1968 Winnebago D18 Fuel Tanks - Replacements?

[keytime]

Getting a 1968 Winnebago back on the road after mostly sitting under a roof for 25 years.


The fuel tanks are sludged up pretty bad.  They are 24"x13"x13" 15-gallon saddle tanks.  Assuming they're rare, I still searched a long time online for replacements, with no luck.  Is anyone aware of available replacements for these?

[LJ-TJ]

Why not drop them which your going to do any way hand have them flushed. I think most rad shops can do it. Hm?

[Rickf1985]

"Most" radiator shops will not touch gas tanks anymore due to environmental concerns. Most do not even have that type of cleaning equipment anymore because of the same reasons. The regulations involved in keeping that stuff are monumental.

[LJ-TJ]

WOW! I gotta live in a time warp here. Seriously. Not meaning to be a smart bum or argumentative. Just about everything I suggest I can get done with in 15 miles of home. Now granted I live out in farm country. Man cityidiots  really have about taken over. Thank GOD I'm a country boy. D:oH!   

[Rickf1985]

You know that and I know that but being a shop owner at one time I can understand. You are not talking about cleaning one tank at a shop, you are cleaning many, many tanks. And engine blocks and radiators. All of those chemicals that you are cleaning out of those items have to go somewhere, you certainly cannot just dump thousands of gallons of that stuff down the drain! The cleaning solution alone is a very caustic solution. A shop has to pay to dispose of that as hazardous material and that service does not come cheap so most have just gotten out of doing it altogether. A modern cleaning cabinet costs tens of thousands of dollars! In our time it was a corner of the shop and a spray gun with nasty chemicals that went down the drain. Of coarse those same areas now are still superfund cleanup sites! W% W%

[M & J]

I dont recommend this or advocate it, but more than once I've seen guys at you do car washes in the middle of the night pressure washing gas tanks, engine blocks, etc.

[keytime]

Took them to a local shop in Wichita, KS (Wichita Truck and Tank Wash).  They had concerns about cleaning them effectively considering the baffles inside the tank that limit access to the tank internals.


One possibility is to cut the tank open, sandblast it (didn't I mention it has some serious sludge), then have it welded back up. 

[stanDman111]

could be done by self with good old fashion draino=seen it done

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

POR-15 Kit

YOu could also just try the Degreaser first.

[stanDman111]

yep the por-15kit is good stuff too!

[NiftyBetty]

Well, this is sure timely.  I filled up my tank on Wednesday to head out to a local campground to test out all my systems and get familiar with everything again.  This was after getting her back from the shop after having her towed there last time out because she lost so much power she could not go any farther.  (Got tow from Good Sam.)  Shop replaced fuel filter.   It was running great.  Same thing happened again after 41 miles on the road.  I pulled into a nearby service station, they pulled the fuel filter and it was again full of muddy liquid and crud.  Drove it back to the shop.  This time the shop will drop the tanks.   I walked in there again with my wallet hanging open.  It's very hard to find a good shop even around here where there are umpty -ump RV dealers.  This one does have a good reputation (!) but they are so busy every visit takes a week or two.   Thankfully, everything else is running well except that we cannot find the source of that "shudder" that happens sometimes when powering up in low gear.  Looking forward to a similar experience with that problem?   I am "in for a penny in for a pound" at this point.   Trying not to get too down about it because I do love this rig and looking forward to a few years of enjoyment.   Hoping for some empathy and maybe a suggestion on that shudder problem.   i??

[stanDman111]

shudder could be in the trany?= sorry I know  u didn't want to hear that

[Rickf1985]

First thing I would look at are the driveshaft center support bearings and then the u-joints.

[TerryH]

General path when determining a problem such as your shudder is to check the most likely, first in line and easiest first, and follow a progressive path onwards.
As per Rick, suggest you check u-joints and steady bearings first. Easy to check and relatively easy to replace.
Of course, you could take your rig to a transmission shop (provided you can locate one that can deal with your rig and is experienced in your transmission) at a substantially higher cost than following the normal path.
Causes of your problem can and may stem from various sources. Not the best idea to immediately assume it is the most expensive one.

[Rickf1985]

A 42 year old motor home could also have some pretty spongy transmission mounts and motor mounts so be sure to include them in your checks.

[NiftyBetty]

Thanks, guys.  I will be sure to bring up all of these specific things with the mechanic.  I drove a lot of old cars in my early days and this seems more mechanical to me than a transmission problem because the shudder is so heavy, if you know what I mean.  It reminds a little bit of what it feels like when you try to drive off and your emergency brake is not fully released. Like it's powering through something, even though it doesn't happen every time.  That's the best I can describe it.  Keeping my fingers crossed. 

[Rickf1985]

Very good observation and description. I would look at the trans mounts and the drive shaft carrier bearings. Both of those can shake under a load.

[Oz]

Back to fuel tanks...

[Lukewarm256]

i dont know where you might find replacements, but i have a few ideas.


You can go with the cleaning suggestions, which are all pretty reasonable.


First, is just get some new ones made, preferably an aluminum type. Probably cost a bit to do it, but it would fix it forever.


Second, Check to see of a boating supply place has a tank that will fit in place of yours--many boats use aluminum tanks for gas, and come with a gauge that would work, and line fittings built in... all you might have to do then is find a way to connect the filler spouts. Heck, a boating place that does fabrication may be able to hook you up better than anywhere else.


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200413776_200413776


A 'race car' fuel cell might also bolt into place of yours, if you look long enough, they should be more affordable than the aluminum option, and DOT approved.


http://www.protuninglab.com/alu-ft-t6.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=140846634058


ALTERNATE, and final one, is, if your tank cant be saved, for one reason or another (rust, holes, etc), you could look into a fuel bladder that could fit in there (again, from a boat). Cut the top off your tank, insert bladder, connect to filler hose, connect fuel lines, and off ya go.


I think, cleaning is the best bet, still.

[NiftyBetty]

Well, guys.  After two months and two weeks of searching. we found a place in Pittsburgh that will refurbish my gas tank.  They guarantee their work.  The only other viable option we came up with was a replacement aluminum tank where the estimate was $1200, plus shipping both ways.   I drove the tank there myself to save shipping costs, and it may be finished as early as next week.   The guy is Jim Moyer in Greensburg, PA.  I visited him and his shop and found nothing to worry me.  He tells me he spends most of his time these days working on really old stuff that can't be replaced.  He is Moyer Gas Tank Repair, 2011 Western Avenue, Greensburg, PA-  800-328-9550.   He gave me his permission to share.  Answers the phone himself. 


Thanks for all your help.  The saga will continue.

[75Travco]

Did you get the fuel tanks cleaned up?  Looper Service Center in Rockville, MD used the "Gas Tank Renu" process on the badly rusted tank on my Travco.  Involved "baking" the tank to get the last of the hydrocarbons out of it, cutting access holes, sandblasting to remove all crud and rust, welding plates over the access holes, pressure testing, coating the inside and outside, and baking to cure.  Worked great thereafter.  But not cheap.....

Sam, who misses the old Travco