I too had this happen once on my old Alpine, it was only a tempermental
thing. Usually I could just shake the back of the car real card, and move
so much fuel trough the cross over pipe that it either broke up the chips,
or put them in a position so it would flow again.
A few months later, some dam neighbor kid opened the gas cap, and dumped
in a couple of hand fulls of dirt. This is when I removed the tanks and is
the point to this post...
Once the tanks are out I recommend the following.. Wash out each tank
completely after fully disassembly (ie tubes hoses, breather lines, sending
units... if you have some lacquer thinner, wash that around in there too.
then let them dry. Once they are dried, EVERYTHING that is in side the tank
needs to be removed, and an easy way to do this is with a good couple of
handfuls of clean nuts bolts, nails, even crashed gravels works well for
this. put a cup or two in the tank, and tap off all openings (make sure
there is NO gas smell in them at all. No go sit in your favorite chair and
watch football, or the All-star game..(Here at Safeco Field !!...Sorry
Shameless plug for our stadium and Mariners!) Start shaking this mix around
in the tank. Makes a lot of noise, the more violently you can shake it the
better and less time it takes. The abrasives in there will chip and grand
away at the paint, and do no damage to the tank itself. when done, remove
the tape and dumps the stuff.out. The tank should now be pretty clean and
shinny on the inside You're half done....
No call around to your local motorcycle dealers and ask for Kreme It's a 3
step solution.. Cleaner, Prep, and sealant...this one's not cheap and
you'll need probably two full kits @ $39 each....Since motorcycle tanks
Never have paint in them, the cleaner may not remove the paint. That's why
the abrasives (as above) works well.. There are other brands that work just
as well if not a little better since you don't need the cleaner. The stuff
is generally called Slushing Compound, and comes in quart cans. it looks
and smells like rubber cement or gasket cinch...but thinner, and is never
affected by any fuels, including Av-gas (high octane Aviation gas), alcohol,
nitro (Dragster fuel), or anything else we ever ran through them. For the
cars, just regular gas and alcohol are the main ones.. Now.. Rinse out the
tanks one last time to remove that last of the grit, and chips.. and let
them dry. A Hair dryer works well for this. Follow the instruction now on
the sealer you bought, Once this stuff has been washed all around inside the
tank, it adheres to everything, and seals all liquids away from the metal.
Sealing all rust, pin holes, cracks, leaks, and in this case flaking paint
from ever entering the fuel system again. It take a full day for this stuff
to cure, but it works like a charm...this is how I did my tanks, on both my
old Alpine, and several motorcycles over the years...
Hope this Helps
Good Luck.!!!
Rich
Former 65 Series IV, and IMP owner...
----- Original Message -----
From: Steven L. Finberg <w1gsl@MIT.EDU>
To: Shaun Laughy <shaunl@home.com>
Cc: <w1gsl@MIT.EDU>; <tigers@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 10:30 PM
Subject: Re: First Crisis - Part Two
> Hi Shaun
>
> The black powder is residue of the black paint that is blocking
> your cross pipe right at the pick off for the gas line.
>
> All of my Alpines have suffered the same fate. Big chips of tank
> interior paint flack off and curl up blocking the narrow feed
> coming off the cross pipe. It make for a very slow fuel feed...
>
> Once you have pulled the nut off the gas line the fuel presseur
> should almost force it off.. If it is blocked the fuel will
> jut dribble out until you free the clog with a wire hook..
> then be prepared for a flood.. 13 Gal will not fit in a 5 gal
> jerry can....
>
> The first time it happend to me I had filled the tank thinking more
> fuel would clear the blockage :-(....
>
> My conclusion.. once this starts is that it is time to pull the tanks,
> clean and coat them. Clearing the clog and getting drenched
> in petrol each time gets old fast.... Mine would only go a week
> or so before cloging again.
>
> Steve F
>
>
****************************************************************************
***
> Steve Finberg W1GSL
w1gsl@mit.edu
> PO Box 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139-7082 617 258
3754
>
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***
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