My Mini stinks!

[MiniDave]

Revisiting this for a minute.....first, did it cure the smell?

Second, how big of a hole does the paint need to drain out of, before it could clog it up? Reason I ask is I'm planning to do my tank and there is a vent tube on the top of the tank, I wonder if that would be big enough to let the paint out or would it bridge over?

Seems like welding up a hole would screw up the nicely finished sealer you just put in?

[BruceK]

Yes, as Borat would say "Great Success!".  No smell inside the car at all. And the tank coating is holding up with no problems.   

Regarding the vent tube at the top as a way to potentially drain out the tank coating, the answer is no way Jose. The vent itself is a pipe and it extends for a little distance into the interior of the tank. Its positioning is clearly designed for vapor and specifically to prevent any liquid from entering the tube.

As to the size of a temporary drain hole you'd need to make for the fairly thick POR15 coating, I would say that it would at least need to be about half inch diameter at a definite low point of the tank. Of course, since the tank is out of the car during this process, you could actually put the drain hole close to the top of the tank as it will later sit in the car.

[94touring]

Thought about you this week Bruce.  I needed to coat a 55 gallon drum to store my water/methanol supply.  The interior of the drum was brand new and clean with minor surface rust here and there so was easy to prep with the body shell chemicals I already have on hand. Phosphoric acid diluted down and then a couple rinses with hold-tight 101 diluted down.  Came out etched and looking like a million bucks inside there.  I bought a gallon of "tank sealer" brand coating. Enough to do about 3 drums really. A quart wasn't quite enough and 2 quarts cost the same as a gallon.  But....have a mini pickup tank that's seen better days that this can be used on also. Day 2 of letting it fume out and cure before I can add my fluids, but it's got a nice shiny surface and what little bit that got  on my hands and top of the drum letting it drip out is really tough stuff.