What is the best way to clean out a gas tank

[73Elsinore]

Hi guys. What is the best way to clean out the gas tank. Truck is a '91 4x4 with 221k miles. It has been sitting for over a year and a half. I will be ready to restart it in a couple weeks. It has about 15 gallons of gas in it from when it was parked so I am going to drain that old gas, drop the tank and clean it out. I am going to replace the pump and sender also as a preventinve measure and I will blow out the fuel lines.

What have you all done to clean these things out? Acetone? MEK? Pressure washer? Berryman's carb soak? Take it to a radiator shop?

Thanks!
Pete

 

[manaen]

is it rusted as well? or are you just trying to get out the old gas?

 

[73Elsinore]

Thanks for the reply. I haven't been into it yet. It is 16+ years old and has been sitting for a year and a half so I am sure it has a layer of crap on the bottom. I will drain the old gas and then drop the tank.

I just put on new heads, had the injectors cleaned and tested at an injection shop, and replaced a sh*tload of parts so I want this thing to be right the first time. I figger after 17 years the tank is full of shyte. Thanks!

 

[manaen]

well if it is rusted there is an acid based wash that you fill the tank with that etches the metal, and then you coat the inside with a fuel tank sealer. If it is just dirty almost any method will work to get the crap out of there. Pressure washer and some good degreaser would be a lot less caustic then some of the other chemicals you mentioned. I would rinse it out good with clean water and then do a final rinse with de-natured alcohol (available at hardware stores in large quantities) just to remove all the water and degreaser. Then you should be good. If you find that there is stuff still in there then you can go to the more powerful things like acetone or carb cleaner etc.. but I would think the pressure washer would get most of it out.


If you do find you need a sealer, I got mine from JCwhitney when I had to do it. I couldn't find the acid wash locally so I used some water and ph-minus from a pool supply until I got the acidic level I needed to etch the steel. Let it soak for a few hours. The steel will turn dark from the process and then rinse the tank with de-natured alcohol to remove all water and grease. Let it dry and then coat your tank.

 

[manaen]

Oh and don't just dump the old fuel into the ditch, dispose of it properly...

you know malatov ****tail style

Just Kidding!!!

 

[DeRocha]

Most 1st gen tanks are plastic. When I replaced my fuel pump/sending unit I drained the tank and then used shop towels to clean up the remaining few ounces of fuel. I then used a garden hose, dish soap, scrub brushes to clean the inside.

 

[manaen]

Most 1st gen tanks are plastic. When I replaced my fuel pump/sending unit I drained the tank and then used shop towels to clean up the remaining few ounces of fuel. I then used a garden hose, dish soap, scrub brushes to clean the inside.

Sweet, even easier!!

 

[dogfriend]

Seafoam.