goo in fuel tank???

[jasonjc]

Working on the '87 truck, I found this in the fuel tank. The fuel is/was a dark yellow color some thing, and the truck would not idle at after a minute or so you would have to keep the RPM's up to keep it runnig. I've pulled all 3 filters and they seem pluged but you can't see anything on the outside of them. There is this gray goop stuff in the bottom of the tank 1/4"-3/8" thick it is even all over the pump. What is it??? Is it some kind of self sealing stuff?? Some bad/wrong tank sealer the did not set?? anyone see this before??

 

[wsucougarx]

Yikes

 

[cranetruck]

Could be bacterial residue. When you get water in the fuel, bacteria will grow and this may be the result, don't really know Jason.

 

[wreckerman893]

Just my opinion but it may have been some sort of interior coating gone bad or someone used an aftermarker sealer on it.
I have never seen anything that bad in a fuel tank.
I would put a couple of gallons of acetone or laquor thinner in it and shake it around and let it soak a while.
Then put a few pounds of pea gravel in it and rotate it a few hundred times to scrape all the remaining crud off the sides and top.
Then pressure wash or steam clean it.
That is some nasty gunk.

 

[Westech]

prob just years of rust, dirt, heavy metals and could be some of the bug guts. I would not worry about it. Flush her out and Charley Mike (that's continue mission to you civy's)

 

[dc3coyote]

ITS all sorts of fun, one of my trucks had the same goo in it but it was 2-3" deep.
I cleaned the tank with acetone and put on new filters, she runs like a sports car. well at least at 52mph.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Ill scan the pics but I bought a "great Duece" last year from a Great guy in OK that has the same thing in its tank. Though looked a little more black that that.

 

[Bill W]

That doesn't look like any type of bio mass that I've ever seen. I'll go with Richard and say it was some type of failed coating. Feel around the top inside of the tank as I have seen just the tops of tanks coated which helped against rust forming up there from condensation. After about 3+ years ( un treated ) diesel turns to a day glow orange, after about 5+ years it turns yellow, if there is little enough fuel in the tank the old fuel will form into a dark brown varnish type paste.