Hi all!Just wondering about aftermarket fuel tanks.Specifically the underseat series tank 552174.Quality & fit.Are there many choices or are there very few brands that everyone is selling?
ie. Britpart,Allmakes,Bearmach.Are they all the same?What are some your experiences?I need some new tanks or really nice used just like I assume others out there!I heard alot of folks say they are all not as nice as original??
aftermarket fuel tanks
Re: aftermarket fuel tanks
All three of those tanks are almost, and maybe even exactly identical. They aren't as nice as the originals. The originals were made from zinc plated, or galvanized sheet metal, then painted. The new ones are just painted. Also, the new ones use metric fasteners for the sender and fuel pickup pipe. The original used BA screws.
The new ones tend to rust quicker than the originals. This is partially due to the lack of zinc plating before painting, but also because of the use of modern ethanol fuels. Ethanol pulls water from the air and leaves it as a liquid in the gas tank (and carburetor) if it is left to sit. I personally only use non-ethanol fuel in my Series Land Rovers. Alternatively, you could drain your fuel system, and flush your system with a nice tank of non-ethanol fuel if you intend to store it for a while (i.e. over the winter).
There are a few other more expensive option for fuel tanks. One is an aluminum tank from AlliSport: https://www.allisport.com/shop/performa ... fuel-tank/ Another is stainless steel from Pangolin 4x4: https://pangolin4x4.com/item/999
The new ones tend to rust quicker than the originals. This is partially due to the lack of zinc plating before painting, but also because of the use of modern ethanol fuels. Ethanol pulls water from the air and leaves it as a liquid in the gas tank (and carburetor) if it is left to sit. I personally only use non-ethanol fuel in my Series Land Rovers. Alternatively, you could drain your fuel system, and flush your system with a nice tank of non-ethanol fuel if you intend to store it for a while (i.e. over the winter).
There are a few other more expensive option for fuel tanks. One is an aluminum tank from AlliSport: https://www.allisport.com/shop/performa ... fuel-tank/ Another is stainless steel from Pangolin 4x4: https://pangolin4x4.com/item/999
Re: aftermarket fuel tanks
I wonder if one could have these new aftermarket tanks galvanized before using?Obviously paint would have to be stripped off & all screw holes would have to be plugged with sacrificial screws to prevent holes from being filled with galvanizing.Hmm??I might contact Damm Galvanizing in Calgary & see what they think.
Re: aftermarket fuel tanks
Hey Mike,
As you may know I have a ton of experience galvanizing Land Rover parts. I have galvanized almost every type of steel part on a Land Rover, except for the gas tank, and there is a good reason for this. The new gas tanks are fabricated with a sheet metal cradle that is stich welded along the entire bottom of the tank. This creates a large area of overlapping sheet metal. During the galvanizing process the tanks are first dipped in an acid flux bath, then into molten zinc. The flux will travel between these two layers, then during the zinc dip will rapidly evaporate and expand causing the area to become severely warped. This is also dangerous to the galvanizers as this expansion can be almost explosive and cause zinc to splash out of the dip tank, potentially harming workers. For this reason, galvanizing plants will not galvanize assemblies with large overlapping areas. There are ways to get around this, but it would involve some costly modifications to the tank's construction. After all the additional costs you may incur trying to galvanize your tank, you may only save an additional $200 versus a stainless tank, and probably save nothing versus an aluminum tank. The aluminum and stainless tanks would also both outlast the galvanized tank.
Jacob
As you may know I have a ton of experience galvanizing Land Rover parts. I have galvanized almost every type of steel part on a Land Rover, except for the gas tank, and there is a good reason for this. The new gas tanks are fabricated with a sheet metal cradle that is stich welded along the entire bottom of the tank. This creates a large area of overlapping sheet metal. During the galvanizing process the tanks are first dipped in an acid flux bath, then into molten zinc. The flux will travel between these two layers, then during the zinc dip will rapidly evaporate and expand causing the area to become severely warped. This is also dangerous to the galvanizers as this expansion can be almost explosive and cause zinc to splash out of the dip tank, potentially harming workers. For this reason, galvanizing plants will not galvanize assemblies with large overlapping areas. There are ways to get around this, but it would involve some costly modifications to the tank's construction. After all the additional costs you may incur trying to galvanize your tank, you may only save an additional $200 versus a stainless tank, and probably save nothing versus an aluminum tank. The aluminum and stainless tanks would also both outlast the galvanized tank.
Jacob
Re: aftermarket fuel tanks
Hi Jacob
Your right!I called Damm Gal. & they said they would not Galv. a fuel tank.Hers is another option, to buy one of these aftermarket tanks & give it a light acid wash inside & use a gas tank sealer before even installing.Or might actually build my own fuel tank out of alum.It really is not that complicated a tank & I do have some alum. welding experience.I would build out of 1/8" marine grade.Easy to weld plus nice & strong.
Cheers,Mike.
Your right!I called Damm Gal. & they said they would not Galv. a fuel tank.Hers is another option, to buy one of these aftermarket tanks & give it a light acid wash inside & use a gas tank sealer before even installing.Or might actually build my own fuel tank out of alum.It really is not that complicated a tank & I do have some alum. welding experience.I would build out of 1/8" marine grade.Easy to weld plus nice & strong.
Cheers,Mike.
