Gas tank cleaning

[bilzbobaggins]

Ive read all the posts using gravel/bolt type objects and swirlling them around in fuel/solevent.

 

 

Ive dropped my fuel tank out of the 521 and found TONS of bullshit in the bottom. It looks like rust, but I cannot find where the rust begain.

 

Ive sloshed the shit around and dumped, the repeated. Because of the filler neck going past the face of the tank, and the sending unit neck being recessed, I cant get all the bull shit out.

 

I cant really see any places in the tank where rust was eating the inside, but I think some of it is.

 

Also, someone had glopped silicone all over the top of the sending unit, and I did not find a rubber O rind anywhere. Think the rust was started up around the sending unit from water leaking in from the access plate in the bed.

 

Heres my question. Can I take this bastard to the car wash and use the spayer? I see people say to rinse out with a garden hose, but can I use the pressure?

 

Plus, with everything out, ill know where the rust is if it comes back up fresh in the tank.

 

And everyone calm down, the pics will be up later. Its getting late here in the east and want to get done.

 

Thanks

 

Jeff

[izzo]

my 521..

 

There is a drain plug on the bottom of the tank. I just opened that up. Filled with water repeatedly and drain. Then i set the tank on some saw horses, threw the hose in there. Turned the water on and walked away for 5 minutes. I got a flash light in there, didn't see a spec of rust. Good 2 go!

 

Good luck man.

[bilzbobaggins]

Then im off to the car wash. Want to blast this shit out!!!

 

Thanks for the wishes!

 

Jeff

[datzenmike]

#17342 14800 is the number for the correct gasket for the sender so it does not leak. I think it's a gasket, later 620 use an O ring.

 

Izzo is right, I seem to remember a drain on my old 521.

 

I don't see why you can't use a pressure washer, as long as the sender is out. It's delicate.

 

Rust just happens inside the tank from moisture in the gas and from dampness in the outside air being drawn in as the tank empties. Keep your tank filled as much as possible. In the rainy season run gas line anti-freeze to absorb the moisture... If you are running gas with up to 10% alcohol don't bother with this.

 

.

[merlin]

Eastwood sells a clean, etch and seal kit for about 60 bucks... Have one for my 521, but need a day to do the job.

[bilzbobaggins]

Alright, blasted the sumbich out. Was a chore like always, first carwash closed for remodeling, second had no f'n pressure, and the third worked. Dont like the third, its a jesus themed carwash.

 

Got all the crap out. The way to describe what it looks like in the bottom now, is to say the lowest point in the tank all the way around has some black scouring in it. Ill try to get a pic of it.

 

 

I cant quite slosh or drain all the water out, so im going to soak up as much as I can, then going to set the tank in front of a fan and mist with rubbing alcohol to speed up the drying process. Of course its not 90 degrees outside tonight. Cold snap is in town.

 

Oh, and got lucky. My filler neck is still pliable. Has a little cracking, but think it will be fine. The vent line im replacing. Was harder than sammmy j.

 

Thanks for the part number Dmike. Saves looking it up on the pdf file. Gives me a headache. Need to print it all out.

 

Thanks

 

Jeff

[DISLEXICDIME]

Phil it with white vinegar seal up the holes and stick it in the back of a truck for a day or two while you drive around

[bilzbobaggins]

Pic of silicone that was on top(wife had camera when I started)

 

Best pic I could get before cleaning

 

 

And after

 

 

This should get me running for a while. No more constant knocking shit outta the fuel filter and getting junk in the weber. Nice to have a vehicle idle so smooth the way it does when clean.

 

Think I will look here in the future to doing this the correct way and getting it tanked and sealed.

 

Just got done stuffing rags in and getting the pools of water out. Going to set up now in front of a fan. Must have ready to drive to work tommarow at noon!

 

Thanks again

 

 

Jeff

[Elkie]

I've always had success cleaning rust out of old motorcycle tanks, using first phosphoric acid, then rinse with baking soda and water, then acetone to remove water. If your not going to refill it soon with gas then marvel mystery oil swirled around in it.

[Big Schlink]

In the vw world they use muratic acid, which you can get from home depot, seems to work really well.

 

Check this out for the process: http://www.ratwell.com/technical/FuelTankRestoration.html

[bilzbobaggins]

Thanks for all the replies. Read the article on the vw bus tank. Seems pretty easy. Just hate that I will be without truck for 5ish days.

 

After the tank was dry, I cut a temp gasket outta cork for the sender.

 

 

Then I put it back together the way it were, and reinstalled her. Shes running fine and so far didnt clog the filter in 10 miles so Im on the way to better things. Wondering if the p/o fix of silicone was the reason for fuel smells when filled more than half a tank.

 

Oh, and need to get some bigger fuel line for the vent. All I had big enough was some heater hose. The crap I took off was clear plastic :lol:

 

Thanks again everyone!!

 

Jeff

[Tuan]

I used Rocks and gravel, worked okay, but I was told by a friend to use NUTS and BOLTS since it would not leave dirt or residue. But after sloshing 5 times with the gravels I hosed everything out with a garden hose. Let it dry in the sun for a day. Which my friend said I should use any alcohol based liquids as it will flash and dry off, unlike water. But either way works.

 

I bought a quart (But all you need is a pint) of POR 15 Fuel tank sealer. $40 or so for a quart and $25 for a pint. Expensive but it worked great.

 

NOTE: YOU should pour the entire quart or pint in and rotate in and make sure it's all covered. then once covered, drain the excess immediately as the liquid is still in liquid form.

 

I got greedy and try to make a thick coat but leaving it inside, and didn't turned out great, but you can't see inside the tank anyway. So that is that.

 

POR 15 is sick sick stuff. DON"T get it on your hands, won't come off for like 3 weeks. Wear gloves, so I've learned. hahaha. Walked around and ate at restaurants and people looked at my hands and were like WTF, this guy is dirty.. Hahahhaha. HOrrible 3 weeks, scrub and scrub and scrub, till my fingerprints are no more. ahahaha.

[Jesse C.]

Put some solvent or de-greaser in the tank with about two feet of chain, seal of all the opening and shake it about! The chains will knock loose the rust and dirt, and the solvent/cleaner will remove the gunk.

 

Run some Sta-Lube in it when you put it back in the truck to keep water, or get water, out of the system.

[Rocket Dog]

I've been looking, is there a tutorial or pics of how to remove the sensor housing?

 

[bilzbobaggins]

If my memory serves me correct, I knocked the inner ring around with a punch as carefully as I could. The sender unit ring has a key in the ring to keep it in place against the tank. Be carefull wit the sending unit, I musta fried mine working in a hurry in the dark.

 

I know it hasnt been long, but im scatterbrained.

 

Jeff

 

If you are not cleaning the tank, vacuum all the junk up so it doesnt fall in the tank thats on the top.