Any metallurgists? Using plain steel inside a gas tank, trouble?

[73k5blazer]

So I need to convert my old hickey 45 gallon tank into an EFI tank for my Ramjet engine. I've tried putting together external pumps/filters/swirl tanks, but others still have fuel starvation issues no matter what they do, even with that whole setup. And the external pump setup requires lift pump, filter,swirl tank, high pressure pump, filter, return off the swirl...it is a plumbing and fitting, and saftey, nightmare. So it seems the only way to go is an in tank pump.

I tried finding an OEM pump module, but can't find anything to fit the 16" depth of the hickey tank, plus most OEM tanks use the quicky flange ring instead of screws or bolts and my tank doesn't have a flange welded to it, and I can't add one because the tank is already "Renu'd" (Expoxy coated)

What I did find was a Tanks Inc. pump module that was somewhat universal, great, it even has a slosh tray at the bottom, even better, except it still only goes to 12" depth.So I need to modify it. I could modify easily, by simply extending the bracket with a piece of additional steel.


The trouble comes in, it's zinc coated steel, which of course I won't be able to find anywhere without paying through the nose and buying a lot of it, and I don't know what the reason is for using zinc plated parts inside a gas tank. The pump module bracket is zinc plated, the universal sending unit I got a while back is also zinc plated.

If I extend the pump module bracket with piece of plain steel, is that gonna cause trouble?

The Walbro pump is a plain steel body. THe hose clamps they provided are stainless bands with plain steel screw/body.
They build whole gas tanks out of plain steel, so is there really an issue?

Anyone have any idea if it'll cause an issue?

 

[1979jimmy350]

The stock sending unit on my fuel injected k-5 tank is plain steel, as long as you dont leave the tank near empty and sitting for a extended period of time you won't have rust issues. You could also always spray a zinc pain on the bare steel after you mod the sender

 

[73k5blazer]

Oh, really, they make zinc spray paint? I wonder if that would flake off over time?

 

[1979jimmy350]

Oh, really, they make zinc spray paint? I wonder if that would flake off over time?

http://www.eastwood.com/cold-galvanizing-compound-aerosol-13-oz.html

 

[sweetk30]

zink coating is for rust prevention help basicly.

and the stock stuff is plain steel in lots of them.

as stated above dont leave tank low fuel level in high moisture for ext period of time can rust a little faster.

 

[diesel4me]

Darn,I just tossed a few good sized peices of 4" EMT conduit...galvanized too!...bet that would have worked fine if you brazed it on --I made a gas tank for a small engine before using that stuff and I used a plain steel coupler as the filler cap peice,I didn't see any serious rusting troubles internally on the coupler,it did rust on the outside fast though...the EMT looked new 2 years later...

 

[Pookster]

cheaper to go fuel cell after its all said and done.

You can weld a ring, but its a lot of effort- drain tank, make sure all gas it ou, wash, rinse, repeat, no reminants of anything explosive, sand away epoxy where you want the sender ring, and weld on a new one.

I'd consider doing a dual sender unit, rather than a single one- its tricky, but if your having starvation issues, an in tank pump may not solve all your issues.