Two stuck gas tank gas caps sludge in the other tank

Dave Koenigsfeld · Oct 15, 2008

I am restoring two McCormick-Deering 10-20s. I have a donor tractor as well. Two gas tanks have gas caps stuck in them and the other has 1 inch of sludge on the bottom.

What is the secrete trick to get the stuck caps off?

Is it possible to seal over the hardened sludge or do we put rocks/bolts in the open tank and drive around with it like I have heard of?

Thanks for the help.
Dave
Nixa, MO

Bob Kerr · Oct 16, 2008

Try putting ice or dry ice on the caps to shrink them and very light taps with a brass hammer might get then loose. Also if you don't get the sludge out it will cause nothing but headaches later. Bolts and nuts are about the best shot. Works good if you have an old pump jack and an engine and set the tank on top the jack so it rocks back and forth for a few hours. Carpet put under the tank will keep it from getting scratched up. A couple guys shaking it works too but will wear you out.

Dave Koenigsfeld · Oct 16, 2008

These caps are solid steel but the tank might shrink around it and make it tighter. In any case, I will give it a try. I'm going to go get some bigger vice grips!

spiffy1 · Oct 16, 2008

You sure have it looking great so far!

I used to just put a big pipe wrench on them, but too often left a couple bite marks

On the other hand, probably not too bad if it balances out the marks where someone had hammered it years earlier. :lol:

Haven't tried it on a gas cap, but I wonder how a chain wrench would fair?

Dry ice like Bob mentioned may work well, even better if you can keep something warm around the neck;I have done that a few times, but again I haven't tried it on a gas cap.

If they are crazy tight, yet it's clean enough fill it with water through the bottom; heat may work; especially in combination with the dry ice. Of course if it's full of water (were these fully solid? I'll need to look), and you don't want to damage the edges at all, you could braze a big 'ol nut on the top and wrench on that; melt it off later and clean up the brase with a wire wheel or a file and sandpaper. I done that to quite a few things, but yet again not a gas cap......

....I better bite my tonque now, as I haven't taken the caps off that 22-36 yet! :wink:

Dave Koenigsfeld · Oct 16, 2008

I bought a huge channel lock pliers. Rotated both the starting tank and the fuel tank caps off. A couple of bit marks but a new cap is only $6.00. I am going to the body shop next week and try the other one.

Thanks for the help.

Two stuck gas tank gas caps sludge in the other tank

Dave Koenigsfeld

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Bob Kerr

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Dave Koenigsfeld

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spiffy1

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Dave Koenigsfeld

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