i am in the process of making a new fuel tank for my crawler. it will be all steel tank. i was curious what type, if any, coating i should put on the inside of the tank?
the outside will just be painted..
the outside will just be painted..
fuel tank coating?
- Thread starter Dieselcrawler
- Start date
Dsl_Dog_Treat
I lost my face to the jaws of a poodle
Wouldn't think you'd need a coating for steel. My 120 gallon aux tank is just painted on the outside.
towcat
Full Access Member
coatings are more grief than they are worth. just keep the tank full when the rig is resting and you're all good. it's the partial fill that creates condensation issues that lead to rust and algae.
Dont even attempt to put a coating on yourself, chances are youll be picking it out of your injection pump. They can work nicely, but if you want it done, contact a radiator shop that does extensive restoration work on fuel tanks and they will be able to help you out, if they arent answering the right questions right off the bat, call someone else. You dont want to be someones guinnne pig
i was going to leave it raw steel inside, then my pops brought it up. so i started searching for coatings. found a few, say they are diesel rated. but i do know about the 6.0 fuel tanks delaminating and sending it threw the system. i will just leave it. tank will always be stored full. will have a drain on the bottom too.
now, what color should i paint it to help with the sun and heat fluctuations causing condensation? i was thinking silver to reflect the rays...
now, what color should i paint it to help with the sun and heat fluctuations causing condensation? i was thinking silver to reflect the rays...
bigoilburner20
Full Access Member
silver would be great id think but I wouldn't worry to much just keep it full when its not in use . it is not a silo that is stationary all year round
You live in PA, sun and heat are not real big issues. MOst commercial steel tanks are painted black, although I dont think there is any real purpose behind it.
Coatings are usually used in restoration jobs on antique vehicles. We have a 41 chevy we are restoring and I know the inside of that thing must look like the surface of the moon after sitting for around 50 years , so it IS going down to a rad shop I know well and I'm going to have it soaked for about 2 weeks then cleaned out and and coated , but for a new tank, it's really not needed.
In that climate, just keep your fuel treated with Howes and keep the tanks full when letting it sitand it will take care of the water for you
idi_econoline
No Bed For Me!
The coatings on our 2003 7.3PSD E350s delaminated a couple of years ago, sending vile powder into the fuel system and starving/destroying their injectors.
Heard lawsuits are in the works, as, allegedly, Ford knew of this, but didn't recall the vehicles involved.
One thing you need to remember to do if making that tank from scratch is to weld in a low spot that droops below the main body of the tank and weld a drain plug into that. Make sure that your pickup tube doesnt reach the dead bottom of teh tank you always want a small area on the bottom of a diesel tank that you cant get to, once or twice a year depending on area moisture conditions, when your tank is run low, drain it off completely to remove the junk.
i plan on treating it the same way i treat the off road equipment i work on. every few months drain a little from the tank. i am building a lower area or a sump to put the drain in.
