Gas tank cleaning question

[Craig Lewis]

I'm hunting for ideas to clean out a gas tank

This one's been in dry storage for many years. The gasoline odors have long gone, but my flashlight reveals several patches of flaky rust inside.

I read somewhere that you could fill em with sand and agitate...or spin it, to evenly clean the inside?

I guess I'm just hunting for ideas how I could build a spinner from readily available materials & shop junk, or if there's an easier way?
I tend to overbuild...Does anybody have a quick easy plan...before I build a titanic?

As a final step I plan to use "POR-15 tank sealer" inside and thought this might glue down any trapped sand particles.

Thanks for any & all ideas!

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Bolt an old spindle to a frame them bolt a junk wheel to the spindle. Run a V belt over the wheel and to very small diameter pulley on a 1/4 H.P. electric motor. Strap the gas tank to the wheel and let it turn.

 

[LeroyM]

Here's what I did with mine. I went and got 2 feet of small chain from the hardware store. I took and cut the chain into four 6 inch pieces and put them in the tank and tied the tank up in the garage. I put about a gallon of kerosene in the tank with the chain and worked the tank side to side and up and down about 10 minutes at a time while flushing the kerosene several times. This got a lot of the major rust out. After that I took the tank to the auto parts store in town and had them acid dip it. I think it cost me $25 or so but ever since then I have had no problems with rust in the tank.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

My experience has always been (at the expense of others) that you will only be able to aggitate what is in the center of the tank. The normal problem areas are behind the baffles on the top, --and the sides of the baffles themselves. Look at these pictures and visualize just how difficult it is to get aggragate in thru the cracks between the tank walls and the baffles (--and out again) PLUS get it to scrape the areas you are wanting to de-rust.

Honestly, I get many tanks in here that have been "spun & sealed" and as you can see in the pictures, the rust continues and soon thereafter the sealer turns loose and the problem resurfaces. Also note the green fish aquarium rocks that were used during a restorers tank spins, --and then "left behind" when he couldn't get them out. It is also worth noting that even though they were used, it never really de-rusted what the owner had intended, --or thought he had accomplished!

I could also fill this page with pictures of nicely painted gas tanks off of restored automobiles that are loaded with sediment. My suggestion when you find a tank is that bad, is to find an alternate method or tank.

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[allen]

I went a little different, I used muriatic acid (same stuff that cleans swimming pools) mixed half water and half acid, every once in a while shook it let it sat for many hours pour it out and then got alcohol pour this in it about six bottles shook it then air dry and then por 15, the por 15 it great but your tank must be clean if its scaling then it will flake off, i done this to three tanks so for all running car from five years back, good luck

 

[Bill Goddard]

Brent, Obviously, the only sure way to fix a tank is to openit up. How do you get a tank opened up like that and then reseal (weld?) it back together? Bill G

 

[Glenn C.]

Brent's method of repair is the only way to go, if you want it done right. If you chose to do it that way, please make sure, you take the tank to a radiator shop and have them dip the tank and flush, before anyone attempts to cut it open for repair using any method. "Safety First"

 

[Colorado Greg]

I just got done cleaning and sealing my tank and it turned out great! I know the best way is to have the tank boiled out before sealing it but my car is painted and I wanted to save the paint.

I hung the tank from the rafters with straps and rope that would allow me to roll the tank to different positions and then shake it side to side. I plugged the fuel outlet with a brass plug, gas gauge hole with a thick rubber gasket behind the big nut only and used an old gas cap to seal the opening. I put in a shitful of nuts and bolts, the smaller the better to get around the baffles. First I put in a quart of acetone, sealed it and shook and rolled the tank for a day. I then drained out the acetone and put in 2 gallons of EvapoRust for 4-5 days, shaking and rolling the tank every chance I could. Then one last rinse with acetone. It took me awhile to get all of the nuts and bolts out, but I finally got them all out.

I then used the Caswell's, Phenol Novolac, Gas Tank sealer. It is a 2 part epoxy and will cover/encapsulate and rust deposits left in the tank. Caswell is the only company I found that gave directions for re-doing other companies failed sealants. This was not the cheapest alternative but I feel it did a very good job. http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm

I have only put 5 gallons of gas in this tank so far but am very confident in my decision to use this cleaning method and sealer. Time will tell though.

 

[Ronnie Lawson]

I used POR-15 and here is what I did.
I put 1 gallon of Por 15 Marine Clean and 1 gallon of water in my tank.
I strapped the tank down in my pick up and drove from Indiana to Texas.
After I got Texas I drained the tank. A lot of brown varnish came out.
I put in another gallon of Marine Clean and a gallon of water and drove back to Indiana. Drained the tank and flushed the tank with water.
I then put in a quart of Por 12 Metal-Ready. Metal ready is a water based, zinc phosphate metal etching and preparation solution the is not toxic. You can re-use metal ready.
I loaded tank in back of pick-up and drove around sloshing it around. After I got back home I sloshed it around more and drained it back into a bucket.
I flushed the tank with lots of hot water and dried it out with an hair drier.
I then put POR-15 Tank sealer. Sloshed it around and drained the tank.
The tank is ready to paint and install.
Terry is correct on cleaning the tank. No product will stick to the rust that is left inside the tank.

 

[Domino]

I used a simplier route myself and just finished doing it. I put 2 gallons of gas in the tank and rocked the car back and forth. Then opened the value and drained through a paint funnel strainer. I must have done this 20-25 times before I got clean-clear gas and no rust or flakes in the strainer. I also insert a telescoping magnet into the tank and removes lots of crap - rust, a staple, two small washers, etc. The first two times I attempted to drive the car after 10-12 flushings, I again got stalling and dying problems due to this gas-tank trash. Yesterday I took it for a 12 mile drive and no problems at all. Ran it again for 15 and 12 minutes yesterday withour problems. I've cranked it and ran it for about 7-10 minutes twice today without it starving for gas. I also cleaned the cast iron bulb well (lots of rust in there) and installed a new gas line. I realize it may be pre-mature to say te problem is solved but being able to drive 12 miles instead of less then a mile sure gives me hope. Maybe my tank wasn't that bad! But as they say whatever works,

 

[RichardW]

I was just wondering if anyone has ever cleaned out a rusty tank with molasses?

 

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

We use a company that has a strip tank and immerse the tank in it and it removes all rust inside and out.
Then we use tank sealer from Bill Hirsch and seal it and paint the out side,
Works perfect, very easy to do.
Ken

 

[Craig Lewis]

Now that's a lot more ideas than I counted on!
Interestingly enough they ALL would work and I picked up a few ideas reading through it all so thanks.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Then we use tank sealer from Bill Hirsch and seal it and paint the out side,
Works perfect, very easy to do.
Ken

Ken, as a 'heads-up', what Hirsch is using is Permatex Gasket Sealer. I had to contact them for MSDS sheets a few years ago, and the sheet was from Permatex. When I thought I received the wrong sheet, it was confirmed that it was indeed correct. On Permatex's literature, it says their sealer is "resistant" to gasoline.

 

[fordcragar]

Brent, Obviously, the only sure way to fix a tank is to openit up. How do you get a tank opened up like that and then reseal (weld?) it back together? Bill G

I would be interested in this as well. Do you just drill out all of the welds, then blast and coat the inside and weld it back together?

 

[Russ/40]

Well, some great ideas, here is another angle I used. I put a ton of small washers in the tank and agitated the hell out of it. I did this dry, and repeatedly used compressed air to blow the rust dust out. This removed the larger scale from the surface. I then put white vinegar in the tank and let it sit for two days with occasional agitation and turning. After draining the vinegar, I managed to get all the washers out, using a telescoping magnet. I then flushed the tank well, and put a phosphating derust solution in for a day with agitation to be sure it got all surfaces. The resulting tank was spotless inside except for the obvious phosphate coating. I then rinsed it well with water, then alcohol and air dried it with my compressed air. The result was a clean tank with a rust resistant coating, that will not peel off.

 

[Cape Codder]

I was hoping that Brent would explain how he cuts the tanks open and what is done to them prior to cutting open.
Any chance Brent?

Thanks for your time
Joe Grobleski
Cape Cod

 

[Model T Monte]

Whad ya think bout modafied paint shaker an usein bb`s so they dont get stuck behind the baffles????????? Monte

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Sorry guys for the slow response as I am in South Dakota on an antique car tour but the quick answer is we cut thru the original weld to open it up. We actually soak the tank in hot caustic to dilute the fuel soaked into the pores of the metal but any good soap & water will suffice.

Monte, I don't believe the BBs will have enough sharp edges to actually dislodge the rust to your satisfaction.

Russ, how did you know the tank was actually clean behind the baffles?

 

[fordcragar]

......... the quick answer is we cut thru the original weld to open it up. We actually soak the tank in hot caustic to dilute the fuel soaked into the pores of the metal but any good soap & water will suffice.
.......................................

Brent,

Do you put these tanks back together? If you do, after they are welded back together are they sealed or what?