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.
A positive experience with a tractor fuel tank sealer
This wasn’t the first time Andrew had sealed a tractor tank. He writes: “I have successfully used Rustbuster’s Slosh before in my Ford 8’s fuel tank, which was very rusty before it was treated. As well as sealing the inside of the tank, the product sealed any loose matter that couldn’t be removed, so preventing any further issues.”
Andrew’s feature clearly struck a chord with the magazine’s readers. We received calls from a number of them after the piece was published, with many placing an order for a kit comprising Slosh and the Tank-Kleen SP10 cleaner.
Is it time to seal your tractor’s fuel tank?
Order your Slosh fuel tank sealer (available in a kit with SP10 Tank-Kleen) or contact us if you have any questions about how to seal a fuel tank.
