While doing my Water pump on our 3126 Cat, pulled the steel tank from the fire wall, per Bruce Beans suggestion. Lots of rust between them, not any holes in the tank. Lots of heavy pitting, and much metal scales.
Light scrap then wire brush, then sprayed rust killer from Napa. Some black paint, and we are back in business. A guy could do this easily by draining just the tank. Easy to do, easy to remove. I just laid it on a portable table, and did the resto work.
If you have time, I would recommend doing it. Bruce told me he got a hole in his tank he had to patch. One of those simple proactive jobs that I was too lazy to do till now.
Sorry I don't have pictures, was too dirty and hot to take them.
At what Bob said, $240.00 hrs in Vegas for shop rate, easier now then on the road.
Chris
Here is a thread that alerted me to the problem and my fix.
Rust alert. Coolant reservoir (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=31819.0)
Chris,
Was there any kind of plastic sheet between your tank and the bulkhead? Or is it just metal to metal?
The last time this subject came up I went out and looked at my tank. It has a sheet of some kind of heavy black plastic that covers the back side where it rests on the bulkhead. I have not pulled my tank off, but I suspect the plastic has helped prevent the rust.
I'm just curious if my setup is OEM factory, or added by a previous owner.
Good link, and yes, that is how ours looked exactly.
Thanks for sharing
Chris
Good job MR Cat man 😎👍. Chuck there was nothing between mine just metal to metal.
After cleaning & painting, we mounted out tank back on bulkhead with spacer to let air flow across backside.
We did not disconnect anything, just move out a bit and cleaned, scrapped and painted.
Recommend this for everyone, as this is not a good out of sight, out of mind.
Good call looking at it. Will clean, prime, paint
Again Thanks Scott
Mount
Also will add 1/8 thick washers to stand apart both parts to prevent further corrosion
Nothing behind it, metal to metal.
Chris
OK thanks. Guess it was added by a PO.
I'll still drop the tank and see what it looks like....when our weather cools off a bit.
Yes. me as well when this Hernia surgery allows
Here is our thread showing our scrapping tool & other comment on the rust problem:
Coolant pressure tank rust problem (we all may have) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=32277.msg288213#msg288213)
I will check my tank tomorrow.
Checked my tank, was rusty and would have failed some time down the road. I have cleaned it and will treat it soon. This Forum
is so great.
Here is a picture of it. This is after I power wired brushed it.
Chuck I looked at ours tonight, we too have a black plastic barrier between the tank and bulkhead.
OEM factory or did our PO's know each other?
Interested to know what you find behind yours, purely as an indicator as to how far up the list I need to move this project.
Thanks
Knowing both coaches PO they were most likely done down at Bill's shop. John, Bill, or Dave will be 100% for sure, as I remember talking to one of the 3 about if it would hurt anything when this came up several years ago.
Mike