet filter inside the carb.....no problem...easy swap/solution. Took out the filter...yep, dirty with some particulates and rust. Put a new one in.......lasts for about a month...same problem again. Check the filter....clogged again with rust...not a good sign. So, ask dad to hold a light while I check the gas tank (Vettes have a 4" filler neck on the rear deck") looks like orange coffee.....hmmmm. Dad says, here try this wooden rod and see if we can any rust stirs up as you move the stick around. Sure, no problem. Start moving the stick around...yep....rust floating in the tank....getting more orange. I then slightly tap the bottom of the tank................................whoooooooooooooosh.....entire bottom of the tank falls away................dad and I look at each other............don't drop the light or cause any sparks.........5-8 gallons of gas on the garage floor.....what a mess!

So, previous owner or owner(s) had let th car sit for such a long time, gas had varnished and ate away the tank metal. Had to replace all fuel lines, fuel pump and fuel tank. Nice for Vettes, went to the local Chevy dealer got a new tank, lines and fuel pump....all for less than $150...in 1983...what a deal!