best way to clean out fuel tank?

[jesusgatos]

The baffles are going to prevent any type of pressure-washing or vacuuming from being very effective, right? So how should I go about cleaning out my tank?

 

[GoHot229]

have it boiled out at a radiator shop, but it'll be about $150.00

 

[jesusgatos]

Ouch. My tank isn't actually in such bad shape, I just figured that I ought to clean it out now, while I'm overhauling the rest of the truck. WreckerMan suggested filling the tank with pea gravel and tumble it. Any other DIY-type ideas?

 

[BugEyeBear]

I hear you can use Muriatic Acid...

Anybody ever use muriatic acid to etch a fuel tank? - Red Power Magazine Community

Where to Start?

Removing rust in a mc gas tank. - Caswell Inc. Metal Finishing Forums

 

[randyscycle]

Muriatic acid will work, but it will also rust almost immediately. Not the best way to clean the inside.

Phosphoric acid will also work, but take a little longer. It leaves a protective coating inside afterward.

Tumbling with some sort of media will do a good job too, but removing it all afterward is the hard part.

Any method you use should be followed by some kind of sealer if you want the tank to live a long time. Most tanks have some kind of treatment of the metal inside, and once you strip that off, it renders the tank very vulnerable to rust.

 

[jesusgatos]

After thinking about it, I decided to take my tank up to a radiator shop in San Jose. They're going to hot-tank it and blast it out, then apply Red-Kote (made by Damon). Anybody used this stuff before? Quoted me $250 to clean and line the tank with Red-Cote. Sound reasonable?

 

[Westex]

I'm going through the same thing....Am pulling the tank out; having it vatted for $90.00 just to get it clean; then I plan on using KBS products to coat it myself. I looked at Red-Kote today; you should be just fine with them....according to their website, they've been in business a long time.

 

[Keith_J]

Hot tank is best, it will pull all the goo and most of the rust. Along with all the paint. Never use muriatic acid, it removes far too much iron. Phosphoric acid will only remove the rust.

Now if someone made reproductions in 304 stainless

 

[GoHot229]

I'v been touting muriatic acid for a while now, BUT have learned that the inside of the tank has a ZINC coating on alot of MV's . Muriatic and zinc create Hydrogen (Flamable) of course, so it must be done with out any source of combustion prefferably out of doors in a well ventelated place. The phosphoric acid seems the ticket with this new information.

 

[hole]

How would one "tumble" their fuel tank? I use this method with my cement mixer, but I'm having trouble figureing out to do this with a fuel tank.

 

[trog]

Muriatic acid strips zinc very quickly, and I would never use muriatic in a fuel tank.

To get debri out of a dry tank, I have used a 150 cfm compressor, tying a 3/4 inch pipe in the tank so it can't fly out, and letting the air blast through until no more dust emerges. Takes forever. May be faster to fabricate a new tank from stainless.

 

[yolner]

Not sure how much it would cost for a deuce tank, but I have used the POR15 tank sealer system with very good results on a few old motorcycle tanks.

 

[GoHot229]

How would one "tumble" their fuel tank? I use this method with my cement mixer, but I'm having trouble figureing out to do this with a fuel tank.

Could you put it in a tire sideways and walk it around?

 

[wolf-dose@t-online.de]

The very classic way is to put some gravel and sand in the tank, mixed with water and than turn it, turn it , tun it until you do not remenber how many times. This works basically on any tank that has a filler opening without standing inside the tank, for you have to get the dirt out. Else give the job, as said, to the radiator shop and let them do that. Here the price including a ceramic coating easyly exceeds 400 $ for a standard MV fuel tank. But what is the alernative for a non replaceable tank?
Wold

 

[spicergear]

A buddy of mine into mil veh's would put some gravel into the tank, then ratchet strap it to his tractor tire and drive around for a little while. That worked real well-

 

[hole]

A buddy of mine into mil veh's would put some gravel into the tank, then ratchet strap it to his tractor tire and drive around for a little while. That worked real well-

That will work . I didnt consider that method since I live in the city. I have an old Ford tractor too, but mines for going to the store for beer.

 

[boomer]

Ouch. My tank isn't actually in such bad shape, I just figured that I ought to clean it out now, while I'm overhauling the rest of the truck. WreckerMan suggested filling the tank with pea gravel and tumble it. Any other DIY-type ideas?

jes,
If it works for WM, go ahead and try it.

 

[boomer]

Quoted me $250 to clean and line the tank with Red-Cote. Sound reasonable?[/quote]


Things are sure pricey in Ca. Is it just in san jose (joe's)?

 

[BugEyeBear]

Quoted me $250 to clean and line the tank with Red-Cote. Sound reasonable?


Things are sure pricey in Ca. Is it just in san jose (joe's)?

Probably DOES cost more for this sort of thing in CA.

Stricter emissions & environmental impact requirements, higher cost of living, and a strong desire of service providers to make an extra buck wherever they can...

All of this increases the price of things.

I love CA (I grew up there...), but I now live in GA for a reason!

 

[USMC6062]

Red-Kote is the best tank sealer I've ever used! I lined the fuel tanks on my old John Deere with it and I am very happy with it. I've used tank Kreem in the past and it doesn't cover as well and would peel off it it got to thick in one spot.