Removal of Fuel level float re tank sealing.

[Nambo]

So Iam about to use the Frost petrol tank sealing kit.
Now you guys who have done this, did you remove the fuel level sensor?
How does it come apart?, I couldn't find any mention of it in the manual, I presume there is a ring that you drift around until it lines up with something?
Which way should I drift it from looking at the top point of view?

If I don't remove it, Iam worried about getting the tank sealer on the sensor. So, does the tank sealer have to cover every square inch of the tank, or can it just be used on the bottom and up the sides a bit?
What I mean is that if the sealant ends at a bare patch of tank, would the petrol then get under the sealant and lift it from the areas it had been applied too?

Cheers
Pete

[V Mad]

Yes the sender is locked by a ring; I think clockwise locks it with a drift.

Tanks usually just rust at the bottom, so I would not worry too much if you cant get it right around the top side, but good if you can.

[stagmuffin]

I think I would be concerned with any sealant applied to the inside of the fuel tank as to ensure it would completely cover the whole internal surface as to not leave edges which could possibly peel and allow fuel to get twixt tank and coating forming pockets . the other thing that I would be concerned about is the tanks can corrode at the flanged mid joint too ,I've come across this twice. I imagine it would not be difficult to remove the sender fill it with sealant and rotate in varying axis by hand to allow this .im sure others have done this . might be good to clean internally using stagdads tried and trusted method im sure he will post a pic.
Steve

[Staggard]

might be good to clean internally using stagdads tried and trusted method im sure he will post a pic. Not the hairey rat trick

[Mister G]

Pete, the golden rule is remove everything.
That includes the fuel level float and everything which goes with it, it is held in by a ring, you just need a drift to start it moving anticlockwise to unscrew it.
Also remove the fuel pipe and attached bits, rubber pipes and then block everything with rag, especially make sure the sealant does not get in threads.
I don't know what the "tried and tested method" is but its probably what I used and that is a few large(ish) nuts at the marine clean stage to free up loose crud (count them in and count them out!!!).
Also allow heaps of time, it does work well but stages need drying time especially in colder weather.
I also POR15'd the outside and then a couple of coats of Hammerite black for the feeling of a job well done.
Frosts do a set of good instructions plus a video on their webside, follow them more or less to the letter and it should work OK.
Also do all of the interior of the tank, there is enough in the kit to do this.

Good luck

John

[Stagdad]

Pete, the golden rule is remove everything.
That includes the fuel level float and everything which goes with it, it is held in by a ring, you just need a drift to start it moving anticlockwise to unscrew it.
Also remove the fuel pipe and attached bits, rubber pipes and then block everything with rag, especially make sure the sealant does not get in threads.
I don't know what the "tried and tested method" is but its probably what I used and that is a few large(ish) nuts at the marine clean stage to free up loose crud (count them in and count them out!!!).
Also allow heaps of time, it does work well but stages need drying time especially in colder weather.
I also POR15'd the outside and then a couple of coats of Hammerite black for the feeling of a job well done.
Frosts do a set of good instructions plus a video on their webside, follow them more or less to the letter and it should work OK.
Also do all of the interior of the tank, there is enough in the kit to do this.

Good luck

John

Close to my method John, chuck in a hand full of pea shingle for a couple of hours, comes up like new inside.
Tank on mixer.jpg
Its very hard to remove the surplus por15 so I sacrificed a cheap pump to get the last of it out, sticks like hell to anything it lands on. Dropped some on my painted garage floor and it took it back to bare concrete when I tried to lift it.Def take everything off the tank as already said or your sender unit wont be moving much afterwards.

Cheers Steve

[Nambo]

Well the rusty looking sender attachment ring came out with no trouble.
I had had some brake cleaner soaking in the tank for a couple of days and was rather surprised at how difficult it is to completely drain the tank, never mind removing the couple of washers, a bolt and the lead pellet attachment cage I had put in many years ago when these things promised much but delivered little, at least it might have rubbed off any rust as my tank was pretty much rust free, in the end my long row of super magnets managed to remove all the foreign objects, how you guys remove shingle is beyond me!

Another rinse out with brake cleaner then shaking out the dregs that wouldn't drain onto the wet concrete drive-way left it rather slippery, so to prevent my neighbours incurring a nasty accident, I figured I would see if I could burn it away, which resulted in a very exciting 4 square foot lake of fire that seemed to carry on burning for a frighteningly long time, fortunately burning out before the rather nosy busybody on the complex management team walked past.

I had to leave a hot air paint stripper blowing in the tank to dry it out completely, which left the tank lovely and hot for my Marine clean stage.

The Prep and ready will be left to do its thing overnight.

Iam a little concerned when I pour in the sealant, might it block the two breather tubes or do these poke far enough into the tank that they will not be covered?

Thanks for your help guys.

[Stagdad]

I got the shingle out with a strong vacuum cleaner