32 Fuel tank clean out

BoxCar Tom

BoxCar Tom

Well-known member
Spoiler Alert, I'm no Mart = no video

Need to check and clean the fuel tank in prep for refinishing. Inside looked good, also used a borescope to get a better look. Inside was just a bit crusty so decided to clean it with some acid. Built a mount so that I could rotate and hold the tank a half hour in 10 different positions.

Surprise, mouse nest out of sight in the far chamber. Mouse nest gombo about the size of a football. Pleased I opted for the cleanout.

Spent two hours to wash it out and neutralize the the acid. Another hr to dry the inside with a leaf blower, hair dryer and shop vac. Sand blasted and primed the next day.
 

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That looks like an excellent way to refurb the tank.

I am a Mart and you did a much better job than me.
 
glennpm, Old Redneck, Mart, Thanks for the comments.

32phill, I used Hydrochloric acid, works but nasty stuff.

russcc, no coating, instead used Marvel Mystery oil.

Its a solid tank, original to the car, but I think i'll end up with at least two in-line fuel filters.
 
In-line filters=the way to go. At least temporarily, save yourself $$, & labor. I had a '66 International bobtail dump w/saddle tanks. Engine 'sputtering' = pull off the handy-to-get-at in-line filter, blow it out, one two three you're on your way.

Also - a radiator shop did my '36 half-ton tank. (Split it at seam)
 
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I would be reluctant to coat the inside of the tank -Given my recent experiences with POR-15 Despite following all instructions it flaked off and clogged up the fuel line but only intermittently I chased the problem for weeks before finding it -Karl
 
I thought I had mentioned on this thread that I tried Evaporust on a tank. I had been soaking a 39 Transmission that had been the rain for 50 years. (It cleaned the gears nicely. so I had plenty of evaop. he result was small pieces of translucent membrane that floated and would stop the outline. Also the shutoff was frozen in and the owner did not want us to break it off. We did three washes of a week each and gave up.
Clem
 
Thanks for all the comments. The tank was in the garage attic for years so that is probably when and where the mouse took up residence. He was awol when I cleaned the tank. When I drained the tank the nest was so big it clogged up the filler neck. I used water and baking soda to neutralize the acid. Drained it again and used water and dish detergent to further neutralize and flush. Garden hose was going for at least 2 hours straight. I have ten 5 ga buckets with contaminated water. Have to get more baking soda.
 
If corrosion is present and you want to scrub off the worst rust flakes, fit the tank to a concrete mixer or whatever is available to rotate it continuously. Fill with some cleaner and at least two handfulls of wood screws. You will be amazed how good these sharp screws will clean the internals. I do this with old motorcycle tanks and get them spotless within a couple hours. The screws will need to be renewed from time to time as they lose their sharpness.
 
vincent said:
If corrosion is present and you want to scrub off the worst rust flakes, fit the tank to a concrete mixer or whatever is available to rotate it continuously. Fill with some cleaner and at least two handfulls of wood screws. You will be amazed how good these sharp screws will clean the internals. I do this with old motorcycle tanks and get them spotless within a couple hours. The screws will need to be renewed from time to time as they lose their sharpness.
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Vincent I took the top off my tank to clear out the peeling POR15 . When I braised the top back on a couple of drops of braise dropped into the tank .
With the baffles in the tank removing them from rattling arround was a nightmare, Screws could I suspect be hard to get out
 
Moral of the story: never leave a gas tank sitting around without a cap on it and the sending unit hole closed off.
 
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