Knowing how to seal a fuel tank is often a key part of any restoration project, or part of ongoing maintenance of an older vehicle. It’s not just cars or motorcycles that can benefit from this process, as demonstrated by a recent feature in Tractor & Machinery magazine.
Sealing a tractor fuel tank
Andrew Hall tackled the task of sealing the tank from his 1949 Fordson Major E27N. It was part of a maintenance project to address erratic running caused by loose dirt in the tank. After leaving the tractor stationary for over a year, a look inside the tank also revealed stale fuel.
In his article, Andrew described the stages he went through to return his tank back to working condition.
Step one – removing and cleaning the tank:
- Removal of the tank, draining the fuel and an initial pressure wash.
- Temporarily sealing the tank before pouring in Rustbuster’s SP10 Tank-Kleen caustic detergent, along with a handful of small, sharp stones. (Nuts and washers can also be used.)
- Agitating the tank so that the cleaner and stones can remove loose debris.
- After pouring out the cleaner and stones, a thorough rinse with a hose, followed by allowing the tank to dry.
Step two – sealing with Slosh:
- Temporarily sealing inlets and outlets again, this time protecting pipes and threads with duct tape to prevent Slosh from going where it shouldn’t.
- Pouring in the Slosh fuel tank sealer, followed by rotating the tank in every direction to ensure good coverage.
- Letting the tank sit for ten minutes before rotating again to make sure any areas missed the first time were reached.
- Pouring out all the excess Slosh, which cannot be re-used so is left to sit and disposed of as dry waste.
The tank was then left for a few days to ensure maximum curing of the sealer before use. Andrew also took the opportunity to fit a replacement fuel tap assembly and paint the outside of the tank prior to refitting.
