Preparation of New Fuel Tanks

The good news:
The new Spectra fuel tanks (side mount and aft axel) have arrived. 19 gallons each.
The inside of thanks “look clean”, but where the in-tank fuel pump and sender units attach there is a hole about 3 to 4-inches in diameter that is not sealed.

The possible bad news:
When researching the LMC Truck catalog, it appears that “NEW tanks” may not be plug ’n play because there is more work required to prep them.

Quote from the LMC catalog:
P. 18 Fuel Tank Sealer (from the 2018 on-line edition)
Fuel Tank Sealer coats the inside of your tank to stop rust and seal pinholes and weld seams. It’s a non-porous, flexible film that is resistant to all fuels, alcohols and fuel additives. This environmentally safe sealer does not contain the harmful chemical Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) and is non-flammable.
Cleaner Degreaser and Metal-Prep must be used to prep fuel tank prior to using fuel tank sealer.

CLEANER DEGREASER (POR-15)
https://www.lmctruck.com/1980-96-ford/cleaner-degreaser Cleaner Degreaser should be used as a surface prep prior to using Metal-Prep and POR-15.
Note: this is what the web page said so it is very confusing because it is POR-15. Also, is the Sealer the same as the Metal-Prep, or is the Metal-Prep another product?
$26.95 per gallon

FUEL TANK SEALER: https://www.lmctruck.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Fuel+Tank+Sealer 
1 Quart is 49.95 and treats a 25 gal tank. Would need two quarts

Question: Looking ahead, does anyone have anything to comment about cleaning and sealing the tanks?

The LMC catalog doesn't say that the new tanks need to be sealed, does it?  I think what it is saying is that you can seal your old tank, and that's the prep needed to do so.  (But I think that's a poor idea since new tanks are so cheap.)

I bought Spectra tanks about two years ago and put them directly into service.  I didn't clean them and certainly didn't use any POR-15, Cleaner Degreaser, or Metal Prep.  And I've had absolutely no problems.

Gary Lewis wrote

The LMC catalog doesn't say that the new tanks need to be sealed, does it?  I think what it is saying is that you can seal your old tank, and that's the prep needed to do so.  (But I think that's a poor idea since new tanks are so cheap.)

I bought Spectra tanks about two years ago and put them directly into service.  I didn't clean them and certainly didn't use any POR-15, Cleaner Degreaser, or Metal Prep.  And I've had absolutely no problems.

I am with Gary and I know other have installed new tanks and never "sealed" before install and had no issues.
Now if you want to coat / paint the outside then I can see needing to "prep" for the product to stick.

That open hole can you take a picture of it but my guess it is the hole for the roll over valve.
Dave ----

Off topic comment: At least you can get them still. My employer used to mass produce stamped fuel tank shells for Toyota (and we still make them as service parts)... apparently (or what I'm told) the type of steel used, lead coated, is only made by one supplier in Japan and has been a struggle to source. We probably made good money on those; they're among the largest stampings we've ever done. Kinda surprising how long they kept using steel tanks on some vehicles.

Due to this lead steel sourcing issue, I have to wonder what LMC is making the tanks from... Aluminized? Galvannealed? Plain uncoated? Or maybe they have some back inventory of coil/blanks and haven't ran out yet?

I don't think LMC actually makes anything.  In this case the tanks are from Spectra.

Ok, spectra then... more of a curiosity given my employer's material sourcing dilemma. One of the few places where my work life crosses into personal hobby life.

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

I bought Spectra tanks about two years ago and put them directly into service.  I didn't clean them and certainly didn't use any POR-15, Cleaner Degreaser, or Metal Prep.  And I've had absolutely no problems.

I am with Gary and I know other have installed new tanks and never "sealed" before install and had no issues.

This is music to my ears.

FuzzFace2 wrote

That open hole can you take a picture of it but my guess it is the hole for the roll over valve.

The nice part about the aft tank is it is made in Canada. Didn't check where the mid tank is from.

The hole I was most concerned about was the one for the fuel pump/sender, which is the large one.

The bottom photo shows the fuel-fill hose connection and there is a "pipe" just inside. It is very difficult to feed the siphon hose into the tank and this is why. Still have gas to remove and siphon out.

Gary Lewis wrote

The LMC catalog doesn't say that the new tanks need to be sealed, does it?  I think what it is saying is that you can seal your old tank, and that's the prep needed to do so.  (But I think that's a poor idea since new tanks are so cheap.)

In the section with the tanks, I don't recall the catalog stating that the tanks had to be sealed. Also, the tanks didn't come from LMC; one was from eBay and the other from Amazon.

Your comment about the new tanks being so cheap is right on! That's another reason why I wrote the post because the chemicals cost so much and the old tanks lasted for 35 years. I think these tanks will outlast me.

ratdude747 wrote

Off topic comment: At least you can get them still. My employer used to mass produce stamped fuel tank shells for Toyota (and we still make them as service parts)... apparently (or what I'm told) the type of steel used, lead coated, is only made by one supplier in Japan and has been a struggle to source. We probably made good money on those; they're among the largest stampings we've ever done. Kinda surprising how long they kept using steel tanks on some vehicles.

Speaking of "car" parts ... yesterday in one of the local blogs my wife reads was a post from a nearby neighborhood that their pickup was stolen. After that, there was a reply from another local neighborhood that their pickup was stolen.

Combine those two incidents with police de-funding, container ships from China anchored offshore near the west coast ports, a new stock market article about car parts shortages, and there may be a connection. Some construction worker can't get his truck fixed due to a part not available and, guess what, .....

My truck stays in the garage. (but barely. its kinda crowded)

I know one thing specific to fuel tanks is that u-pull-it type JY's pierce them to ensure they're drained (fire safety & insurance)... making such fuel tanks complete junk unless one is desperate enough to patch them. That cuts a lot of spare tanks out of the market, increasing demand for new replacements.

Some of the one's we've had to run were "older" parts... apparently people are still buy OE tanks for these things and Toyota is still happy to sell them! I guess that's how well people value Toyota's... Heck, we've had parts (not gas tanks) as old as 1996 in recent history come up for a service part request.

Nemesis F150 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

I bought Spectra tanks about two years ago and put them directly into service.  I didn't clean them and certainly didn't use any POR-15, Cleaner Degreaser, or Metal Prep.  And I've had absolutely no problems.

I am with Gary and I know other have installed new tanks and never "sealed" before install and had no issues.

This is music to my ears.

FuzzFace2 wrote

That open hole can you take a picture of it but my guess it is the hole for the roll over valve.

The nice part about the aft tank is it is made in Canada. Didn't check where the mid tank is from.

The hole I was most concerned about was the one for the fuel pump/sender, which is the large one.

The bottom photo shows the fuel-fill hose connection and there is a "pipe" just inside. It is very difficult to feed the siphon hose into the tank and this is why. Still have gas to remove and siphon out.

That inner part is what hods the plastic vent hose.
There is one at the top inthe filler neck to hold the other end.

How much fuel is in the tank?
You have electric pumps in the tank?
Why not feed that into a container and just the relay out so the pump run to empty the tank?
Its so easy its hard
Dave ----