I would imagine with difficulty. You need to split the tank wouldn't you? Would it be worthwhile trying to source another from Fbi Swansea or another similar outfit?
No idea if this would help or is any good http://www.vwaircooledworks.co.uk/Fuel-Hose-Kit---Full-details.html Ethanol Resistant Fuel Tank Treatment Kit.- £35.00 This two part kit is designed to clean and remove rust from inside your fuel tank. Once clean the tank is fully coated with an ethanol resistant coat. The fuel tanks used in VW's are metal so are liable to rust over time. The presence of biofuel in fuel is increasing the rate of degradation. This kit removes the rust, and coats the tank with an ethanol resistant layer.
I used por 15 fuel tank sealer for my last one, although I degreased and prepped it with KBS rust blast and rust klean (because I already had these ) http://www.frost.co.uk/por15-car-bike-motorcyle-fuel-tank-repair-sealer.html But you can buy a complete kit. http://www.frost.co.uk/por15-small-fuel-car-tank-repair-sealer-kit.html Simple enough to do,
Personally wouldn't use a tank sealer, all the sealed tanks I've seen have had the coating peel off eventually, the way to clean the inside of your tank is to chuck a load of ball bearings in there and move the tank round and round up down etc until it's shiny inside, but most tanks have a small amount of surface rust and to no detriment, a fuel filter will catch the small amounts floating about.
Mines only got a bit of rust around the outlet but it still means it needs the fuel filter replacing every couple of hundred miles. Filter after a few hundred miles.
I think i would be inclined to get rid of that tank . If that's what you get after a couple of hundred miles . Don't know if you can get plastic ones Zebedee ....i'am sure i saw a guy selling them at Dubfreeze about 2 years ago .
Would this work? I was thinking of filling it up with sugar free coke but not sure if that would work lol. Or i need to get some form of wire brush in there maybe
My view is you are taking the tank out anyway to try the magic cures, but the only reliable solution is to source a new tank.
The tanks out anyway mate as i'm doing up the rest of the van. Its just surface rust on an imported cali fuel tank. No chance i'm binning it for another lol. Just need ideas to get rid of te surface rust
what i would add is though, in hindsight for the cost of the kit I would of brought a new tank. The quality job you are doing on your van its worth it for piece of mind and never having to come back to it.
Assuming there are no pin holes!! Ball bearings or old nuts and bolts and a damn good shake, maybe the reverse electrolysis trick with a battery charger & a scrap bit of steel bar soak the innards with caustic soda, flush out use the por 15 cleaning / sealing kit, its really good. Ive used this on a Vespa tank, and it is, well, amazing, as well as ethanol proof.
As mentioned, if you are doing a quality job on your van and you intend to keep it, I can't understand the logic of spending time and money on attempting to clean and derust it inside, which may not be effective and lead to trouble later. More sense to source and fit a new tank.
Not seen the plastic ones. They'd be ideal. All the second hand ones i've seen for sale in the UK looked rusty inside. I looked at the brand new ones and they either do the early pre '72 shape with the early sender or late August 73> with late sender. Mines a late shape with the early tubular post style sender.
Early sender is held in with 5 or 5 screws but late one twists in. Late sender won't work with early gauges so fuel gauge would need changing too.
