QuestionQUESTION: MIKE,
I AM TRYING TO FIND A GAS TANK FOR A 1995 MERCURY VILLAGER 3.0. I HAVE SEARCHED EVERYWHERE I CAN THINK OF-CAN YOU HELP ME FIND A PLACE TO GET ONE OR TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY EXISTING TANK? I HAVE HEARD THAT YOU CAN CLEAN THEM WITH ACETONE AND LINE THEM WITH SOME TYPE OF PRODUCT. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
ANSWER: Fuel tanks can be lined with a coating that prevents rust and seals small leaks. Any radiator shop can do this for you. If I needed a new tank I would try (in this order), a salvage yard, a radiator distributor, and the dealer. You don't say what is wrong with the existing tank, but they can almost always be repaired. Price a new one, though, you may find it is more cost effective.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: EXISTING TANK IS RUSTED ON THE INSIDE AS I FIGURE ONE FROM A SALVAGE YARD WOULD BE. HAVE TRIED TO FIND A PART # OR A DEALER WITH NO SUCCESS-ANY SUGGESTIONS? WHAT IS THE COATING THAT A RADIATOR SHOP WOULD LINE THE TANK WITH?
Answer There's no real reason that a salvage tank would be rusted, so long as the cap is still in place. Rust needs water, which cannot, under normal conditions, get into the tank. A dose of contaminated fuel could do it, of course. That's why you should always buy your fuel at a busy station, they have much less contamination in there tanks.
I don't know what they use to seal the tanks, but I wouldn't even think of doing it myself. Motorcycle shops sell stuff for sealing small fuel tanks, but even it is hard to apply correctly.
I can't understand why you can't find a dealer, there are thousands of them. If you don't have a local Mercury dealer, the Ford dealer could get it for you.
