What's the correct process for restoring an SWB oil tank?

[mshaver51]

Friends,

As I continue to attack the various tasks of a ground-up restoration, I am now planning the restoration of my oil tank. there are no discernible leaks, and the inside has been rinsed with solvents to remove oil residue.

So I ask for the collective wisdom ... What is the accepted/correct process for bringing an oil tank back from the dead?

Advice, photos, and recommendations for service providers are welcome.

Thanks as always.

[304065]

funny I just wrote about this a couple days ago here: http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...fic+oil+cooler


study parts manual to note all the pieces that hold the tank in the car. then when you take it apart, note the order of the pieces, and note which are there and which aren't. that way you don't end up ordering ALL the pieces if you don't need them (ask me how I know)

remove tank.
note presence and orientation of any original SWB oil tank bits. Sender is different, sender cover is different. Console is the same but is oriented upside down from 69-71

send tank to Pacific Oil Cooler www.oilcoolers.com they will ultrasonically clean the tank and will actually send you the particles they remove from it. might as well send the cooler while you are at it if the cooler hasn't been done.

I don't really reccomend trying to DIY this-- there is a mesh baffle about midway down the tank that can capture crud and makes it hard to do the old fill the tank with bolts and solvent and shake it routine.

reverse the process when done.

Not that difficult. If you don't have the mesh screen you should find a way to fab one up and epoxy it to the tank

[mshaver51]

Thanks, 304065. However, my situation has a few twists, because there was no tank on the car, and i've picked one up at a swap meet. As such, it looks like i'll be contacting www.oilcoolers.com and start there and with the parts books.

when they clean the tank, to they test it for leaks, too?

[304065]

can you post a picture of your tank?

yes pacific absolutely pressure tests the tanks and will report any leaks. if the tank is leaking too bad they will red tag it as unserviceable

[mshaver51]

i've contacted the recommended company.

here are the photos of my tanks. one has been stripped of finish, and the other has not. if you have recommendations about re-finishing, i'd love to hear them.

thank you.

[304065]

Those both look like lwb tanks. Can you post a straight on shot of the one on the left? The triangle formed by the console mount bolts is pointing in the lwb direction and the side of the tank is straight not curved. That's why I want to see the left one, it looks like it has the curve but the triangle is lwb.

You might get a laugh from this
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...light=Oil+tank

More info about distinctions here

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...light=Oil+tank

[EARLY911ZOO]

what about the thermo console on a 69S? does it need to be opened and checked? what about the flex lines and the short ones up front, if no evidence of leaks, re install them? if the car has had no issues or catastrophies and never had any, could cleaning the oil tank and cooler with solvents sufficient? also what about the thru the rocker lines, is a simple flush enough?
a freshly rebuilt engine is going in next week and this is my first time going thru this process with a front cooler car.

appreciate the input,thanks

[EARLY911ZOO]

I asked all this because going thru this for the first time I want it done right and instinctively knew to send them for cleaning and testing but the engine builder told the owner of the car that cleaning with gasoline was good enough. Well I just took out the front cooler and it is very clear that it needs thorough professional cleaning. So now I need to ascertain that the flex lines are okay to re-use and what to do about the thermostat console with hard lines. can theflex lines be tested and restored?

[mshaver51]

First, "thank you" for the additional knowledge, 304065. Upon closer examination, I've noticed that the stripped tank (on the left in previous photos) has a much large oil filter platform, as shown by the ruler in the photo of each tank. (again, one tank has been stripped and the other has not.) the larger oil filter platform is ~4" in diameter, and the platform on the un-stripped tank is ~3".

I was not aware that SWB and LWB had different oil tanks, so your assistance would be much appreciated so that I understand the provenance.

Thank you, friends!

[edmayo]

When mixing and matching oil tanks also be careful about the large oil hole in relation to the filter console, they changed between the SWB and LWB oil tanks.