If you have to do the gas can thing, use a 5 gallon or more boat gas tank and make sure you have PLENTY of ventilation. It's what I use for starting junk yard and parts car motors. Make sure the hose from the tank to the fuel line does not have the primer bulb in it as your fuel pump will suck it shut and starve the engine for gas. I HIGHLY recommend NOT doing it for the trip though!!! It's almost as dangerous as using the regular gas can. Ask the radiator shops if they can red coat the interior of the tank. I used to do that with motorcycle tanks a long time ago and never had a problem with the lining coming off. I have no idea if they still do that or not though, so you'll have to check. The suggestion of putting more than one fuel filter in line is a good one. Every one of my cars has 2 filters in the fuel line. -Scott H.
Oh, another thing to check is to see how much a U-Haul truck and trailer would run for a one way trip. It might actually be cheaper in the long run. I'm actually renting one to go get my Comet GT from Mean Maverick's house. I figured it out and it would be cheaper than driving my truck that gets 10 MPG! -Scott H.
yea. it looks like how I'll do it is first call stores about the canister filters, then rad shops about getting it done. I'll trust you guys on the dangers of the gas can. I think I was getting overly pissed off anxious to get out of town. In theory I can have AAA get it up there. But I've been working too hard on this thing to call them without even trying. If I do call a tow, I'll be broken down and unable in any way to make it. Even if it is a less than ideal way to do it. I'm pretty determined to get this thing on the road tomorrow. I'm going to bed so I can get as early a start as possible. Thanks for all of the input. This thing is going to be on the road. I won't do anything too stupid. and if I do you'll know cuz I always come check it with you guys beforehand lol. The trailer wasn't a bad idea either - I wonder if I can get one to carry a gas tank.... jk. 'night all.
I wouldn't worry about the canister filter, it's not going to be cheap. Just get a universal plastic filter (the see thru type) , some hose clamps and some hose, and mount it on the outlet of the tank, but strap it up with some zip-ties so it can't get caught on anything. But see what you can do with the tank first....
Before you call AAA, check your coverage! My brother's would only cover 3 miles and then the rest was on his money! It was actually cheaper by $50.00 for him to call a wrecker rather than use the AAA towing company!!! -Scott H.
the see thru ones dont filter that well. fram has ones that are about 2" round and 4" long. they are arund 5 bucks. you can get a few of them and get some fuel hose to create a loop to put it into your system with. you can change them out when they get cloged up and you should be able to make your road trip with a min of problems.
thnks. that's looking like what I'm going to have to do. I found a radiator shop that will boil and line it for $125, but the auto parts store here can't get the seals for my tank so I don't want to drop it if I can't put it back in. I've got a specialty parts guy calling his people but if he can't find the seals I'm gonna try the many massive filters. It is the first filter in line that would get clogged first correct? so I should get multiples of that one..
I have 4 tows of 100 miles each. Had to use several times with past cars in similar situations, but I'm determined not to with this car. -can't find the seals and gaskets for my tank anywhere in town. could find them on autokrafters but then I have to wait for shipping. any of these seals interchangeable with different model or years of gas tanks?
yep the first one in line will be the one to get cloged. some of the rust is very fine and will make its way through but it should go all the way through the motor and out the exhast. it when carb sits a while that that fine stuff settles in it and causes other problems. good luck.
k. sorry for taking so long to post an update. had just gotten home from running around trying to find seals for the tank and the biggest filters I could. I'm gonna try and make it up the mountain on the big filters tomorrow. They seem to be working well enough to try. Got about 50 miles before having problems. I was able to go 75mph for that time too, which made me happy. alot less stressed out today about it (was away from the parents all day and being stuck on the side of the road working on the car was fun again.) I thought the large filter I had gotten was clogged because the car wouldn't stay started anymore once it died, but it turns out stuff had gotten through it and clogged the little filter attached to my carb. This was just on the test drive to see how far I could go without problems. I already knew at this point that I was going to be in town another night. I got an adapter to let me hook a big filter up to my carb and will try the big one before the fuel pump and big one before the carb. I have a couple of replacements for when they get clogged as well. If I could've found the seals in town I was just going to drop the tank and have someone clean and line it, but now that I know that I have to order the seals I'm just going to do the cleaning myself in the mountains. I think I'm going to jack up the rear driver's side of the car tomorrow morning and try to modify the position of my fuel sending unit. I'm trying to get the end of it higher up in the tank and out of the sediment. I know my fuel gauge won't work right anymore, but it doesn't work to begin with. I will probably eliminate the filter coming out of the sending unit and replace with rubber fuel line so I have more play. I don't think that filter is good anymore anyway and I can't find another one to swap in it's place. This should give me less rust coming through the line if I can get it to work. As long as I don't mangle the seal too badly for the sending unit I should be able to make sure it is sealed with some type of RTV sealant. k. I'm gonna go take the lil sis out to dinner now. I'll continue this when I get back. She got in her first fender bender today. Nothing bad. Just a tap. K, I'll be back.
Rotating the pickup so it wont suck rust is going to create another issue for you. When you rotate it...UP... It may cause fuel starvation as the level in the tank drops.It may also cause starvation going up hill (you said mountains) Soo steep grades may cause the car to stall and not re-start due to lack of fuel.
If your sender is as rusty as the tank, don't try and bend it, you'll just make more work for yourself. What seal are you taking about? the fuel sender seal? those are nothing special, even a o ring will work. You should have pulled your tank today, and cleaned it, you'd have been farther ahead....
You can buy a brand new tank with new pickup and gasket for $127 from Rock Auto. I been down that road before putting a band aid on an old tank...it lasted 2 years and it started leaking again. So why half way do the job if you're not going to do it right.
