Cleaning out fuel tanks.

[Rick W]

Has anyone got any hints or tips how I can clean out my fuel tanks? They are galvanised tanks, with what appears to be a built in reserve. They arent really rusty inside just got a load of ancient farmyard dirt/dead rodent remains etc in them. Thanks

[Jack]

Hi Richard.

 

Is the tank off?

[sirhc]

Frosts do a fuel tank cleaning/sealing kit, that would probably do it for you.

 

http://www.frost.co.uk/productList.asp?catID=25&frostCat=Fuel%20Tank%20Repair

 

I highly recommend marine clean, once you've tried it you'll never use anything else.

 

Chris

[Jack]

When I took mine off to paint it, I filled it up to the top with water to see if it had any leaks anywhere as I was thinking that I would never have the money to fill it with petrol

 

I then washed it out, then stuck an electric paint stripper in the filler pipe and left it until was completely dried out. Once this was done I then used my wife's hoover to suck all of the cr*p out of the tank - work an absolute treat, it was spotless

 

I got about a 1lb of rust out of it!

 

 

1.

 

Take a CCKW tank with added rust.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/richmorris/STA41535.jpg[/img]

.

 

 

2.

 

Take wife's hoover and insert in the foremention CCKW tank.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/richmorris/STA41540.jpg[/img]

 

.

 

3.

Equals one clean CCKW tank.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/richmorris/STA41546.jpg[/img]

 

 

[Rick W]

Thanks for the tips guys, i just got a Frosts catalogue so will have a look in there. It was very kind of your wife to lend you HER vacuum cleaner! i will have to ask mine if the Dyson has a special attachment on it for cleaning rusty tanks out! I cant wait to see her face...... :-D

[TooTallMike]

If the tank is off:

Not tried this yet but I've heard that you should get a handful of pennies and 2p's and put them in the tank. Shake it until your arms hurt and then some more. Copper won't spark any fuel that might remain, the sharp edges of the coins are great for breaking off rust and cr*p, and you can re-use them in the pub afterwards. Then treat with POR15 or the tank sealing substance of your choice.

 

- Mike

 

 

[Rick W]

Tell you what....I'll bring a couple of handfuls of loose change round your house and you can shake the fuel tanks! Thre's 2 of them and they are fairly hefty, how about it?? :-D

[Rick W]

Has anyone tried the Metal Ready gumption? Is it any better than a good coating of Hammerite rust primer? One thing people could clear up for me is what primer treatment to use, red oxide, if so why?

[sirhc]

I used metal ready on all the suspension components of my ferret, then sprayed them with red oxide followed by green paint. It has been 5 years and they are not the slightest bit rusty.

 

Chris

[Rick W]

Any Red Oxide spray? There was a bloke in CMV magazine who said he regretted it, ( you may be here!) why??? :?

[Enigma]

I can imagine primer being eaten off by the gasoline and clogging your pipes and carb.

[TooTallMike]

Sorry Richard, that was strictly a suggestion!

 

You could put the coins in and sling the tanks loose in the back of a 4x4 and go off-roading to save your arms the pain of shaking!

 

I'll be trying the coins method with the MUTT tank in a couple of weeks' time. I'll post here how it goes. I'd be interested in paint/sealant suggestions for once it's done.

[No Signals]

The tank I had, not got the vehicle now, had been treated with 'petseal' or something similar. This stuff started to come off in tiny bits which clogged the fuel line and filter regularly. A pal of mine suggested that it was the octane booster I'd put in with the fuel that had lifted the seal. I imagine red oxide would lift with the action of the petrol alone. Anyhow, not wanting to have to strip the vehicle to remove the tank I got a length of garden hose with a lump of rag tied firmly to the end and proceeded to mop the inside of the tank out. The hose quite easily being manipulated and guided to all areas of the tank, even past the baffle plates. I did this through the sender unit hole, as there were too many bends on the filler. The rag(s) being coated in stages with grease, thinners, turps and acetone. Grease being nice and sticky it picked the big bits up and the others I used as I wasnt sure which one would do the 'fine cleaning' the best. I then dried it out with a hot air gun. Same as Jack. It took me a few hours but it was a sunny afternoon and I did have a good supply of cold beer to help with my lubrication. I reckon I shifted it all as the problem didnt reoccur during the rest of the time I had the vehicle.