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Gas Tank clean-up

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Tom Evans
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Gas Tank clean-up

Postby Tom Evans » Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:32 pm

What's the best way to clean the inside of a gas tank? I picked up a used one for my '57 lowboy and it's in need of a good cleaning. I've read that shaking the tank with gravel inside does a good job. If so, is this done dry or mixed with a liquid ?

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rleggitt
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Postby rleggitt » Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:51 pm

Hi Tom,

I will tell you what I do. First off I make sure there is no gasoline in the
tank. Flush with warn suddsy water until satisfied that there is no gas.
I then blow dry with air hose. Then I put about a quart of "KROIL" from
Kano Labs in the tank with a short piece of small log chain. I then begin to
slowly rotate in a tumbling motion and let set to let the arms rest. Then
for about a week I walk by every time I think about it and do this all
over again. Then drain the Kroil and strain for future use.

Then I use POR 15 to seal the tank going step-by-step using their instructions.

Hope this helps.

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Postby Rudi » Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:51 pm

Tom:

The very best way is to take it to a Radiator/Gas Tank Repair Shop :!: For about $50.00-$75.00 you should be able to get the tank neutralized, cleaned and sealed. Sure beats buying the stuff and then having to work with all those chemicals. I am used to the chemicals, but it sure is simpler this way. Had Ellie's tank professionally done and now I am going to have Granny's done as well.

Btw, having it cleaned and sealed sure eliminates all those infuriating and frustrating problems with dirt in the fuel :roll: :D

If you really want to do it yourself then you could use ball bearings, small pebbles and such, but I think it is not worth the hassel. Pop in a whole bunch of ball bearings and then shake it around a lot. Then you will have to get all the ball bearings out and probably vaccum the tank to get rid of the dirt particles. Get em all, otherwise you WILL have crap and stuff in your carb..... :roll: :oops: :roll:

Then of course you will have to get some POR-15 or some Red-coat and then do the sealing thing yourself also. :roll: :roll: :roll:
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Postby Super A » Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:59 am

I have used muriatic acid. I diluted it with water (best I recall I used a cup acid/gallon of water last time, the stronger the mix the less time it takes) and filled the tank to the top. Let it sit for 24 hours, checked it every so often. When it's clean, get some gas tank sealer and treat it with that. Of course, BE CAREFUL with the acid!!

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Postby KYMike » Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:32 am

Here's a leftover memory remnant from chemistry class: you can add acid to water but be careful when adding water to acid (violent reaction).
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Postby F-I-T » Thu Oct 28, 2004 8:36 am

Tom:

You have a least three things to remove in that tank: dirt, gelled/varnished gasoline, and red rust.

Couple of things you don't want to do:

1)Disolve any plating (like zinc) from the inside of the tank

2)Make a near rust through hole a real hole.

3) Use acid so strong that you generate a significant volume of hydrogen gas...

That's why I am not a fan of muriatic acid (the common name for hydrchloric Acid) except to clean masonry. It's difficult to get it weak enough to be just an etching agaent.

Lately I have been doing the following:

First, if accessible, insert a small length of chain to use as an agitator. Be careful to remove any tank gauge floats if applicable.

If I think it's just old organic sludge in the tank, like boiled off gasoline, try acetone first (cheaper), then try MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone). MEK will do the job, but be sure to use it in a well ventilated area, eye protection, ....yadda, yadda....you know the drill. 2 quarts should do the trick.

If dirt remains, it's probably water soluble, put a cork in the bottom, and fill with hot water and 8 oz lye. Mix those two slowly! Soak over night, drain, then power wash every where the nozzle will reach.


If you then see any visible rust in the tank, go to the discount auto parts store, and buy some metal treating stufflike Ospho, Ph-Ospho-Ric+, or JASCO brand rust treatment. It's kind of greenish, and it is now sold by them to treat (convert) free rust into the black iron oxide and iron phosphate. Now this stuff is dilute phosphoric acid, but remember, not all acids are alike. This stuff will dissolve metal, but at it's low strength, about all you will get is a good etch. It WILL turn the old rust black, and that rust patch will then be chemically inert. The tank must be oil free so the acid can get to the rusted metal, so I like to wash the inside of the tank with hot soapy water, or purple cleaner to remove the oily residue from the MEK and slop. Then slosh the phosphoric acid around. Be sure to wear protective clothing and eye protection, etc. (though about all it will bite you nose !). Let it sit for at least 45 min or an hour.

Now, rinse the tank with hot water, or even better, blast it with a power washer. Though they say it will dry to a sandable, primable finish, I like to remove the black smut if I can. If you do this, it will shine, and you won't have to worry that you removed too much base metal.

After you wash it, slosh some MEK in it, and most of the water will pool out the drain. If you are not going to install it for sometime, slosh some diesel fuel it in to oil the fresh metal surfaces because the MEK will have stripped all oil from the metal pores.

BTW: I treat my freshly sandblasted parts with this "Phosphatizing" acid, then power wash, dry, and prime. The acid kills any rust I missed, and disolves any remnants of silica from the sand exploding against the metal.

Hope this helps.
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Gas tank clean up

Postby Eugene » Thu Oct 28, 2004 10:07 am

I've used a product called Red-Kote on two gas tanks with good results. Costs around $19.00 a quart. You clean the inside of the tank as others described then dry the inside of the tank. I mean really dry. Pour in Red-Kote, seal up the opening, roll the tank around to cover all of the inside of the tank. Drain out the excess. Then let the product cure - set up. This may take several days. The last tank I used this product on I let the tank set of several days. I then put the shop vac on exhaust, stuck the hose in the tank and ran the vac for several hours.

I had one failure with this product. I believe that I didn't let the product cure long enough before I tried to use the tank.


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