Cleaning out a fuel tank, any ideas.

[67 evil eleanor]

Took the fuel tank off for a cleaning. It seems to be in good order except for barnacles that have grown all over the walls, baffles and the bottom. Any ideas on how to clean the inside of the tank is appreciated.

 

[Gunnermac]

We have had good success with a good soak 2 or three days with a good caustic de-greaser,,wild dog, purple power or what is available in your area, Use it full strength, seal all openings and rotate it occasionally. Then wash it well inside with a hot water pressure washer. You probably won't be able to get to it all due to the baffles, thats OK, rinse well, very well with clear water and dry for several days. We use a heat gun to make sure its dry inside. Use one of the additives to keep slime, barnacles, and other critters away.

Good Luck, Mac

 

[212sparky]

Pm indy4x4fab his tank was full of bio c r a p. I think he used parts cleaner but am not sure on that.

 

[swbradley1]

Well, until they closed my EPA Superfund Cleanup site that did tanks in his back yard I would have had them do it. Now I'll find someone who dips tanks.

The guy pour acid into the tanks and cleaned it to shiny metal and then coated the inside.

 

[eagle4g63]

If you can help it.........use acid as your LAST resort.........I know a lot of guys do that then use a sealer on the inside.........problem with the acid is it eats the galvanizing out of the tank also........so IF the sealer is not perfectly coating the entire inside, including all the baffles you will have a rust problem soon enough.

I would use whatever you can get your hands on other than acid, I cleaned my tank out with first using regular old paint thinner........poured a gallon in there sloshed around and let sit overnight........drained back into the bottle and then used a nice parts cleaner and degreaser........same thing sloshed and let sit overnight.........the tank looked real nice after that, was able to remove the drain plug and everything..........I removed everything, pump all plugs and the float........took it to a spot not and used the nice hot pressure washer on the inside.........soapy then rinse.......looked like new inside again.

I'm pretty sure if you miss a few barnacles after all that, they will be dead ones and wont be coming loose anytime soon anyway. Just make sure the screen on your pump is in good shape.

 

[andyindy]

I once cleaned up an odd sized farm tractor tank by putting BB's and a small amount of diesel in it. I then strapped it to a tractor rear wheel, jacked it up and run it forward and then in reverse. Ran it at least an hour,cleaned it right up. Used about 1/2 pint of BB's, something a little bigger in diameter would work better on severe rust/scale. Andy....

 

[ranchhopper]

I took three gallons of acetone and a couple gallons of gasoline dumped it in the tank put the filler cap back on threw the tank into the back of my pickup and left it in there a week lots of sloshing around while driving to and from work and around town. Drained the tank a week later and all the crap came out with the acetone mix then put a small bottle of dish soap in with five gallons of water sloshed it around a bit and dumped it out then a few more gallons of rinse water then after draining left the cap off so it would dry and looked like new inside.

 

[67 evil eleanor]

I've cleaned it the best I can. On the fuel pump screens, I've noticed the openings are a little large and will permit fairly large chunks to pass through. Has anyone added or wrapped another screen with smaller openings around the fuel pump?

 

[swbradley1]

I once cleaned up an odd sized farm tractor tank by putting BB's and a small amount of diesel in it. I then strapped it to a tractor rear wheel, jacked it up and run it forward and then in reverse. Ran it at least an hour,cleaned it right up. Used about 1/2 pint of BB's, something a little bigger in diameter would work better on severe rust/scale. Andy....

That's funny, it's almost the same way we cleaned out SCUBA diving tanks, except for the tractor part. Rotate with steel BBs inside then clean out dust.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I've cleaned it the best I can. On the fuel pump screens, I've noticed the openings are a little large and will permit fairly large chunks to pass through. Has anyone added or wrapped another screen with smaller openings around the fuel pump?

Nope, thats what the fuel filters are for.

 

[m16ty]

I've got to do this asap. I keep collecting something best described as snot on the intake screen. It keeps plugging my screen. I've pulled the pump and cleaned the screen and changed the filters twice and still having problems.

 

[Gunnermac]

It's probably algae, you are going to have to clean the entire fuel system to solve the problem. Back flush the entire system after cleaning the tank.

 

[m16ty]

It's probably algae, you are going to have to clean the entire fuel system to solve the problem. Back flush the entire system after cleaning the tank.

I don't think it's algae. I've dealt with it before and the stuff I'm dealing with has a much thicker consistency.

My uncle is in the landscaping business and he borrowed my truck and left it on the jobsite a couple of nights. Right after he brought it back I started having the problems. I'm starting to think maybe somebody dumped something into the tank while it was on the jobsite unattended.

 

[jdknech]

I don't think it's algae. I've dealt with it before and the stuff I'm dealing with has a much thicker consistency.

My uncle is in the landscaping business and he borrowed my truck and left it on the jobsite a couple of nights. Right after he brought it back I started having the problems. I'm starting to think maybe somebody dumped something into the tank while it was on the jobsite unattended.

It could be your area? the truck I got from you is doing this same thing.. I'm having a he!! of a time with it.. lol O the joys of military trucks wouldnt trade it for the world

 

[m16ty]

It could be your area? the truck I got from you is doing this same thing.. I'm having a he!! of a time with it.. lol O the joys of military trucks wouldnt trade it for the world

Well there was a time when I had the deuce sitting next to the truck you bought out beside the road at the shop. After hearing this, I wonder if somebody could have tampered with them there. Shortly after you bought the truck is when I started having problems with the deuce.

 

[jdknech]

Well there was a time when I had the deuce sitting next to the truck you bought out beside the road at the shop. After hearing this, I wonder if somebody could have tampered with them there. Shortly after you bought the truck is when I started having problems with the deuce.

i would hope out where your at, this would not be a issue... but i guess the "kids" and adults with no respect are branching out farther... this is the kinda stuff that makes my blood boil..

 

[BlondeGuy]

Is there a way to clean and coat a tank without removing it? The British hid their tanks deep behind the armor.

 

[Csm Davis]

Biodiesel will clean the heck out of it. If it is white gunck it is a water and metal problem, but B100 will do the job.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Keith_J]

Pull the tank and clean it. The dirt must come out, Biodiesel will not clean it without causing more damage. Acetone will get the wax white junk but the rust remains. 4000 psi water will knock most off but you need to remove the rivets and desolder the cap boss.

Once down to bare metal, POR tank sealant works well. Bare metal, not tank rust.

 

[Captaincarrier]

Well he (the OP) has had over 5 years to deal with it.