109 Fuel tank Remove and rebuild

[andrewMcF]

This is by no means a how to but just how I did it, if you injure yourself following these instructions I am by no means liable.

Purchased a 109 from up in Vanderoof BC that has been parked for 5 or more years, prior to parking the 109 the previous owner complained of rough idling and stalling, I suspected a rotten tank.

Removal of the tank is to say the least not a favorable job!

To prep the tank for removal use the access panels and in the back of the truck and remove the fuel line and the fuel gauge wire
http://www3.telus.net/shade/Rover/DSC_0198cover.jpg
Pic borrowed from Dave_F
Also don't forget to remove the filler house and breather line.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/StQBp ... GP0039.JPG

To remove the tank I supported it with a floor jack and a large block of wood. The 2 bolts closest to the rear of the vehicle, accessing the top of the bolts is difficult at best, as far as I know they are not special in any way so out comes the cut off wheel, zing... zing... Done! Remember to keep the square metal spacers.

The other 2 bolts closer to the front are a little more difficult, especially after 40 plus years of road wear and exposure!! I strongly recommend an impact wrench and keeping your finger clear of the wrench on the top side! There are some pieces that you want to salvage on the bolts, there is a spacer and also a rubber mount, keep those!

Now slowly lower the tank on the jack...

You should be left with this...
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/StQBU ... GP0020.JPG

Drain the tank, best to do this outside as there will be
vaporized gas, very dangerous, at this point suggest you put your chairs and tables in a upright position and extinguish all cigarettes! Actually you should have done that long ago... DUH! IT'S GASOLINE!!
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/StQBa ... GP0027.JPG
I found the best thing to remove the plug is a metal flat file and a set of vice grips...

So now remove the Draw Tube and Fuel Sender and this is what you should be left with...
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/StQBk ... GP0036.JPG
This is from inside my fuel tank.

I took the tank to the local coin op car wash and pressure washed it and was left with this...
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/St0Tu ... GP0041.JPG
No real change just $5 poorer :(

All right time to get a bit tougher! LETS DO SOME ACID!! Muriatic acid (HCL 34%) this can be purchased at Canadian Tire in the paint department for cheap, about $10 a gallon. Wear protective gear!!! Read the warnings on the bottle!!! And use your brain!!! Be safe!!! Fill the gas tank with a couple of inches of water and a healthy cup of the acid and slosh around, did this over a patch of lawn that I didn't care about too much, repeat this step several times until you are left with this...
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-y ... GP0001.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-0 ... GP0003.JPG

This is after doing this about 4 times, looks a lot better, there is still a large pile of rust bits in the corner that I can't take a picture of, need to get that our from flushing I guess not sure...

Now for a little bit of the outside...

Removal of the skid plate, great place for rust to do it's nasty work!!

Here is some warnings... Heat and gas tanks are a very dangerous mixture!... EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!! I flushed my tank out several times over. That being said the skid plate is braised to the gas tank and heat is required for it's removal. A plumbers torch will do it and a lot of patience... Each of the holes in the skid plate is soldered to as well as the seems along the sides and at the end of the skip plate as well.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/St0T_ ... GP0043.JPG

I started removing the solder from the rear seam, heat it with a torch and us a standard screw driver to scrap out the solder. For me the side seems were popped and as well as the large majority of the bottom circles as well at this point you should be able to move the skid plate around freely but it's still attached from the rear seam. I then heated each of the circles until the solder seeped out. The rear seem is a little bit more difficult, set the tank on it's side and then you have to heat through skid plate and use the screw driver scrap the solder out. Watch your toes!!!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-5 ... GP0009.JPG

Okay so I've cleaned up the tank a bit and spotted some troubling little wholes in the typical spots...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-2 ... GP0006.JPG

On both ends of the bottom of the tank were it turns upwards is the usual place for rust to punch through first, so I'm told, and low and behold...
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-6 ... GP0010.JPG

There's your problem!! It's full of wholes!"

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/SuT-7 ... GP0011.JPG

So now the tank is cleaned up and the problems are found, I've given the tank to a local smaller fabrication shop to cut out the rotten metal and fab up some good stuff and TIG it in, hope it turns out well!!!

Now I have to clean off the skid plate.. I'll do that this weekend..

So the metal shop decided not to go ahead with the repair, they were worried about the soldered edges on the side of the tank coming on done when they wield up the patches...

So now what?!?! I'm going to swing by a radiator shop and see what they have to say about the tank, apparently some shops will repair a tank... Here's a youtube link that I found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT8EbHL_snA

[mepham55]

I've had my Series 1's tank repaired by a Rad shop here in Victoria and it worked fine. Cost about $150.00 if I remember correctly.
They goop some thick liquid inside, slosh it around and then drain the tank. looking inside it kind of looks like a 1/4" thick red plastic when dry. Your 109 tank may be harder to due because of the nooks and crannies compared to a series 1 but I think a competent shop would be able to do it. Then just paint the outside of your tank with POR15 and it will be as good as new......actually, better because you won't get rust building up in your tank any more.
Matt

[andrewMcF]

I went to a rad shop in town in kelowna and they wanted $400 to recoat my fuel tank, even though it's only $60 bucks in material, told them to pound sand... the red goop you refer to is called Red Kote, it's kind of hard to get your hands on it but I've found a site on the web that sells it in Canada...

http://www.canlinetube.ca/

I've used this stuff before and it's really good.

Andrew

[Dave_F]

Interesting thread.

When you have drained the tank of gas...fill it up with water and Sunlight dish washing detergent...this will get rid of the dangerous vapour fumes....do this 3 or 4 times...rinse and drain...make sure the tank is completely dry afterward using a hair dryer otherwise the rust will form up again.

My main tank started to leak really bad just prior to departing on the Canol Trip, so ended up dropping the tank and taking it to Leakers where they cut out the bottom and replaced it with new material that was double the thickness of the original.

I did not replace the skid plate as I was ensured that the stronger thicker steel would do the job, without the risks of rust forming again trapped between the tank and skid plate. It did take some pretty hard whacks through the trip, one causing the tank to concave upwards, actually popping the fuel sender right out of it's housing. I will consider a skid plate in the future, but one that does not contact the tank at all.

I did also install a secondary side tank under the passenger seat. I was given the tank, and upon inspection it had the same problem...rust holes where the skid plate curves up the sides of the tank. Dirt and crud gets trapped in there and voila...leaks.

I cleaned up the tank using...

http://www.por15.com/FUEL-TANK-REPAIR-K ... info/FTRK/

I also repaired all the tiny pin holes with...JB WELD...yes...and it worked. I just skim coated the outside of the tank with this a couple of times...maybe three times?? I used the Metal Clean and then the Metal Ready to clean up the insides...Muratic Acid works as well, just not as user friendly as the POR products...cheaper too.

I then used the POR 15 Fuel tank Sealer, paying special attention to ensure I got a good thick coat along the bottom. I then top-coated the tank with a product called RUST BULLET...shipped in from Edmonton. Similar to POR 15 paint.

I so far have not had any issues with either repair and the side tank has been fine with no leaks at all.

Final note...when you have done all your repairs, and interior coatings take it down to a rad shop to pressure test. This will tell you if you got all the leaks.

[rayhyland]

Man, this seems like a lot of work. How much does a new tank cost?

Ray

[Dave_F]

from Rovers North...$279USD...then about another $300 to ship it up here....

Not the Genuine article either...Proline.

Better to spend the money up here and ensure you have a good solid tank that will last years.

[Doc Tari]

I agree with Ray, it does seem like a lot of trouble, just to end up with a band-aid. What does a new one cost from one of the local parts suppliers? Is the expense in getting across the border a big part of the $300 from Rovers North? If so, ship it to Blaine or Pt. Roberts and pick it up.

[andrewMcF]

I'm not sure what the shipping would be, but I do know that UPS are bastards when they bring stuff across the border. I purchase some stuff for about $100 plus $20 for shipping from Rovers North and it cost me $60 in customs brokers through UPS! (*&#$(&@#%^*)*_@#$ You get the point, so now I have a customs broker http://www.summitcb.com/, you get RoversNorth to ship to the summit brokers warehouse in the states and they then bring it across the border and ship it to you from with in Canada, they actually have their own trucks in BC... so the tank would cost me about $40-$50 for customs and shipping from the customs brokerage...

But all that being said... it's the journey not the destination... that and I bought the tank liner before realizing how bad the tank was... so now I'm going to make it work or blowup trying!!! lol


Andrew