hey anyone have any ideas / suggestions on painting,rustproofing a new gas tank before installing it ? really not sure what should be used. any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

I'd look into the offerings of POR-15---I believe they have something specific to new metal/gas tank preparations.

You'll want something that is catalyzed or known to cure fully into a close bonding shell or envelope that contains the fuel, keeping it separated from the tank metal.

Aviation-related sites would also have something useful for this application.

 

I've used POR-15 with good results on the outside. Bill Hirsch gas tank sealer on the inside. POR products also has a sealer.
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Eastwood would probably have something pretty good too---worth a check anyway.

 

+1 on using POR-15, but it's quiet expensive.

 

Not nearly as expensive as a new tank and all the (#*#&# it takes to wrestle one out and back in!

 

If it's not visible, why not just pick up a couple $7 cans of truck bed coating at your local Auto Zone or similar store. May not be quite as good as the commercially installed stuff, but for sure wont easily chip - which POR-15 will. I'm using the 'premium' $9/can on my '31 Ford street rod steel fenders (garage car) and have yet to see any chips in that stuff after 3 plus years of driving the car everywhere.

 

A garaged vehicle is hardly a test of what any rust preventative preparation will or can do over the longer term. Cheap coatings are cheap because they're of less quality than the better materials. I've seen a few who claim POR-15 chips and cracks etc fail to mention if it was applied properly. Having seen it in action for myself I'm hard pressed to see how it or anything of similar quality and purpose won't last over time.

One huge deciding factor over cheap stuff is asking how well does it adhere to its substrate? While most cheap material will form a strong cohesive bond (sticks to itself IOW) its ability to adhere (stick to other things) seems to separate them.

Doing something on the cheap almost always tends to cost us more in the long run so why not just do it once with good materials and have peace of mind? Just my approach and maybe not for everyone but the long haul is my goal!

 

I did the rear and side tanks on my 86 with POR 15 about 15 years ago. Still good in spite of NY winters. Prep is the key.

 

Without a doubt----and thanks for relating a personal experience!

 

truck wont be a daily driver and will never see a central ny winter, i ended up degreasing it, sanding it then putting two coats of etching primer on it, i'll be using the spray on bed liner stuff . like i said its not a dd and wont be driven in the winter.