Fuel tank rust removal

Marklambert61

Marklambert61

Member
Team,

Has anyone tried to remove rust from the inside of a gas tank by electrolysis?

I’m thinking of filling the tank with water and soda then hang an electrode in the tank in the center clear of the walls.
Apply voltage and with any luck should pull all the rust off the tank walls.

Thoughts or suggestions?


Mark
 
Do you need to remove the rust from the tank by going to such methods? A good proprietary cleaner followed by slosh sealant (and follow the innstructions on the pack) I would have though to be adequate. And I presume that if used regularly the petrol in the tank is going to dissuade rust from forming.
 
Marklambert61 said:
Team,

Has anyone tried to remove rust from the inside of a gas tank by electrolysis?

I’m thinking of filling the tank with water and soda then hang an electrode in the tank in the center clear of the walls.
Apply voltage and with any luck should pull all the rust off the tank walls.

Thoughts or suggestions?


Mark
Click to expand...



How you gonna know for sure because there are some hidden areas that may not get "de-rusted"??

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First, Brent I would really like to know how you cut the top off that 30-'31?
Was it done under the bead on the tank and what did you use?
Thanks,
Joe Grobleski
 
Mark. Electrolysis is somewhat line of site. I don't think you will find that it will get everything.

I would think a better more effective method at home would be to fill it to the top with 10 gallons of Evaporust. This would be a similar price to having the tank dipped, except it wouldn't remove the paint on the outside, you could do it still in the vehicle, and the Evaporust product is reusable, so you just put it back in the bucket and use it on brake drums, nuts and bolts and whatever else you want later.

http://www2.northerntool.com/parts-washers/parts-washers-accessories/item-334501.htm

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Have any idea if Evaporust or similar products will damage the fuel gauge? I need to clean mine out too and don't want to pull it if I can prevent it.

FYI,
I did try the electrolysis method several years ago and removed lots of rust, however the 'line of sight' problem left lots still inside. I used a diluted lye solution as the electrolyte over a 3 or 4 day period. Watch out for the fumes and lye mix that settles out around the filler neck and window frame. Use soda ash ( I think that"s the stuff) for a more paint friendly solution.

Cheers!
Bob East
 
I have used EvapoRust with good results but have wondered if it is just high priced molasses, although molasses is not cheap either. They seem to have the same attributes. You can use agricultural molasses the same way. Farm supply stores carry it.

I have used electrolysis on a 59A block with good results. It took about 2 weeks and still wasn't finished working but it even took out the heavy rust inside the water jacket, at least where I could see it. I don't know if the really deep hollows were cleaned out, but with enough time the line-of-sight problem seems to not be a problem.
I tried it once in a gas tank but probably didn't give it enough time. The positive electrode can't be allowed to touch the tank or there could be sparks and explosion. I put the electrode inside a piece of 1" PVC pipe that was drilled full of holes so the "magic" could get out without shorting against the tank. The big problem with doing a gas tank still in the car would be to get out the black residue that remains after electrolysis.
 
I've also wondered what Evaporust is that costs so much? I've wondered if it's just a high priced molasses or beet juice, which I also have seen sold at swap meets for rust removal. I've purchased dry molasses fron a farm feed store and used it for rust removal. It does a good job, but works best at temps of 90* and higher and takes from 4 to 7 days to remove all the rust. It doesn't remove paint, grease, nor spark plug markings on the porcelain. I haven't tried beet juice, but I have my Model A cooling system filled with 2 1/2 gallons of pure white vinegar right now and it's removing rust. I'll leave it in for about a week, but this winter I suspect I may need to remove the tanks and rod out my radiator.
 
The EvapoRust factory rep came here a few years ago and he told us it was a bacteria that lives off of iron oxide. The way he explained it is they eat until they die. That is why the stuff goes bad setting long periods, and why it is not effective the more you use it (they ain't as hungry!)

The other thing he explained is heat is not a good thing when using this product unlike using Phosphoric Acid because the bacteria are sensative to the heat. While EvapoRust probably has its places, it was too slow to be effective in our shop environment.
 
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