> I have a 1980 TR7 which has a fuel filter showing signs of rust, here
> are the questions
>
> Can the tank be cleaned for less than the 400.00 of a new tank,
> will the clean tank be just as good as the above mentioned new tank,
> or will the fuel filter catch all of the rust and if I keep the tank
> reasonable full in the future will the problem go away?
For the non-mainstream view, my suggestion is to leave it alone, changing
filters as necessary, until the tank starts to leak. Then replace it. You
may go a long time before that happens.
Cleaning the tank will not stop the rust, nor will keeping it full. Some
people have reported severe problems in the past with the "slushing
compounds" ... apparently the witch's brew they sell for gasoline here in
the US causes the coating to flake and peel, which is worse than the rust
flaking. Possibly the slushing compounds have been improved by now, I don't
know.
There are several people offering tank "rebuilding" services, for example
Gas Tank ReNu, but they are not cheap. They are mostly for cases where new
tanks are not available, IMO (or where you want the tank to last longer than
another 26 years).
http://www.gastankrenu.com/
FWIW, I just soldered up the holes in my TR3A gas tank almost 20 years ago.
I find a few flakes of rust in the sediment bowl (and carb bowls) every time
I service them, but the tank still doesn't leak (even after the car was
wrecked).
Randall
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