Stepdown gas tank

RonS
RonS Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I know that the original fuel tanks in a stepdown had a "sock" type filter at the bottom of the pickup tube. If the pickup tube is removed can a long object such as a screwdriver, flexable cable or snake be pushed down and punch a hole in the mesh sock, or does the tank need to be removed and cut open then rewelded?

Comments

  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    Are you sure about that sock-type filter? Never heard of such a thing in the Hudson tanks.
  • drdoug
    drdoug Senior Contributor
    edited June 2011
    Hi Ron. Yes there is a brass screen with a plastic top that has a hole in it. I have great success using a coat hanger bent to fit thru the hole where the pick-up tube is. I hook the hole in the plastic and then tear the screen out, I just leave it loose in there. Once the tank has been properly cleaned,I seal the tank and this clean piece gets glued in place where-ever it has landed. If you don't cut or tear it loose,then seal your clean tank,the screen now becomes a block in fuel delivery provided you stick the pick up tube back into the hole which is designed to line up with. Hope this makes sense.
  • RonS
    RonS Senior Contributor
    edited June 2011
    Thanks. I am back to having a problem on intermitant occasions, were the car runs well then all of a sudden it appears to be starving for fuel after driving only a few miles in cool morning temperatures. After all the work I have been doing in the past couple of years, my frustration got the better of me. Monday it happened again. Drove to a store from home( 5miles). 15 minutes later headed home and the Hornet started right up. Went about a mile accelerated to 50mph and the car started to buck. I was so fed up that I dropped the Hydro into D-3 and held 50. To my amazement the problem disappeared. That same scenario occured 2 weeks ago. This time I went home pulled the gas cap off and after 10 miles of driving, even to 70 MPH I could not reproduce the problem. So electric pump is at +4Psi with good flow carbs bowls have been cleaned. I'm thinking that I might have dirt in a carb jet but not likely in both. That leaves the gas tank or the cap. The cap is from a 49 and I can suck air through the vent, albeit with difficulty. I drilled a larger hole in it and now it has no restriction. Only thing left is the tank. What do guys think? The tank has never been restored to my knowledge. Does any one have experience pulling out the screen & resealing these Hudson tanks as a business or sells properly restored ones?
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    edited June 2011
    Well, I tried the Eastwood method. Tied to a cement mixer with stones to clean the rust, acid, wash, and sealer. Wound up with a bog of goo around the pickup.

    Cut a 6 in hole above the pickup point with a Dremel. Turns out the remainder of the screen hung on to and mixed all the chemicals and made goo. Removed the remnants of the conical screen, cleaned the tank properly as I could now get in there with an electric drill with a wire brush on it, and then painted the sealer where I wanted it. Then made sure the pickup was where I wanted it, then replaced the disk I cut out by soldering it in place. Been working good for 6 yrs.

    I also did it to the 36 Terraplane tank which had been replaced and was very solid. I replaced this disk with JB Weld. Also been in use for 5 years.

    CAUTION: Drain all the gas you can. Then flush with Kerosene, which will mix with the remaining gas and render it non-explosive, then wash with detergent.

    A couple of stories.

    My brother one time went to fix Dad's tank from a 50s Ford with a torch. The fumes caught and the tank started rolling around the yard. It never exploded, but it swelled up so they could never get it back in the car again.

    Howard W. had a leak in his GTO tank from his trailer hitch bumping it. He drained it, (mostly) then hooked a large hose from his Jeep exhaust pipe to the filler pipe on the GTO tank. Then started the Jeep and went to work on the tank with his torch, while we all watched from a safe distance. Then he put the tank in the trunk and returned to the campsite.

    The theory is that gas can't burn with the tank filled with exhaust where the oxygen has been used up. I have never tried this and don't think I will, but it was interesting.
  • RonS
    RonS Senior Contributor
    Some years ago I believe Glen Johnson was restoring tanks by cutting a hole in the top and pulling the screen out then after sealing the innards he welded the hole back. Did a nice job. I tried punching a hole in the screen from the pickup tube area( tube removed), but I can never tell for sure what the result was. Took the car out yesterday,with the gas cap removed, Drove 6 miles, flawlessly,air temp was 95. Go figure!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Is it possible this only occurs when the tank is not completely full? You may have a hole in the pick-up tube.
  • RonS
    RonS Senior Contributor
    I'm betting on a piece of dirt in one of the carbs or a partially clogged gas cap, since I can not get it to repeat the problem since I removed the gas cap. I removed the pickup tube recently, and will hold vacuum, so, no hole. Thanks for your response, only time will tell.
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