product made to clean fuel tank?

[lobo]

Anyone have a product recommendation or other solution for cleaning out the fuel tank? It has very light rust and some crud in tank... it's 30 years old.
I removed the tank but really don't want to go the time/expense of having it professionally done. Thanks

 

[Kytim]

years ago, we used to use short lengths of chain or sharp gravel or some other hard material to clean/de-rust metal fuel tanks. just dont use anything small grained, i.e. no sand! then shake, shake, and shake some more. i've used this technique for all types of tanks, semi tanks on down. of course a round semi tank you can just roll. after knocking the scale off inside, rinse out with a solvent of some kind, no water.


i had a friend that ran an old car resto shop that used an old clothes dryer to build a contraption using the moter,pulleys and asst parts that clamped the tanks inside a plywood box that turned the tank over and over with the chain inside, when taken off, looked like new inside. noisy as heck tho.

 

[Lil Foot]

We used to use a couple cups of BBs & a little diesel, then shake till our arms fell off..... worked great on motorcycle tanks, just a quick rinse with gas & it was like new.
We used a coating to re-seal the inside, but I can't remember what it was.

 

[300zx]

years ago, we used to use short lengths of chain or sharp gravel or some other hard material to clean/de-rust metal fuel tanks. just dont use anything small grained, i.e. no sand! then shake, shake, and shake some more. i've used this technique for all types of tanks, semi tanks on down. of course a round semi tank you can just roll. after knocking the scale off inside, rinse out with a solvent of some kind, no water.


i had a friend that ran an old car resto shop that used an old clothes dryer to build a contraption using the moter,pulleys and asst parts that clamped the tanks inside a plywood box that turned the tank over and over with the chain inside, when taken off, looked like new inside. noisy as heck tho.

Kytim, I have heard the same thing. Either the dryer approach or strapping to anything that will turn it for a while. One guy used a cement mixer, another the back tire of his garden tractor after he jacked it up. Beats wearing out the arms.

John

 

[Kytim]

The garden tractor is a good idea for small tanks. wish i'd heard that one earlier..

 

[B7100]

I'm a great fan of electrolysis!!
dave

 

[exrceme]

I once stored a outboard motor for 4 years when I came back the tank was rusty inside I took it off and brought it to the shop and filled it with carb cleaner left it over the week end and it cleaned up nice no more rust

 

[lobo]

Thanks for the help. i pulled the float inside the tank and used two 6" lenghts of chain with a gasoline and Seafoam mixture, then rinsed. It came out pretty good and tractor is running fine... would have been a lot better if I had the patience to shake for more than an hour.

 

[Kytim]

I'm a great fan of electrolysis!!
dave

Me too, but i'm not sure about tank interiors unless a sealer is used. Will the iron phosphate/diesel combination precipitate any sediment? chemistry never was a strong suite with me.