Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
(OP)
I removed a gas tank from a 1999 Chevy s-10, 4.3, with 93K miles.
Tank, filler neck and entire tank had very heavy corrosion, fuel pump pressure was low and fluctuating, filter had ruptured from rust.
Fuel was Shell and Town and Country, local farm store brand, no additives or E-85 were used, as per owner, if you can believe them?
It had heavy, even corrosion thru the entire tank,even filler neck and vent tube. The trouble just developed over 2-3 weeks, no driveability problems before this. The pump with it's 75 micron OEM screen would not have lasted very long under these conditions.Attached picture of filler neck and vent tube. Full even rust on ALL surfaces.
Was this a plating problem from the factory or was something in the fuel that ate the tank up, ideas????
I flushed lines, replaced tank and pump assembly and filter, used new fuel, so far no problems.
Tank, filler neck and entire tank had very heavy corrosion, fuel pump pressure was low and fluctuating, filter had ruptured from rust.
Fuel was Shell and Town and Country, local farm store brand, no additives or E-85 were used, as per owner, if you can believe them?
It had heavy, even corrosion thru the entire tank,even filler neck and vent tube. The trouble just developed over 2-3 weeks, no driveability problems before this. The pump with it's 75 micron OEM screen would not have lasted very long under these conditions.Attached picture of filler neck and vent tube. Full even rust on ALL surfaces.
Was this a plating problem from the factory or was something in the fuel that ate the tank up, ideas????
I flushed lines, replaced tank and pump assembly and filter, used new fuel, so far no problems.





RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
I'd look at another tank from a vehicle of similar age in the area. If it looks a lot better I'd suspect some fuel chemistry experiments had occured a few times in the last 15 years.
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
I have replaced over 300 fuel pumps thru the years and have never seen corrosion to this extent in any vehicle.
Any metallurgists out there?????
I have more pictures and fuel filter contamination pictures, if interested.
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
It looks like vapor was responsible for causing some of this since the tank was covered with rust very even throughout.
Years ago we tracked down, no start cold, on Ford fuel injectors. Turns out the customer was buying fuel at only one station and we sent the injectors to be analyzed. They found that they were not using enough anti-corrosive additive and they were not mixing it correctly in the tank trucks, they we just pouring in 5 gallons after truck was filled and they needed to have it injected into filler stream for through mixing.
Wish I could track down the cause of this problem too.
Gary Wonder if GM would comment on this problem if I sent pictures???
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?
Mine looked exactly the same and rust was the first thought, but the metal was really corrosion free, untouched, just a little stained.
The 1/4 tank of 2+year old gasohol had left a really nasty smelly smegma everywhere inside. The fuel line & injectors were OK, so I think it was the fuel plus fresh air combo that did it, helped from opening the tank to siphon a few times.
RE: Heavy corrosion, gas tank, what's the cause?