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Hi members,brand new to the site.Just purchased a 1980 Allison with a small gas leak under gas tank that seems hard to get at. Just humming it over best case scenario would be if it was the gas line connection just inside the tunnel (likely not that lucky) . Have read where Allison moulded the tank into the body which makes it sound non removable . Any one have tank trouble with an Allison?
I wont be much help other than to tell you my tank must have had the same issue. I also have an Alison but the original tank is not used. Instead there is a small fuel cell under the “hood”. Its basically an alluminum tank such as the one listed below. It works well. But again it was there when i bought the car in July. I assume the original had a leak and that is why it was changed rather than just replaced.
PMOSSBERG2014-04-14 06:55:35
Thanks for the comeback Mike.Must have been a common fault in the vehicle .I read a bit ago where the Gas Monkeys restored an Allison and it had the same problem and they just put in an extra tank like you mentioned.It was a beauty, by chance is that the one you purchased? By the way great site Paul, very informative!
Thanks…. But I don’t take any credit for it.
The site was created by a guy named Frank Devine way back there in 2004. Frank is a big VW fan and used to have an MG TD replica. He no longer has the TD and is an infrequent visitor here now.But we do our best to keep it alive!You’ll find a ton of info here.And a large group of very knowledgable TDr owners. (As opposed to a group of large….oh never mind! 😆 )Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
No i didnt get that one but was excited to see that episode. I havent run into many alison owners. there are a few on here though. Its a nice little car. we have a unique color. Its silver and black so a little different color scheme. just switched out the wire wheels for stock vw with moon dosc. i actually like that better. i dont know much about the cars so i may not be much help but happy to at least give you some help when i can
Mike,you said you haven’t run into many Allison owner’s , I read where there was was only 65-70 made so we can assume there was 65 questionable gas tanks in them, maybe poured the Fiberglas a little thin for a tank? Don’t get me wrong , love the car, nothing is perfect. Mine is silver with blue fenders,10,000 mi, looks great, new to the game also. Will approach this tank thing by process of elimination,will keep you posted Mike. Gord
Gord, you said that they “maybe poured the Fiberglas a little thin for a tank?”
Does the Allison use fiberglass fuel tanks??If so, I highly recommend that you do not use the factory tank. Fiberglass and Ethanol are not friends. They are a dangerous combination. There may be a resin that is impervious to alcohol (as in ethanol) but I am unaware of it. The alcohol attacks the resin used in the fiberglass layup. This can contaminate the fuel which is a secondary and much less important consideration to a gasoline leak while on the road.I know of no way to “fix” this problem other than using a metal or plastic fuel tank.Although this article is about marine use of fiberglass tanks, it should scare you.If you copy and paste the above link, it works. Sorry Paul, I can’t figure out how to post a link that you can click. Tried 4 times using the little symbol to the left of the tree. I’m obviously too damn old or stupid or both to figure it out.Royal2014-04-15 21:39:32
Hey Roy,
It looks like you have to be a subscribing boatus.com member to read the fuel test article.
Is the article too long to copy and post as a new thread?
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
This works. It must need the http:// too.http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/fueltest.asp
mustang_evets2014-04-15 22:49:30
Whoa: “EPA 8260 fuel analysis of a sample of fuel taken from a 1968 Bertram 31 located on Long Island Sound indicated 736,426 µg/L of styrene, a component of polyester resin.”
That explains much. Like why I was told never to put gas in a styrofoam cup.Thanks Mustang! Once again, you guys are smarter than me!
Ed, that brings back what is (now) a funny memory!It’s actually impossible to put gas in a styrofoam cup.Way back when I still had hair, I needed to pull the carb off my 1973 Opel Manta. I wanted to drain the gas first. So I grabbed a styrofoam coffee cup. That worked out well! The cup disappeared right in front of my eyes. Instant dissolving!PMOSSBERG2014-04-16 07:48:42
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Yep, I would guess most all of us have tried to put gasoline in a styrofoam cup.
I am embarrassed to admit that my experience was the same as yours. The gas went right through the bottom of the cup as the bottom instantly dissolved away when I poured the gas in.
Ed:
Did you pick up the following in the above referenced study?“Finally, chemical resistance data from a leading epoxy supplier showed that even epoxy can be attacked by ethanol.”I would rethink the swirl can assembly and go with the copper construction. If you polish it with Brasso it would look great.Thanks Roy for making the light come on. We maybe know now why there isn’t many Allison’s out there,,,they keep running out of gas, Lol !!! Great article on the subject, will do like the others and go with the fuel cell under the ” hood”. This site is good reading when you don’t have a problem. When you have a problem it is “great” reading! Thanks again for responding, Gord
Steve: Thanks for your concern. This link opens the Quick Steel data sheet as a pdf. It’s made to plug holes in gas tanks. Supposedly it’s impervious to gas and ethanol.
There’s no sign of degradation of the epoxy so far. The peel-off is an adhesion issue, which I expected. Right now (and barring any new data over the next week or two–this thing’s staying full of gas for the foreseeable) I plan to redo the cap with a through-fitting and a rubber gasket, then replace the O ring.When it’s done it will be out of sight even with the front hood open for inspection, so as much as polished copper appeals, this isn’t the place for that.Years ago worked in a bus repair facility. One of the mechanics was from a third world country he said due to lack of money and materials they would mix gasolene with styrofoam and make a glue from it. He did not say how it worked as a glue. I never tried it either.
Hi guys,
I’ve been off line for several years now & finally had time to log back on. In doing so, I noticed that all of you Allison owners are having the same problem. Me too. I blamed Sea Foam for dissolving the glue that held the tank together but realize that it was probably the same effect you experienced- that being the effect of gasoline on fiberglass. I also had to mount an 8 gallon racing tank in the front trunk area which spoiled the looks of the carpeted & decorated custom trunk area but it allows me to enjoy the car longer and it works. Mine sat for 7 years in the cold northern winters(Detroit) without being run, and as a result the shellacking ( sp?) effect of the ethanol laden gas plugged the whole fuel system with a peanut butter consistency sludge. Sea Foam after Sea Foam was used until it cleaned out the last remaining carburetor jets, and now using ethanol free gas, my little red MG runs perfect. These vw engines & carburation systems were not designed to run efficiently with ethanol & now, by using ethanol-free, I have no problems at all. Another fellow here in central Florida does the same thing with his & it also makes a no problem situation. Be careful , however , that you don’t simply run out of gas. The aftermarket tanks are smaller & have no adaptable sending unit that fits into the dash mounted gauge & the over-sized bored engines don’t get the mileage that you think. I just filled mine up yesterday & only got 77 miles out of 4 gallons. It also idles a lot during warm up & at shows, so don’t let yourself run out of gas.Larry from DaytonaBill, I use pure-gas.org to find my non ethanol gas. It’s been pretty reliable here in NC.
PMOSSBERG2014-05-06 21:16:45Hi guys,
At first I didn’t know where to find it & I remembered that a hidden little neighborhood station had a little sign out advertising ‘racing fuel’ so I started there- no luck. Then I went to my local Chevy dealer & asked the service rep. if he knew. I found a place 20 miles away which I used for a while. Now with the publicity that ethanol gas has gotten, there are more & closer regular gas stations that are advertising , competing in price & selling it. Small airports have it, but it is aviation grade which is not as refined or pure as that sold at filling stations, so avoid the airports. I just filled up yesterday at a local Marathon station 5 minutes from the house. Even some Exxons & some of the 7-11’s that sell gas have it. I use it in my corvette, lawn mowers, & 2 cycle weed whackers as well. Look around. you’ll find it.
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