Tumbling A Gas Tank
- Thread starter warren va
- Start date
Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
Yes. But can you get all the gravel out?
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
...and adding to what Mike says, are you interested in getting some rust out, --or all of the rust out? My experiences have found many foreign objects partially imbedded in the sealer that has turned loose because all of the rust was not removed. Your experiences may be different....
.
.
Keith True
Well-known member
I've done dozens of tanks that way,and probably a half dozen or more were A tanks.I have had very good results.You won't get them absolutely perfect,but one of the A tanks I did like that was done in the late 70's and is still fine.If you are after perfection there is no substitute for the way Brent does them.I strap them to a loader wheel,with the inst.panel side against the wheel.I use Black Beauty sand,and enough gets behind the baffles to scour .With the face against the wheel the sand scours the top(most important)and the bottom.If the tank has a lot of rust I use a gallon of muriatic acid,if there is a lot of varnish I use acetone with the sand.It can take a long time.The tank in my RPU was on the wheel for at least 8 hours.I just go out every hour and check to make sure the straps are tight,and the wheel is still clearing the ground.It also take a lot of washing.It will come clean after a while.I use a finger screen in the tank,not for fine dust,but for chunks.The chunks will score the valve if they fall down in there.I had a real bad tank that I did,and it took around 15 years to accumulate a half inch of sediment in the glass bowl.It was doing it's job.I keep the tank topped off,and the car is driven regularly,gas is cleaner than it ever was,we are not filling them with old cans that sat out in the weather and sun to make water,so it stands a better chance of staying rust free.I do NOT use sealer.I have had a lot of tanks come back that I had done by a national chain.I don't blame them,the chemicals attacking the sealer were not invented then,so how could they guarantee against them?(not alcohol related by the way)All the tanks I had sealed from about 1980 until about 2000 have given trouble,and the ones I scoured with sand and acid have given minimal problems.
Thanks to All for your replys.
Keith;
I had planned to use some small white landscaping gravel.Is this a bad idea? Do you use the coarse or fine grade Black Beauty and how much sand do you use per tank or job? Do you add the muratic acid to the sand during the initial cleaning after the sand has been removed? I have access to an old revolving radiator cleaning machine with a gear head motor that runs pretty slow. Do you think this would work? If not I will have to find someone with a farm tractor. The new sealers by Mac's and other venders claim they are resistant to alcohol and all other fuels including Phase II oxygenated fuels.What do you think ?
Warren
Keith;
I had planned to use some small white landscaping gravel.Is this a bad idea? Do you use the coarse or fine grade Black Beauty and how much sand do you use per tank or job? Do you add the muratic acid to the sand during the initial cleaning after the sand has been removed? I have access to an old revolving radiator cleaning machine with a gear head motor that runs pretty slow. Do you think this would work? If not I will have to find someone with a farm tractor. The new sealers by Mac's and other venders claim they are resistant to alcohol and all other fuels including Phase II oxygenated fuels.What do you think ?
Warren
Ray in La Mesa
Well-known member
You can only get to the center section with gravel,chain,Etc as the baffles prevent physical rust removal from the ends of the tank. Better to go with chemical dipping.
Keith True
Well-known member
I use coarse Black beauty.It finds its way into the ends of the tank,in fact,after a couple of hours of turning most of it will wind up there.I use a couple of quart coffee cans full,it is fun to get out after,but it can be done.I don't use the sand dry,I dump in a gallon of whatever I am using for liquid.The sealers I used,or I actually had them sealed,were all resistant to anything at the time.Now,20 years later they are all coming apart.Most is turning into strips of gum.Todays sealers are fine for today,but who knows what will be in the gas in five years?Most cars I have done are long gone,either junked or sold so I have no idea how they panned out.The tractors I have done though are what people tend to keep for 30-40 years.That is how I know just what is happening with the sealers of the time.They still have them and thought they were set for life.I just cleaned a tank on a Ford that was bought new in 1958,and he has no intention of getting rid of it.