Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Today I was able to drop the fuel tank - no problems getting it out. Externally, it's in beautiful condition. Inside, not so much...

I still haven't decided what method I'll use for cleaning...

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I haven't posted in a while as progress has been slow. Several hours of every recent weekend has been spent cleaning out the gas tank. I'll not bore you with the details but I used MEK, gravel, chain, Krud Kutter, a pressure washer, and lots of sloshing and shaking and rinsing to get it to a level of cleanliness I'm comfortable with. It's not perfect, but good enough for now, and I want to get this car on the road!

I found that my gauge float had gas in it, and determined it has several pin holes. I used the part x-ref page here and went to the Ford dealership and picked up p/n COAZ-9202-B. Comparing it to the original, it is much smaller. Am I missing something here? Am I supposed to bend the float arm to fit? Not real comfortable with that...

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Any ideas, gents? I'm considering painting the original float with POR-15, thoughts on that?

The Ford float in the xref is for the 51-6 senders and, as your photos show, is smaller. Turbopackman said probably fits all but now we know differently. It might be worthwhile checking out some of the Chevy and Mopar sites for floats within the same year range as your car. Other mfgs did use the same style senders. Not here yet to verify but I think I found a reasonably close size match to the 2 piece cork float used on the 47 at a Classic Chevy truck site. Something close to the 48-50 should be available too.

Might be worth tying it on and checking out to see if the Ford float will bring the sender to the same height. If not a significant difference midrange, would the smaller diameter be enough to change the reading at top and bottom of tank, I don't know. The paint or tank sealer might weigh it down and I'm wondering how long it would last.

The cork floats for the 47 just arrived and they are 1/16" less diameter than originals. Fit is fine. 32-46 Chevy & GMC truck 2 piece cork float 1 1/8" x 3".

I noticed the same company has a float in the year range that might work for what you need. The arm would be slightly offset from the original but if the diameter would work it might be a possibility. Perhaps a phone call or a question to verify size would be worthwhile.

Howard, thank you for the reply! It looks like an update to the xref is in order.

I got impatient last night and went ahead and painted the float with POR-15 (2 coats). We will see how it holds up. Note how well the Krud Kutter cleaned up the unit, this is just a quick soak and a lil bit of wire brushing. I also cut out a new cork gasket and installed the sender in the tank.

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A source of trouble that is easy to overlook. I always shake the float before installation.

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But now your patience has to be as stedfast as the virtue of patience itself. The process of drying needs four days (one layer).

Guscha, thank you for the reply! Where did you get the four day drying time? The literature I have for POR - 15 says 2 to 5 hours, depending on humidity.

Yes Mark, mine says the same (in German) but then, on the second page, red & bold print:

Lassen Sie den Tank mindestens 96 Stunden aush?rten, bevor Sie ihn wieder mit Benzin f?llen.

Translation: Refuel the tank not before ≥ 96 hours! (sorry for my poor English)
In English it sounds softened (page 1, item 3 and not red): "Maximum cure will be reached in 96 hours".

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The same is written on my POR-15 can, followed by the explanation that the surface will be dry then, so one could touch it.

I'm no expert on POR-15, but have a fair amount of experience with it (and some mixed results along the way).

POR-15 is an air-dried coating, but moisture - in the form of humidity - helps cure and strengthen it.

Compared to my experience with paints, POR-15 seems rather slow to skin over. The supplier describes its tacky state as "dry to the touch, with a slight finger drag", but it has only just begun to cure at that point. In my experience and working outdoors, it doesn't reach that tacky state until about 3 hours after initial application - longer indoors. Ambient humidty is a factor.

I consider the 2-5 hour span is a more of a window of opportunity where the product can be recoated (the supplier recommends at least two coats) without tearing up the basecoat.

After that, the surface would need to be scuffed up well enough to provide sufficient tooth for recoating. (Topcoating with paint is a whole 'nuther matter best left for another time/subject.)