well

[63cub]

I got er started today finally after rebuilding the carb new starter new points plugs and condenser and a battery and 2 front wheels it started still not exatly right the gas tank is dirty and it is sucking the dirt into the carb any ideas how to clean the tank without taking the hood off ?

[Arizona Mike]

http://www.farmallcub.com/HLChauvin.htm ... Gas%20Tank

Drain into a white bucket..you will be surprised what you see. I would use fresh gas too rather than run it through a coffee filter. Its the first thing I have done with my Cubs.

Mike

[John Niekamp]

63Cub,

That can be a task in itself. I was lucky on mine when I was doing the restore process. I already had my tank off so I was able to get ithe whole hood/tank inside my sandblast cabinet and blast everything through the filling hole.

I really don't know a good way to do any of this with the tank still on the tractor. I have been able to take tanks out or off of things and shake the living heck out of them with some cleaning solvent and tumblimg rocks. I have heard where some people use small rocks, BBs and nuts and such.

I know it takes some time, but I would really consider taking your tank off and do something like I and so many others have done. It may save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

NOW this was ALSO a problem on my 1954 Chevrolet truck,(as with anything 50 years old and been sitting for many years) but I wasn't able to do the sandblast thing. So I and a friend spent almost two hours shacking the tank with tumbliong rock and I still wasn't able to get all the old varnish and rust out. I still continued getting crud get into the fuel pump and carb, so I installed two clear plastic fuel filters. One right at the tank and the other at the carb. so far "knock on wood" I haven't had any crap getting into my fuel pump or carb. I have been changing the filter every couple of months or so, with every change, less and less junk is in the filters. I am almost to the point af having it all cleared out.

Good luck, I hope you get something figured out. I know it can drive one nuts, and in my case it's a short trip.

John Niekamp

[Bigdog]

Do not use a vacuum to clean a gas tank! Just ask Brian Piersol!

[beaconlight]

Good god man don't try to suck the gas out with a vacume!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had some guys in the Aleutions transfering gas from 55 gal drums to above ground tanks. Thought they could speed it up with a gas powered water pump. Did pretty good first couple of barrels. Then a spark and all hell broke loose.
Drain the tank, run a gallon or so through a coffee filter, pour it back through the tank, repeat till gas comes out clear, Then clean sediment bowl, and screen. Then remove the plug from the side of the carb bowl, run gas through till it is clean again. My experience is that the screen at the carb in let is missing in most cases. If the carb is blocked or partly so remove it and clean internally.

No smoking or nearby open flames. Keep Droplights far away. Cold gas on a hot bulb will crack the bulb and a bad fire follows.

Bill

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

There was recently an article on another site by a guy that decided to clean the rust and dirt out of a drained diesel tank on his tractor with one of the old floor vaccums, the kind that had a long hose. Due to the way he had to stand he had the vaccum under his arm while he used the hose to vaccum the dirt out of the tank and held himslef on the side of the trator with one hand. Diesel fuel sucked into and atomized by vaccum fan, mixed well with air, and ignited by sparks from motor brushes equals flame thrower tucked under his arm. He was afraid to let go of it and couldn't get to the switch. Walls were blackend and scorched before the motor finally burned out and he could throw it out the door.

[johnbron]

Well you guys got me to thinking now (And it hurts) about what kind of vacuum cleaner the radiater man in town uses. He repairs a lot of gas tanks and he vacuums them out before sealing them.

[John Niekamp]

Now that I edited out what I said earlier, let me rephrase what I MEANT and should have stated, but hopefully somewhat better.

First: I assumed, everyone knew NOT to vacuum out liguid gas with a ordinary style shop vac.

Second: Actually the shop vac, I was was referring to belongs to my workplace. Its an explossion proof compressed air operated vacuum, for hazzardous and/or explosive materials. That I have access to. I have a bad tennancy of forgetting that not everyone has the same access to some of the neat machinery I do. Just a fringe benifit I have over a big salary, lol

Third: After the tank is high pressured washed out with hot water or steam, then completely dired, take the vacuum and suck out any remaining debris. We have a company that allows us to bring over our customer's gas and diesel tanks that are needing to be repaired. What they have is a steam system, to clean out milk transproting tanks. We will steam clean the fuel tank and after about an hour or so, when there is no hint of fumes left in the tank, the tank can safely be welded or repaired.

I have never had to steam clean any of my own tanks, usuually the hot high (2,000 plus pounds) pressure washer at 225 degress will do the trick. Then again, I am NOT going to weld on the tank either.

Usually the hot pressure water alone will remove any crap from inside of the tank. The problem is if there are any baffles in the tank. For this we have a semi flexible attachment for the power washer wand.

NOW, where the problem lies is if the tank is like the Cub's tank, you probably already have a nice piant job and you if use a hot water or steam, that's probably going to require a new paint job.

I know some people who have taken their old tanks, after they have cleaned them out themselves and this dairy will allow them to use their steam sytem to clean out the tank for a small fee. I don't know about taking a whole tractor, don't see what difference it would make, the milk trucks pulls right into the stalls. I don't know if anyone else will allow this or not.

Final process after all the crud is out of the thank is to coat the inside of the tank with some sort of sealer like "Red-Kote" or similiar. Might be fun doing it however with the tank still on the tractor.

Sorry guys on the confussion, and for my terrible explanation in my first post. I knew what I was wanting to say, just wasn't putting the right wording in it.

I hope this clears is up some.

John Niekamp

[johnbron]

John, That cleared it up for me and it was also (udderly) interesting how they clean the milk tanks.

[John Niekamp]

Almost forgot, While on the topic of exploding

EVEN, regular sandlblasting will cause tiny sparks and the the fumes left inside the tank can explode.

When I said "sandblasting" I don't use regualr silica-sand, I use a plastic media that doesn't or isn't suppose to give off sparks. Still one should be careful with static electricity discharge.

Johnbron, well I still couldn't guarentee, this is what your repair shop has. I know these vacs are rather expensice and if it's like one of the old boy that use have a radiator and gas tank shop in my town.

He fully beleived in the idea of running an running engine's exhaust into a fuel tank while he welded on it. Well he never got killed or really even hurt to bad by welding on a gas tank, this way, but I still think our way is hopefully safer. Then again I am NOT a welder, so I guess I don't have to worry about welding on ANY fuel tank.

John

['Country' Elliott]

Hey 63Cub...The BEST way to do it is REMOVE your hood & tank...BUT, if you're not going to go through that task you might try this...
1) Drain out all the gas (CAREFULLY & SAFELY) by attaching a LONG neoprene line from your sediment bowl output to a SAFE gas container.
2) Shut off your petcock and with a large funnel, carefully pour in 2 gallons of KROIL into your gas tank(available from http://www.kanolabs.com).
3) Let the KROIL sit over night then, using a wooden yard stick, carefully push it along the bottom of the tank to help loosen any stubborn rust particles. BE CAREFUL NOT to hit the small, upright screen right above the bottom tank opening.
4) Drain out the KROIL slowly through a coffee filter and back into the Kroil gallon cans. (you'll be amazed at how dirty the filter will get).
5) Re add the 2 gallons of Kroil to your gas tank and keep repeating the processes until your coffee filter is clean. It will take several times of doing this until that occurs (that's why it's easier to remove the tank in the first place).
Once your tank is clean...add FRESH gas, with Seafoam added to keep your gas stabilized and clean your help carburator at the same time. Stabilized gas will stay for up to 2 years without "varnishing"

GOOD LUCK!

[beaconlight]

Boy does that explanation make me feel better. I was working on the Dew Line Extension into the Aleution Islands when those three guy got burned.
I have soldered a number of leaking gas tanks through the years. I put an air hose into the tank and keep air flowing for a while before and while working on it. Then clean, flux and tin with an large 250 watt electric soldering iron. My grandfather did it too. he used big old soldering coppers you heated in a fire. We both solder on a piece of shim brass. Though on occassion i have used a flat piece of tin can.

Bill

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

One further note, the fitting for the sediment bowl extends up into the gas tank and does not draw fuel from the very bottom. I assume this was intentional to reduce the dirt and water that got into the fuel line. The result of this is that when it quits draining there will be about a pint or more of gas still in the tank.

[Rudi]

63Cub:

A belated welcome to the greatest forum on the net, the finest collection of people who just happen to be Cub-a-holics and pretty good friends to boot

As for your dilemma. The easiest and best solution is to drain the tank. Remove the tank. Flush tank with clean water at least twice, preferably three times. This will in effect somewhat purge your tank and make it safe to transport. It will probably also remove a lot of crap from the tank. Oh, don't forget to take the fuel/strainer bowl off..... Put in the back of your half-ton ifn you have one. I just put in the back of my Grand Caravan, opened the rear vent windows and the two front windows and off to the races I went. Take your tank to the best local radiator shop you have in your area. Let them do the work. The tank has to be purged, cleaned, acid etched and then coated with Red Coat or a similar product.

You cannot do it cheaper than they can and their work is guaranteed. I had Ellie's tank done at my local shop. Excellent job. Cost me $80.00 Cdn which should be about $65.00 US. Getting a product like POR15 will probably cost you $45.00-$50.00US and you still have to do all the work, buy a good respirator and a good fan. Cheaper in the long run to have the tank done professionally. I know some of the guys on the forum do their own tanks, but these guys have lots of experience. I have a little now, but no where near enough, even though I have the equipment, to do this by myself. I leave it to the pro's.

I intend to get Granny's tank sealed as well as Jethro's hopefully next to new almost tank done when I get around to finding one. It is the safest way to do it.

Yust me dos centavos....