DonBecker

...I've pulled my fuel tank and it has the rubber bladder in it.

I would like to pull the bladder and get rid of it and seal the tank with the POR-15 gas tank kit.

Has anyone thrown out the tank bladder and run without it?

Looking for advice from those that have been there before...

Thanks!

-Don

SanDiegoPaul

My 76 is getting Front End Repair right now, but the Tank is one of the things to go this summer.

You will find that the bladder removal is the most common thing done on these cars, once the tank has been removed. I even saw somebody say they pulled it out with the tank installed still. I may try that myself. At least with these cars, one can still see inside the tank easy enough.

DonBecker

So it seems then that it's okay to use the tank without the bladder?

Sweet

TLChydraulics

Alright, got me curious...... why remove the bladder? is it breaking down or something? I have a 76... is this something in my near future?

Thanks,

Loren

DonBecker

Loren,

Mine looks okay right now, but I've heard of the bladder folding over in the tank and lowering the amount of fuel you can have it in.

I'm in abit of a different situation than most - I'm moving about 1800 miles from where I live now, and will be in an apartment for about a year, with nowhere to work on my car, so I'm doing a ton of preventative maintenance.

Glad I pulled the tank though, cause there was a bunch of rust on the frame and crossmembers back there!

GTR1999

Don, If the tank interior is clean after you remove the bladder you won't have to seal it. You need to reuse the gsket portion of the bladder,just cut it out and bolt it in place. Save the bladder too as it is useful for gaskets-like replacing the tar roofing paper used on the tank.

Gary

oregonsharkman

Curious how much this bladder weighs??? I am looking for more ways to save weight.

NHvette

OK - I am one of the BIG proponents of POR15.
I even re-did a gas tank with their kit. I am very pleased.

However, if I had a 76 tank with a good bladder, I would leave it.
Clean and POR the outside of the tank and the frame, but
I'd leave the bladder in place.

BTW - took the advice from a recent post and I cut out
replacement anti-squeak strips from a bicycle inner tube.
I used 3M trim adhesive to glue the strips to the straps/frame.
WOW - seems to work GREAT.

DonBecker

My bladder looks pretty good on the inside except for the edge where it folds at the top to act like a gasket for the sending unit. Has some cracks there, and I don't want to get anything trapped past the bladder.

Good tip on using it for the anti-squeak, I think I'll do that. BTW, was anti-squeak pads on the straps factory? I only had them on the support bars, the Dr. Rebuild catalog shows both...

Paul Borowski

These bladders are "collapsing" due to age, additives in gasoline or a combination of the two. Many of these cars are only taking 12-14gals of fuel to fill them up due to this. My bladder's been out of my 1975's tank since 1994 and has been GREAT ever since. With 118K miles on my car, my tank was mint inside and used nothing to "seal" it. Quanta now reproduces the tank WITHOUT the bladder.

DonBecker

Does anyone recommend redoing the sender portion as well (new potentiometer)?

I think my gauge reads right (besides the low fuel problem Paul mentioned) but I'd like to do this once if possible...

NHvette

I gave up trying to refurb my sender unit.
I bought the ACDelco one on sale at ZIP - and I am (again)
disappointed at the flimsy quality of aftermarket replacement parts.
You can always replace it easily enough at a later time - if it's working fine now.

ruby76

I've never really peered into my tank, I assume it is quite obvious if I go home and have a look whether or not mine still has the infamous bladder?

TLChydraulics

I see said the blind man.... thanks for the info !!!



Loren

jdmick

Now this sounds interesting. I'm going on a long trip soon and could sure use the extra tank capacity. What exactly is involved to do this and how much added risk is there of an exploding Pinto, I mean Corvette?

Paul Borowski

jd, not hard at all, but it does involve dropping the tank. Drop the tank, pull the access panel off of the top of the tank VERY GENTLY as this piece contains the sending unit/fuel pick up. Pull gently because if the bladder has "collapsed" over onto the sending unit/float/pick up it CAN BREAK as you TRY to pull it out. After this is out, you'll see how the "the top of the bladder" forms a "gasket" for this "panel". Simply NEATLY cut the bladder away from this area that forms a gasket for the panel. Re-install panel/sending unit/float assembly/fuel pick-up into the now "bladderless" tank using the gasket you made from the top of the neck of the bladder, put tank back up into position, hook all lines up, fill with fuel, go cruisin'