M.W.,
I had the exact experience with a 59TR3A I purchased some years back. It
had been sitting in a garage in San Francisco for a number of years.
That brown particulate matter you mention is very likely the residue that is
left behind when gasoline sits in a gas tank for many years. The new gas
you have been adding to the tank is likely loosening up the sludge that has
been stuck to the bottom of the tank all these years, waiting for its moment
to be free again.
I solved the problem by having the fuel tank professionally boiled out,
removing and throughly cleaning out the fuel line with solvent, and
throughly cleaning out the fuel pump and carbs. From the amount of sludge
you have indicated, I can assure you that this will be your only road to
salvation.
J. Robinson
M. W. Jordan, Jr. wrote:
> Good evening.
>
> Since putting a 59 TR3A back on the road after it had sat in a barn for
> about 7 years, I have noticed a significant accumulation of what I
> assume to be rust in the fuel pump glass bowl. And during a tune up
> today, the carbs required dismantling to remove an additional
> accumulation of rust in the float bowls. And that with a new fuel
> filter prior to the first start up (fuel filter between pump and
> carbs.) I removed about 1/8 cup of this brown particulate matter after
> only about 125 miles since first start up.
>
> When I got the car, the tank was pretty much empty. This evening I
> removed the fuel tank from the car, first draining the gas from the tank
> in a plastic bucket. I then poured the gas from the tank through 3
> coffee filters into another tank, expecting to load up the filters with
> rust. But there was only a very faint trace of any debris in the
> filters. Examining the tank through the filler spout, there is very
> little evidence of rust on the interior of the tank. Need to take the
> fuel gauge sending unit off tomorrow and see if that provides a better
> view, but the inside of the tank and the lack of debris in the gas I
> took out suggest the source of the rust may not be the tank, at least
> not exclusively.
>
> Question to the list. Is it likely the fuel lines could be the source
> of the rusting? I have not examined closely (got dark) but the lines
> appear to be steel, not copper.
>
> Any ideas appreciated.
>
> Separate issue. The parts manual shows a banjo fitting at the top of
> the fuel tank, presumably to provide venting to the tank. On the tank I
> removed there appears to be a bolt fitted in the top, o banjo, no vent
> line. So the only way the tank could vent would be through the filler
> cap, and the filler cap seals should prevent this. While not related to
> the rust question, could this lead to fuel starvation and could it in
> some way lead to a lean condition, regardless of the carb settings. The
> reason I ask is that I have something of an overheating condition when
> the car is run hard, but it cools fine when not run aggressively.
>
> But then again, I don't consider myself a mechanically minded
> individually.
>
> Collective wisdom of the list would be greatly appreciated.
>
> M. W. Jordan, Jr.
> Marietta, Ga.
>
> (Where it has been in the mid 90's for the duration of the overheating
> period)
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