Gas Tank Trouble

This summer I bought a 1955 CJ5, and I love it!



It runs and drives, but only when connected to a boat gas tank, which I have sitting in the back of the jeep as I drive. I pulled out the factory gas tank to find it was rusted, but also found something else that I'm not too sure what it is. I don't know what the crimped fuel line part is for. Any ideas? What can I do to repair this tank? Weld that hole shut? Also, when I fill the tank, it leaks out of the tank from the hole, not from the crimped part of the tube. I tried pulling on the tube and it's connected to something in there, I just don't know what this is for.

 

http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx334/Turiwks/?action=view&current=IMG_1646.jpg


Maybe this link will work?

 

Yeah, I was also thinking I should just get a new one. Would it be better to mod a rear tank, or stick with an under the seat tank?

 

I put a steel tank from Pete debella under the seat as original. That way you the original fuel line can be used as a pattern, its easy and the exhaust didnt have to be moved for a rear tank mod.
But plenty have installed rear tanks and they like the setup. It all depends upon your time, patience and skill.
Tom

 

The one that is crimped off is the fuel line on my 62 where the brass elbow is on yours mine has a drain plug.

If it is leaking that bad replace it with a poly

 

Without discussing the rust problem at this time, how would i go about fixing this tank? run a new fuel line into the gas tank, and change the brass elbow part back into a drain plug?

 

That would be how it was done from the factory. My tank has a threaded bung soldered in the tank that your fuel line screw's into and just cap off the other hole with a plug.

 

If shake the tank it sounds like there is a lot of loose material, but when i fill with water and drain nothing comes out and the water is clear. Then once it is emptied out it still sounds like there is loose debris inside. Any ideas?

 

Depends on how much of a purist you are. Probably the most easy fix is to solder up the original fuel line port and use it as is. The down side will be that now the "pickup" is indeed the bottom of the tank so any rust present is absolutely going to get into the fuel line. As previously stated, I think you will be way ahead just to replace the tank and it will save you a lot of grief down the road or worse-fuel line plugged off-road. If you value your time, the new tank will be the cheaper option. As you are probably aware, make sure you fill the tank with CO2 or N if you are soldering or welding on it.

 

In your opinoin. For a replacement tank, would you go with steel or polyethelene?

 

Just in general.. the opinion of whoever is responding.

 

The only down side I see to plastic for this application is the filler neck seal. I'd think getting the cap to seal on the plastic neck would be more difficult than on the steel neck.

However, even the steel neck will leak a little. Seems they all do.

Supposedly the plastic tanks last longer than steel when exposed to modern fuel. The imported replacement tanks probably have lower quality than the original steel tanks too.