Most dreaded of jobs finally on the horizon ? the fuel tank !

[Roberts280Z]

i recently used Red-Kote on a GM A-body, and I think it went OK.  But I didn't think I would be able to use it on my Z because of the baffles in the tank.

I took the tank to a shop that cuts access holes in the tank, cleans it out, and then re-coats it.  It wasn't cheap - $550.

 

[siteunseen]

I did my 280 first then a 240 after I got the steps all worked out. No problems and it's been 10 and 6 years respectively. 

Turn the tank upside down vertically with the fill hole at the lowest point and in a 5 gallon bucket. It all drains out. I ran some welding wire through the vent tubes to make sure they weren't stopped up.

The first time was a nerve wracking experience but the next one was much easier. I'd quit my job and do it for a living if I didn't live in Bumble Snot Alabama.

 

[Killain]

6 hours ago, heyitsrama said:

I'm assuming you have another car while the Z is down... Get a good amount of fuel hose, attach one side to the fuel pump and pump it into a jerrycan, then pour that into the other car.

I use a big ol cement mixing tub to wash parts out. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Black-Large-Concrete-Mixing-Tub-A-42/318924309

It works pretty well, i guess you could also pour the fuel into this, but its gonna smell... and be a fire hazard.

Yeah, I'd hate to burn the garage down for one stupid mistake. I just don't get too comfortable dealing with this big a fire hazard, but thank you, I bought one 5 gallon plastic gasoline jug and I'll have to see if I can syphon out the first 57 gallons first, then drain the rest into a big drain pan, which I also got from Amazon.

[siteunseen]

Have a hose pipe on the ready at least, of course an extinguisher would be #1 but when they're empty you might as well throw it through a window. 

Gas isn't that bad. I've siphoned a 100 gallons over my life and drank at least one half of a gallon. It may cure covid like drinking Clorox? 

If you back it up on ramps a 5 gallon bucket or 11 (57 gallons ) would slide in and out easy.

[ETI4K]

I was all set to use a sealant as a precautionary measure, then decided to cut open the tank bc of some significant denting in it I couldn't resolve otherwise.  Sure glad I did.

The pick-up tube has a VERY fine mesh screen inside a baffle that I had never before seen nor heard of.  I suspect the sealant would have done a brilliant job of sealing up that screen as well as everything else it is supposed to do.

Tank is from early production '76 280

 

 

Edited June 8, 2022 by ETI4K
Additional comment

[Killain]

1 hour ago, ETI4K said:

I was all set to use a sealant as a precautionary measure, then decided to cut open the tank bc of some significant denting in it I couldn't resolve otherwise.  Sure glad I did.

The pick-up tube has a VERY fine mesh screen inside a baffle that I had never before seen nor heard of.  I suspect the sealant would have done a brilliant job of sealing up that screen as well as everything else it is supposed to do.

Tank is from early production '76 280

 

 

Yeah, and after exhausting every conceivable idea of why your not getting any fuel to the carbs, and your just wiped and tired, you'd think "Hay, I wonder if that new sealed tank might be a problem ?????? but by now your so tired you just want to go somewhere, anywhere. This is a significant job I only want to do ONCE !!!!

 

But thank you for your insight.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Killain

[texasz]

Here's what I did...

I trailered my Z to the local Z repair shop and had them drain all the fluids (radiator, engine, tranny, diff, and fuel tank)...this was because I was removing all of these and working on everything.  They have the right equipment to do this and tanks to dump it all in which get collected and properly handled, no mess, no fuss for me to deal with.

 

I then pulled the fuel tank and sent it to the closest Gas Tank Renu dealer (https://www.gastankrenu.com/).  They are 3 hours away although they do free pick up and delivery in my city.  They then proceeded to clean and coat the tank inside and out repairing any damage in the process.  They also offer a lifetime warranty.  Total cost was something like $460 last year as I recall.  Process took about 6 weeks.

 

After reading this thread to this point I'd highly suggest that you bite the bullet and take this route.

[Yarb]

S30.World has new replacement tanks that are amazing reproductions. Just bought one for my 280 after having mine repaired twice. Pin holes kept appearing. Just another alternative.

[Jeff Berk]

I did my tank a couple of years back and my early '74 260z did not have that intake screen. 

The cleaning and coating went off without an issue. I used a pound or two of steel nuts and sloshed them around inside the tank to help remove the rust.

I'd say the toughest job is definitely the pins holding the rear suspension in place.

[Killain]

1 hour ago, Yarb said:

S30.World has new replacement tanks that are amazing reproductions. Just bought one for my 280 after having mine repaired twice. Pin holes kept appearing. Just another alternative.

 Yeah their pretty nice, and for that price they should be, of course they , like all the others are  " Out Of Stock "  ?🤥

[Killain]

Hi all, would anyone have a picture of the inside of a 280Z fuel tank ? I am in the need to drain my fuel tank, and once drained I planned on removing both the gas cap and the drain plug and leave them both out till the inside of the tank is dry. I have a borescope and once dry I can get a better look inside the tank to see what kind of condition the inside of my 47 year old fuel tank is, is this a good or bad idea ? I never had to deal with a either dirty or contaminated fuel tank, and besides getting the 17 gallons of fuel out, then I need to come up with a strategy on how to remove it while preserving the hoses, nothing on this Z is easily located or priced. I'm changing the fuel pump and the previous owner put a fuel filter inline just before the pump, ( which I reinstalling or a new one) to keep from sucking up dirt into the pump. I haven't found any signs or contamination yet, but . . . . 

[w3wilkes]

I don't think you'd want to leave the tank to vent in any enclosed space, like a garage! When I did my tank I drained it (discarded the fuel at the local hazardous waste facility). Put the drain plug in and pulled the tank and sealed over all the vents, gas in and out tubes and filler port. This was 5 years ago, but my friend walked me through how to clean the tank and prep it for sealing out in the driveway. Once all that was done the tank cured for maybe 2 weeks and then put it back in. Probably another couple of weeks before I was ready to put any gas in. It's been fine ever since and has had nothing but ethanol free fuel.