5 Causes of Rusty Fuel Tanks and How to Overcome Them

A rusty fuel tank can cause several problems, ranging from disrupting injector performance, carburetor, fuel pump, to engine combustion. This certainly has a significant impact on the car's maneuverability performance.

So what are the factors that cause the fuel tank to rust? How can these problems be addressed? For more details, let's take a look at the following review.

Causes of Fuel Tank Rusting

There are several factors that make a car's fuel tank prone to rust. Here are the complete factors.

1. Poor fuel quality

The main cause of a fuel tank rusting easily can be due to the poor quality of the fuel used. As is known, each fuel has different RON levels. This RON significantly affects engine compression and the condition of the fuel tank.

In Indonesia, most gas stations sell gasoline with RON 89 (Premium), RON 90 (Pertalite), RON 92 (Pertamax), and RON 98 (Pertamax Turbo). The higher the RON used, the better it can prevent rust formation in the car's tank. Additionally, using inappropriate and low-quality gasoline can affect fuel consumption, making it less efficient.

2. Infrequent cleaning of the fuel tank

A fuel tank that is rarely cleaned can also lead to a greater accumulation of dirt deposits. This condition can cause corrosion in the car's tank and block the fuel circulation channels.

3. Issues with the electrical system

When the car's electrical system has problems, the fuel tank will be more prone to rust. Why is that? This is because a short circuit (electrical short) can cause the car to overheat. Excessive heat can cause damage and rust on the walls of the car's tank.

4. Frequently leaving the fuel tank empty

Rust that occurs in the fuel tank can also be caused by trivial matters. It turns out that frequently leaving the car's fuel tank empty can trigger water vapor inside the tank. How can this happen? This condition is caused by air being trapped inside the fuel tank for too long without being used for combustion.

Over time, the air will evaporate and create condensation or water vapor. The prolonged presence of water vapor on the tank walls can trigger rust growth.

5. Environmental factors

An environment with high humidity can also cause the fuel tank to rust easily. The humid air can trigger the formation of water vapor in the tank.

And when the car engine is started, that vapor can cause a chemical reaction between oxygen and the metal of the tank. This condition can accelerate the corrosion process.

How to Address a Rusty Car Fuel Tank

Here are some ways you can address a rusty car fuel tank.

1. Use fuel that meets the car's specifications

Every car has specific fuel specifications set by the manufacturer. You can use fuel that meets these specifications or use high-quality fuel (high RON).

2. Regularly clean the fuel tank

The second way is to regularly clean the fuel tank. You can ask a skilled mechanic to disassemble or empty the car's tank so that the rust cleaning process is maximized.

3. Regularly check the car's electrical system

Regularly checking the condition of the car's electrical system and its components can reduce the risk of short circuits. This way, overheating issues can be prevented, so the fuel tank will not rust easily.

4. Avoid running the fuel tank empty

The next way is to ensure that your car's fuel tank is always filled. This is to avoid the evaporation process of air that triggers water vapor and corrosion.

That is the information regarding the causes of rust in fuel tanks and how to address them. Hopefully, the above methods can be beneficial.

Tips Sahabat