[Farmall] Replacing the gas tank

Mike Sloane mikesloane at verizon.net
Tue Jun 29 10:35:41 PDT 2010


I meant to add that it is not a bad idea to pick up some "gas tank 
sealer" from your local motorcycle shop and coat the inside of the tank 
after it is dry. This will help seal any pinholes that might be there 
and keep the tank from rusting. Just make sure that the stuff you buy 
can handle gas with ethanol in it - some of the older stuff couldn't, 
and the E10 gas just dissolved the liner and screwed up the engine. 
There are lots of brands of sealers, but the one from the local 
motorcycle shop should do the job just fine.

Mike

On 6/29/2010 1:21 PM, Mike Sloane wrote:
> I will give you my opinion, based on some limited experience:
>
> A used tank may look OK on the outside, but the chances are very good
> that it has accumulated a lot of varnish/crud over the years. I
> recommend that you put a few gallons of soapy water in it, add a couple
> of 2' lengths of heavy chain, seal all the openings, and find some way
> to agitate the whole thing for about an hour. (I strapped a tank to one
> wheel of a Cub. The wheel was jacked up so that it could turn, and then
> I started the tractor and ran it in 1st gear.)
> <http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/farmall_140/140_tank_clean1.html>
>
> When you are done, retrieve the chains and flush out the tank
> thoroughly, then sit it in the sun to dry - it will heat up pretty
> quickly in full sun. Some people use other stuff (rocks, old hardware,
> etc.) for cleaning, but I have found that it is much easier to retrieve
> the chain.
>
> As far as the old gas in either tank, you can put a little at a time
> into your car/truck - the engine's electronics will handle it fine if
> you don't overdo it. I use the stuff for washing greasy parts; some
> folks use it for starting fires in "burn piles" (which are illegal in
> this state).
>
> Don't waste your money on premium gas - the only thing that premium gas
> provides is anti-knock additives for high compression engines, nothing
> more. And your tractor certainly cannot be thought of as "high
> compression", even when new. There are some people who think that
> premium gas is better for small engines because they think it has less
> ethanol or water in it. I think that is a myth.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> On 6/29/2010 12:23 PM, Tim Savelle wrote:
>> I'm about to replace the gas tank on my 1949 H. Some moron who owned
>> it in
>> the past put self tapping screws into the top of the tank, apparently to
>> mount something. The person who restored it filled the holes with bond-o
>> and painted over them. Of course, the gas fumes disintegrated the bond-o,
>> and now I have massive paint blisters over the places where the holes
>> are.
>> I just decided to get a tank off a parts tractor and replace it rather
>> than
>> attempting to have this one fixed.
>>
>> As far as changing out the tank...is there anything I need to know? I
>> don't
>> really see a good way to drain the gas out other than removing the bowl
>> assembly, which could spill gas all over the place. Suggestions?
>>
>> Also, is there any benefit to burning premium gas in the old gal?
>> Would she
>> run smoother or better? Any problems it could cause?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tim
>>



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