Battery and Fuel tanks

[Russ35]

So, decided I should have a go at getting the S3 running for the first time in a couple of years (probably longer).

So working on the theory that the battery will need replacing, can anyone suggest a brand/model that will fit direct into the little battery tray holder? The last time I needed one I left the car at a Kwik-Fit style place with the make of battery I wanted fitting. He said they could get that later that afternoon. I turned up at 5pm to find him using a grinder on a battery (not the type I asked for) taking of some of the angled edging so that it would fit in the tray!

Has anyone come up with replacement fuel tanks? Mine is full of crap, rust and the POR15 sealer that's pealing of, so I might as well replace it.

[drak ula]

i got a big Bosch from GSF which they had in stock, will check the code for you in the morning.
if you're replacing the tank, how about finding an alloy one that will fit or having one made. i wondered myself about an alloy replacement, sometimes see alloy ones for chimaeras on ebay, wondered if they might fit. otherwise i guess it will have to be a one off. be a good weight saving though.

[v8s4me]

Have you got a proper "old-School" type of motor factors near you? If you have, call in there and bring a tape measure. They might have access to stock-lists which quote dimensions as well as AHr.

EG

https://www.tayna.co.uk/tools/battery-wizard

http://www.puretyre.co.uk/car-battery-specificatio...

Why do people bother with the likes of Kwik-Fit? No one rips you off quicker than a Kwik-Fit fitter.

Edited by v8s4me on Wednesday 20th January 23:14

[DamianS3]

drak ula said:

i got a big Bosch from GSF which they had in stock, will check the code for you in the morning.
if you're replacing the tank, how about finding an alloy one that will fit or having one made. i wondered myself about an alloy replacement, sometimes see alloy ones for chimaeras on ebay, wondered if they might fit. otherwise i guess it will have to be a one off. be a good weight saving though.

Rad tech made alloy tanks for the the S not cheep however. I just put an off the shelf Bosch 70 A battery on mine.. Will check the type code in the morning.

Cheers

Damian

[mk1fan]

I have a Radtech alloy tank with some modifications - baffles, foam, internal pump - and it wasn't cheap. While deciding what I wanted I did speak to a refurb company who would clean, repair and reline with an American product for a couple of hundred. I think the details are in my 'Repair and rebuild begins' thread.

[ChrisGadd]

I had an alloy tank made up by Andy Wiltshire see this post

[TVRees]

mk1fan said:

...clean, repair and reline ..

Can anyone recommend a commercial product ( not petrol ! ) to clean and maybe recondition the inside of a petrol tank ?

[v8s4me]

TVRees said:

...Can anyone recommend a commercial product ( not petrol ! ) to clean ...

Diesel, white spirit or parafin?

TVRees said:

...Can anyone recommend ... recondition the inside of a petrol tank ?

If it is rusty then there is not a lot you can do, apart from try the products which claim to neutralise the rust seal tank walls.

If it is in a bad way than it may have to be a professional job.

[phillpot]

v8s4me said:

If it is rusty then there is not a lot you can do, apart from........

........ put a handful of pea gravel in it and shake it till your arms feel like they're going to drop off, then shake it some more

[v8s4me]

phillpot said:

............ put a handful of pea gravel in it and shake it till your arms feel like they're going to drop off, then shake it some more

Is this from the JLR technical dept?

If you had access to, for arguments sake, one of those rotating hog roast spit things, you could, hypothetically anyway, clamp your tank between the end pates, put Phillpot's pea shingle in the tank and leave it rotating slowly for a few hours. Job done!

Obviously you wouldn't stick the skewer through the tank to hold it, because that would be a really silly idea

Edited by v8s4me on Friday 22 January 09:42

[mk1fan]

TVRees said:

Can anyone recommend a commercial product ( not petrol ! ) to clean and maybe recondition the inside of a petrol tank ?

I think I posted such details in the thread I mentioned above. If memory serves they were Liverpool way.

[glenrobbo]

Richard ( greymrj ) had his fuel tank refurbished at Hartlepool Radiator Co.
They are franchisees for the ( American ) ReNu process :

http://www.fueltanks.co.uk/service/fuel-tank-renu/

I believe he was very pleased with the result.

[mk1fan]

They're the ones Glen.

[phillpot]

v8s4me said:

Is this from the JLR technical dept?

Sworn to secrecy, couldn't possibly say

v8s4me said:

One of those rotating hog roast spit things, clamp your tank between the end pates. Obviously you wouldn't stick the skewer through the tank to hold it, because that would be a really silly idea

Don't light the fire either, that would be quite silly.

[HvdWeerden]

I have a used one in stock, no rust. Includes a 100% accurate fuel gauge :-)
Its in Holland ! PM for details

Han

Edited by HvdWeerden on Friday 22 January 20:22

[TVRees]

v8s4me said:

If it is rusty then there is not a lot you can do, apart from try the products which claim to neutralise the rust seal tank walls.

Thanks for the suggestions. The tank is really quite clean inside with one area (5-10 sq.cm) of minor surface rust at the bottom, under the fuel filling opening.
So, it could be pea gravel and sore arms (cheap) or some fuel tank sealers (not so cheap)

Does anyone have any experience using fuel tank sealers or repair kits ?