How do you clean a fuel tank

[Paulrobbo]

Hi all. Have just about finished my Mk3 before I sell it but am having problems with it running. I have removed the fuel tank earlier today and emptied it completely but it is full of gunk and I am not sure how to clean it out fully. I ran it for a while and took it round the block a few times. The fuel filter cleaned a load of crap out and a blow of compressed air cleared the pipe. But after that, it started to run lumpy and only two cylinders are working now, think the carbs are clogged ( tomorrows job is to strip them). Any help on cleaning the tank would be appreciated. Paul

[jamespworth]

Can't say what would be the best way but I filled mine with vinegar on the advice of a website and left it for a week, not 100% sure how well it worked but a lot of rusty discolored water and flakes came out and after a couple of rinses out it was clear.

[Paulrobbo]

Cheers James, sounds like an idea to try, have heard Parafin works but a bit worried about that. Paul

[jamespworth]

Could well work, I went down the vinegar route as it was cheap

James

[JensH]

If you have access to a concrete mixer and some old bike tube (and a little sand)  8)

[Nick Jones]

On my PI, I used swarfega driveway cleaner and a pressure washer (through filler hole and sender hole) as a first pass - that got about 1/2 bucket of fossilised hydrocarbon crud out.  I then mixed up some caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, sold in powder form as drain cleaner) which eats oily stuff very effectively and swilled it out a few times with that.  Be aware that caustic will eat aluminium and braze metals rather quickly but has no effect on iron/steel.

Nick

[WIMPUS]

i used tankcleaner..

that are 3 products , a anti-rust product , a heavy degraiser and a epoxy resin  :)

[mikew]

A good way is to drop an old bike chain in - secured via a nylon cord to the outside - put cleaner in tank and shake hard - the chain will dislodge loose flakes of all sorts of rubbish

[RedRooster]

In another tank.

[Paulrobbo]

Thanks all, some great ideas, think i'll try vinigar first a's then drain cleaner if needed. I'll let you know how I gey on. Paul

[jamespworth]

suppose it depends how good a job you need to do

[Mr Elsie]

Hi james, What type of vinegar did you use? When you done what did you rinse the tank out with?

[Twincarb]

would the idea to use vinegar be using it as a mild acid... in which case if I recall adding [s]sugar[/s] Salt to it will make one that is slightly stronger.... White vinegar would work better than brown...

Rinse it out with lots of water preferably a hose so you can get into every corner with a small amount of force

[JohnD]

A mild organic acid will remove rust, so vinegar or IMHO phosphoric acid that you can buy as "Milkstone Remover" from farmers'markets.   The latter leaves a coating of iron phosphate on the surface,   excellent if you wanted to add a tank sealer coat.
To get rid of oily, waxy deposits that old fuel might have left,  an alkali is better, but beware brazed-in tubing, or non-ferrous parts.

John

[jamespworth]

it was white vinegar I used didn't rinse out with water however was a good few weeks until I put fuel in so hopefully all the vinegar had dried out.

I have also used it on other bits and bobs (none car related) and it really does dissolve the rust. i'm sure its not as effective as the made for purpose stuff but good to clear out the crud.

[Sheepy]

5161 wrote:

it was white vinegar I used didn't rinse out with water however was a good few weeks until I put fuel in so hopefully all the vinegar had dried out.

I have also used it on other bits and bobs (none car related) and it really does dissolve the rust. i'm sure its not as effective as the made for purpose stuff but good to clear out the crud.

Also an excellent kettle de-scaler!  ;)

[RedRooster]

The tank does a good job, plus it's PH neutral so no problems with acid eating things away, heres  a rear flange i did last week.
RR

[Mr Elsie]

Where do you source white vinegar from?

[BarryH]

Any large supermarket or look for acetic acid. white vinegar or pickling vinegar.  Don't use malt vinegar waste of good vinegar that's better on fish and chips although I find it it goes well with boiled cabbage or a dressing on salads  (but not after it's been in a petrol tank).

[Mr Elsie]

Sourced from Asda.. 48p per bottle.. Sainsburys had ran out.. Are there other derusters out there..

[RedRooster]

3815 wrote:

Sourced from Asda.. 48p per bottle.. Sainsburys had ran out.. Are there other derusters out there..

Washing mahine powder, your missus should have some.
RR

[thebrookster]

242 wrote:

Washing mahine powder, your missus should have some.
RR

Bio, or Non-Bio?? Or does it not matter here?

Just I know if you want to use washing powder to clean oil off a drive, then you need Bio to really attack the oil, just wondered if it was the same.

[RedRooster]

Non bio, non scented, but you have to use elcetrickery to make it work  ;) and work it does  :)
RR

[lexi]

Iused 20 2litre bottles of `own brand` cola and rotated tank daily.My tank was rusty and gave fuel filter/carb issues.

[RedRooster]

OK Guys, you can do a better job cheaper with a bit of garage chemistry, most of the items you will already have so its also cheap.

1. Plastic tub, dustbin etc..you can use metal but the dog won't like it.
2. A battery charger, a basic one, around 4-5 amps.
3. Water, surely you must have that.
4. Washing machine powder, a couple of cups of.
5. A cut off of roofing lead, (you can use a scrap of steel though i have never done it that way)
6. Fill tub with water, add powder, stir.
7. Drape the lead over the tub so its in the water.
8. Battery charger +ve to the lead, -ve to whatever you want to degrease/ derust / paint strip.
9. Turn on the charger, within 30 seconds the water will bubble.
10. Depending on how fresh (not quick) the mix is or the mass of the object leave it go for 3-12hrs. An engine / rear axle will take a couple of days smaller objects like a flange say 6 hrs.
11. Once out of the tank brush down & clean off with spirits.

Try it out & enjoy.
RR