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MG MGA - Fuel tank sealer and Alcohol

I had sealed my gas tank with a product from Por-15 in the mid 1990’s. The car has been driven over 6000 miles since restoration with no fuel problems at all(3 years). On a recent long trip I got some fuel that contained alcohol . Well within 300 miles it started missing. To the point, upon a thorough inspection I found the fuel strainer in the fuel pump covered with sheets of what appeared to be the sealer.

I now learn that alcohol will damage some of the older sealers. Any experience and ideas on how to fix this mess. How do I get the sealer out especially if some has not come loose? Can I reseal it with alcohol resistant sealer over the top of the old sealer that hasn’t come loose?

With all the alcohol mandates now I am going to have to do something to prevent this problem.

Jim
Jim Ferguson

Jim, Caswell inc.makes a tank sealer that might work.
Tom
Tom Peotter

I used the Caswell sealer with good results earlier this spring on a TD. (I'm usually found in the TD-TF discussions.) It is one of the very few two-part epoxy systems available to seal fuel tanks. The Caswell product is specifically described to "withstand modern ethanol fuels."

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm

Contact me directly via e-mail if you would like the detailed notes for how I refinished my fuel tank.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Jim, sounds like it's time for a new tank. I don't know how you'd ever get the old sealer out to the point you'd feel safe using fuel with alcohol again. Perhaps the hot tank at a radiator shop might do the trick. Thanks for the tip though, might save someone else some problems in the future.
Bill Young

We've used POR15 products in the past (not the gas tank sealer) with excellent results. For some of these applications we've had technical questions and called the company to get help--and they have been very helpful. I suggest you give them a call. They would be the best ones to dscribe how the failing gas tank sealer can be removed. I am a chemist by traning and am certain there is a way to remove the POR15 gas tank sealer.

POR15
http://www.por15.com/
800-726-0459

Larry
Larry Shoer

Jim-I sealed my tank about 4 years ago with POR and so far no problems. I chose the product because it stated that it was safe to use with stage 2 fuels (whatever those are)that contain alcohol and some of the gas in this area have contained ethanol for many years. If there is a problem, I suppose the co. will claim that the tank wasn't properly prepared.
Berry Price
BTP Price

Larry and Berry,

I did purchase the POR product at least 15 years ago and I don't know if they considered the ethanol/alcohol content of fuel. This was the first time I have put that type fuel in the car.

Bill

I tend to think it will be an ongoing problem without some kind of through cleaning, which I don't know is possible. We will see if a new tank is required.

Jim
Jim Ferguson

My A came with a tank that had been sealed with some sort of aviation sealer. I tried to remove it but it started to come off in sheets. You will need something to dissolve the old sealer if it has delaminated from the tank surface, and then flush it out. POR 15 should be able to tell you if that is possible.
Steven B

This thread was discussed between 30/07/2008 and 01/08/2008

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