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Old 06-28-2022, 06:11 PM   #1
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Why do we never hear about rv fuel tanks rusting through?

Mufflers rust through
Exhaust rust through
Frame rust through…
Radiators rust through…
Oil coolers rust through…
Charge coolers rust through…

Yet I haven’t seen 1 post on rv fuel tanks (diesel or gas) springing a leak…

Why is that?
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Old 06-28-2022, 06:57 PM   #2
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Thicker metal.
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Old 06-28-2022, 07:01 PM   #3
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Thicker metal.
Than a frame?

Or exhaust?
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Old 06-28-2022, 07:03 PM   #4
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A lot of class Cs and gas Class As have plastic tanks .
Those with steel tanks are usually THICK metal , to avoid the need for internal bracing .
Diesel fuel tanks , even contaminated with water , would not rust through the tanks 1/4" steel ; in my life time anyway.
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Old 06-28-2022, 07:04 PM   #5
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Are they galvanized or lined ????
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Old 06-28-2022, 07:08 PM   #6
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Than a frame?

Or exhaust?
Yes on the exhaust. But the frame, no, however, I've never seen or read of an RV frame that actually rusted through. They should take a few hundred years for that but it can be accelerated if you drive your RV around the rust belt in winter, it would still take decades, or so I've read and seen. Sheet metal? Yeah, that'll rust through in a few seasons, but the tanks are thicker. And often positioned in such a way as they won't receive a lot of road liquid while driving. Forward and centered between the wheels for example.

I will be interested in seeing any frame rust through pictures you may have.
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Old 06-28-2022, 07:08 PM   #7
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Than a frame?

Or exhaust?
Haven't heard about frames rusting through .

Would you buy a muffler that weighed 350 lbs ,It'll last .
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Old 06-28-2022, 11:32 PM   #8
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RUST only comes from water and ethanol mix usually allows small amounts of water to mix w/ the ethanol and move on thru system and be burned vs sitting in bottom of tank. ONE of the ONLY benefits of ethanol. (IMHO) Another is that EPA rules now seal fuel systems vs vented to atmosphere in 20s to 1970s? This minimizes CONDENSATION compared to old days/ old ways/ old tanks, (both underground and vehicle)
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Old 06-30-2022, 09:58 PM   #9
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Mine is aluminum
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Old 07-01-2022, 02:36 PM   #10
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About 15 years ago, on my previous RV (a Class C built on a 2002 Ford F450) I was filling up with gas one day, and toward the end of the fill-up, I noticed gas was streaming onto the ground. Since the chassis was still under warranty, I took it to a Ford dealership that worked on larger vehicles. They dropped the tank and found that it was rusted through at some bolt on the top (or something like that). They replaced the tank and the warranty covered everything. That incident was one of a few that made me think it might have sat in minor flood waters for a time before I purchased it. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures, but if I'm recalling correctly what I was told, this might be an example of a gas tank actually rusting through.
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Old 07-01-2022, 02:46 PM   #11
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I haven't owned anything with a metal tank since the seventies, I just asumed most were plastic by now. I do remember issues with older F-450 and 550 trucks where the metal tanks were lined inside and the lining would de-laminate and lead to clogging issues. My Dad bought a brand new one in the eighties that had sat on the lot for a long time in the Northern Illinois cold winter, with next to no fuel in it. Both tanks had to be replaced.
Do those of you with the large 100+ gallon tanks have steel tanks? Even on the newer ones?
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Old 07-01-2022, 02:50 PM   #12
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Back in the '70's, I had many rusted pinholes in car gas tanks. I always had some of that two-part epoxy gas tank repair putty with me. But I also had many cars with horrible rust throughout the metal bodywork.

Metal treatment is so much better now. Even in Minnesota - land of road salt - it's rare to see a badly-rusted body on a post-80's car.
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Old 07-01-2022, 03:24 PM   #13
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'79 Ford PKP truck gas tank with pinhole corrosion midway underneath mounting strap. PA vehicles bathed in salt every winter.
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Old 07-01-2022, 06:14 PM   #14
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RUST only comes from water and ethanol mix usually allows small amounts of water to mix w/ the ethanol and move on thru system and be burned vs sitting in bottom of tank. ONE of the ONLY benefits of ethanol. (IMHO) Another is that EPA rules now seal fuel systems vs vented to atmosphere in 20s to 1970s? This minimizes CONDENSATION compared to old days/ old ways/ old tanks, (both underground and vehicle)

If they are truly sealed, how does outside air enter the tank as fuel level lowers?? If no outside air can enter, the fuel pump would eventually pull a vacuum in the tank.
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