painting fuel tanks

[Matt Leaman]

i am wondering if it is a good idea to undercoat or paint new fuel tanks? i have new ones to install soon, so if they should get a coating, now would be the time to do it, anyone have thoughts or advice or ideas? good idea? bad idea? one new tank is galvanized, the rear one came with paint on the exterior right out of the box.

 

[IDIoit]

you can do either or, the F26E's ive got were already coated.
I would however is do a fast fill mod on the new tanks before install

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[Matt Leaman]

I did search for fuel tanks before i posted this, and your project photos appeared. Very nice work indeed. i am merely an okay-ish welder, better than the average amateur i guess, but i better practice up welding thin metal before i tackle something like that. on the other hand, i will need to practice anyway for welding an actual floor into the truck. Minnesota winter salting (only 9 months out of the year) has been really unkind to this truck.

 

[chillman88]

I used 3m undercoat on my old truck. If I did it again I'd probably use a nice smooth oil based paint so stuff washes off instead of sticking to it.

 

[Matt Leaman]

Thank you, that is advice well written and read. i will definitely stay away from undercoating.

 

[jrollf]

Fluid Film had a strong following in the rust belt, but does need to be replied once or twice a year.

https://www.fluid-film.com/

1993 F350 Crew Cab Dually
XLT
7.3 Factory IDIT w/Banks Sidewinder
5spd Manual

 

[typ4]

I use dupli color engine enamel. clean with acetone or laquer thinner, 2- 3 coats over a warm day.

The other option would be epoxy primer. Expensive but works the best.
Napa commercial has a single part epoxy that we did a water truck tank with, seems to be holding up good.

 

[catbird7]

I replaced both of my tanks years ago and purchased plastic replacements specifically to avoid rust.

 

[Matt Leaman]

I gotta like the duplicolor engine enamel. I work at a parts store part time and get a very generous discount on the stuff so i already have it. wipe it down and scuff it up and self etching primer it, then engine enamel. i am going to leave the factory painted one alone, i dont think i will best a factory at painting, at least not this one. the galvanized one i will paint though. i plan to hose them down a couple times a year so they arent sitting surrounded by gravel.

last night felt pretty epic. this truck had not seen the road since 2011, after a lot of headaches with the factory wiring, i decided to start all new of my own making and last night, she took me across town and back. Man did i miss this truck. here is all the factory wiring. almost all of it anyway. finally got lights lit and signals and brakelights and away we went.

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