After putting 135 miles on the new build waiting patiently for a new problem occur, it happened. After filling up the gas for the 1st time in 4.5 years, I had a problem getting the car to stay started without revving for a bit as soon as I got in the car after pumping the gas. The car bucked and stumbled the whole way home and I got the random misfire code so I made sure the ignition coils on firmly and then pulled the pump to find more rust in the tank and filter (I didn't realize that it was rust the 1st time I dealt with this problem).

I got a good start on pulling out the tank earlier but I'm still at a loss on what to do once it's out. The design of the tank looks like it will be a PITA to clean all the rust out. Getting another tank will suck as far as getting it shipped and it's hard to find anyway. The last option is getting a 15 gallon fuel cell but idk how to set everything up but am fully capable of installing one if I need to and learn how to. It will be a daily driver so I need to keep the spare wheel in the trunk and idk if the fuel cell could fit nicely with that.

 

You spent considerable effort in posting up this topic & even included a POLL.

A simple photo of the rusted tank would have really completed the post.

 

I can get pics but regardless, there's rust in the tank and it's not going away on its own. The surface on both accessible part of the tank in car have bubbled up in some place and wil eventually flake off. There's no telling how bad the rest of the tank is yet.

 

the tank is rusting? please post pic's

 

Why don't you just buy a new tank you will never be able to clean out the tank and get everything out of it, just order a new tank from the dealer you already put so much money in to the car

 

Find someone local parting out a car and get the tank from them, that's what I'd do.

 

Muscle car guys deal with this all the time... remove the tank, clean all the rust out you can, then seal the inside of the tank with a rust inhibitor sealer for gas tanks.... Eastwood has a whole section of products for just this problem.

Eastwood Gas Tank sealants and rust inhibitor

I have also heard of people using POR, but I am not personally familliar with these products.

 

Finding someone parting out an Evo local to me is non-existent as far as I know. No one within 55 miles from me has an Evo and doubtful one is being parted out. I'm pretty much set on cleaning the tank with old timer methods and a wire brush while investing in the fuel cell setup. The cell will drop the weight of the car, be easier to service, and hold an additional gallon of gas.

 

I've put hours into reading up on methods of cleaning a tank but every one of them seems to be on a motorcycle or older cars tank, nothing like how the Evos tank is setup but I gotta give it a try. Thanks for the link, I'll look into this product tomorrow.

 

Most of them you just pour in, and slosh around to get all the nooks and crannys... They know you can't reach the recesses of a tank, they are formulated as a pour in, slosh around and pour the remainder out.

 

I'm in the same boat as you right now, except on e85 and don't have bubbling from what I can tell. Really wish I would have hooked up a fuel pressure gauge when I noticed it running a little lean at wot. When I drain the tank I'll post some pics. I'm a little skeptical about cleaning it and risking running into the same problem again. Keep me updated.

 

this is the first time im hearing about the tanks rusting even when being used with e98

 

The same 1/2 tank of gas sat in the car for 4 years, gas goes bad and turns into water making it easy to rust a steel tank.

 

Sucks to hear that you are having this problem bro. Sounds to me like the 15 gallon cell is the win win. I mean (1) it's a brand new issue free tank. (2) you can maybe pre treat it with some sort of sealant to elliminate you having this problem again in the future and (3) it's another gallon of gas.

 

After going through all my options, I will clean the current tank the best I can while piecing together a 15, 17, or 20 gallon fuel cell setup for the near future. I need to do some measuring before deciding on which one to go with.

I've been quoted $220-260 for shipping alone to get another tank sent so why bother as that $400-$450 total cost will get me a brand new, nice cell setup.

I haven't had time to work on the car since the night I started pulling the tank but I may get it done tonight and see how bad it looks when everything is taken apart.