Fuel Sending Unit

[Otto Skorzeny]

Good plan. Too bad about the smushed fuel tank, Did you try the compressed air trick?

You don't want to split the seam but start with low pressure and see what happens. If the tank isn't too rusted out, it might just blow that dent out without damaging the tank.

[NicolasB]

I tried to use an air compressor and the tank inflated, but it wasn’t enough to pop all the dents out, just the minor ones. I used 120psi.

I’m a bit stupid and forgot to cover the holes in the fuel tank when I initially left the vinegar/salt mixture to sit and remove rust because the areas that are not submerged have flash rusted. I added more water to the mixture so it can fill most of the tank and whatever surface rust is still present when I remove the solution and neutralize the inside with baking soda I’ll cover with Red-Kote Fuel Tank Liner. I was going to skip this step, but since this tank is all I have (and the tank rusted even more), I think it’s best to do this when it’s already out. The liner claims to cover rust, so the flash rust that appeared won’t be much of an issue.

[Otto Skorzeny]

I assume the Red Kote will plug pin holes.

I'd also use a sealer on the exterior that can be painted when dry.

I just did a little reading on Red Kote and by and large it appears to be good product for the task at hand. It also dries extremely fast so get your plan of action worked out ahead of time.

People who have tried to thin the product seem to have the most trouble because thinning it makes it dry even faster.

The instructions say that it won't stick to itself once its dry so make sure you cover the whole tank in one fell swoop.

May the Force be with you.

[roland]

I used 120psi.

No better way to kill yourself. 120 psi in a gasoline tank, what was never made for any air pressure. Its not a trick, its only redneck madness!
That 120psi is the inflating measure for a heavy truck tire. Do you ever saw what a tire explosion of that kind can do? Sorry bro. Its high dangerous for you and possible people around, you made a bomb

And if there is no other way, you have to fill the tank with est 18 Gal of water and inflate the rest with air. That minimized the air volumen and give the pressure more chance to pop the dents out. But is dangerous too...

[NicolasB]

I used 120psi.

No better way to kill yourself. 120 psi in a gasoline tank, what was never made for any air pressure. Its not a trick, its only redneck madness!
That 120psi is the inflating measure for a heavy truck tire. Do you ever saw what a tire explosion of that kind can do? Sorry bro. Its high dangerous for you and possible people around, you made a bomb

And if there is no other way, you have to fill the tank with est 18 Gal of water and inflate the rest with air. That minimized the air volumen and give the pressure more chance to pop the dents out. But is dangerous too...

I filled 3/4 of the tank with water before doing so and removed all the gasoline beforehand. There are a few videos online where the trick worked, but mine’s too dented for it to work. It inflated, but stopped and water just spewed out of the filler neck (and I covered it too). I just left it as is since it’s not a big deal and won’t affect the fuel sending unit too much. Never hurts to try something new, all part of the learning process. Just carried on and put Red-Kote in as a sealer. Letting it cure right now.

I also want to mention that I shot the air inside the tank in small increments, not all at once (of course I would risk having it blow up or break something inside if I shot all the 120psi in one go). Sometimes I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid

[NicolasB]

I assume the Red Kote will plug pin holes.

I'd also use a sealer on the exterior that can be painted when dry.

I just did a little reading on Red Kote and by and large it appears to be good product for the task at hand. It also dries extremely fast so get your plan of action worked out ahead of time.

People who have tried to thin the product seem to have the most trouble because thinning it makes it dry even faster.

The instructions say that it won't stick to itself once its dry so make sure you cover the whole tank in one fell swoop.

May the Force be with you.

I completely forgot that the baffle covered almost half of the fuel tank, so some of the Red-Kote was unable to reach the surface of the tank. I called the company and they said that if I want to add another coat I’d have to wait about a week for it to cure (or until it stops smelling like acetone). It’s really only surface rust that just flashed on the roof of the inside of the tank, so I don’t think it will affect much. She mentioned that some people just coat the bottom half of their tanks and had no issues whatsoever. I think I covered most of the tank, just a couple of areas where the liner didn’t cover. This job is supposed to be a temporary fix until Fusick begins to sell their fuel tanks. When I drained the excess liner, I got back 1 1/4 quart.

I’m going to sand the outside of the fuel tank once the liner cures and spray it with some Rustoleum Stops Rust Undercoating for protection.

Also, are there any replacements for the gas tank vent tube filter? Mine has cracks and openings on it. I saw one for an Impala, but it says that it’s not meant for the Toronado. My gas cap is vented, so I think it might be aiding it to let some vapors escape.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Slap that baby back together and call that guy about the music video shoot posted in General category.

I made $500 for 2 hours work with my Cadillac driving a British tv dude around while they filmed a Martin Luther King special.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Slap that baby back together and call that guy about the music video shoot posted in General category.

I made $500 for 2 hours work with my Cadillac driving a British tv dude around while they filmed a Martin Luther King special.

[NicolasB]

Yeah for sure I’ll check him out, now that the car is running!

I just put everything back together, including the new sending unit, and it works! The guy (68RocketAction) that mentioned that the gauge reads empty when there’s about five gallons left is correct, but I bent the float down a bit more so it reads empty when there’s 4-4 1/2 gallons in the tank. I can also confirm that the ‘71-‘72 Toronado sending unit fits directly in the ‘69 tank. It’s the Spectra FG106A fuel sending unit, in case anyone is wondering. The gauge may be a bit inaccurate, but I don’t care, I finally got a working fuel gauge!

I was able to remove the rust and dirt that was sitting at the bottom of the tank and I can already tell that the car idles more smoothly. Going to take it out tomorrow for a drive, change the fuel filter, and put some gas in it. It has about 9 gallons inside and the gauge reads a bit more than a quarter tank.

Also I replaced parts of the fuel line and return line that were ripped and had a hole in it.

[NicolasB]

___