I'll never seal a tank in any vehicle I own. I was coming back from Tonasket, Wa. a few years ago in my '69 Suburban when it coughed to a stop like it ran out of gas. Of course I was in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, and the back of my Burb loaded. I coasted to a stop as far off the road as possible, but still dangerously close to the edge.
I opened the hood to look around and a quick look down the carb showed no gas when I pumped it. I checked my clear filter and saw particles of junk in it, but no gas in it. After a few minutes I somehow got it to fire, but it would not run over 15 mph uphill. I limped along the side with cars blowing their horns at me. Reached the summit and it went 60 mph downhill. Turned into Goldendale, Wa. and bought a new fuel pump and filter at the NAPA and installed it in the gravel parking lot. Fortunately I always carry tools.
I hit the road again, and as soon as I got to the first uphill grade it fell on it's face! My trip home the last couple hundred miles took 11 hours, and I stayed on side roads wherever I could. It was scary and excruciating.
The next day I pulled the pickup assembly from the tank and found some previous owner had left the sock off the pickup! And he'd coated the tank with sealer! In the end of the pickup tube was what looked like black plastic sheeting. I pulled it out, and when I spread it out on the ground it was 7"-8" in diameter! Somehow the pump pulled hard enough to suck it several inches up the pickup tube!
I dropped the tank and filtered the gas to find all sorts of smaller pieces. I did the chain in the tank routine, and broke more loose. Bought a new pickup and sock, and installed them. Added a second fuel filter before the fuel pump, and haven't had any more problems in 3 or 4 years. But it convinced me I'd never use this sealer crap. And if funds were a question I'd simply buy a fuel cell and replace my tank with a cell. They're much cheaper than a factory style tank, and work as well.
I opened the hood to look around and a quick look down the carb showed no gas when I pumped it. I checked my clear filter and saw particles of junk in it, but no gas in it. After a few minutes I somehow got it to fire, but it would not run over 15 mph uphill. I limped along the side with cars blowing their horns at me. Reached the summit and it went 60 mph downhill. Turned into Goldendale, Wa. and bought a new fuel pump and filter at the NAPA and installed it in the gravel parking lot. Fortunately I always carry tools.
I hit the road again, and as soon as I got to the first uphill grade it fell on it's face! My trip home the last couple hundred miles took 11 hours, and I stayed on side roads wherever I could. It was scary and excruciating.
The next day I pulled the pickup assembly from the tank and found some previous owner had left the sock off the pickup! And he'd coated the tank with sealer! In the end of the pickup tube was what looked like black plastic sheeting. I pulled it out, and when I spread it out on the ground it was 7"-8" in diameter! Somehow the pump pulled hard enough to suck it several inches up the pickup tube!
I dropped the tank and filtered the gas to find all sorts of smaller pieces. I did the chain in the tank routine, and broke more loose. Bought a new pickup and sock, and installed them. Added a second fuel filter before the fuel pump, and haven't had any more problems in 3 or 4 years. But it convinced me I'd never use this sealer crap. And if funds were a question I'd simply buy a fuel cell and replace my tank with a cell. They're much cheaper than a factory style tank, and work as well.
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