Cleaning a Fuel Tank with Concrete Mixer - Need Suggesti

RTR · Oct 5, 2023

Looking for suggestions on how to tie this gas tank down to the mixer drum. Tried using a couple smaller ratchet straps but since the drum rolls/spins around on the wheels mid-way down the drum, it interferes with the strap. If I can get a good tie-down system, I'll do alot of tanks like this.

Secondly, I was thinking of using Xylene to put in the tank with a piece of chain and some nuts and bolts. We have xylene on hand and I know MEK is stronger, but I am curious if you think that will do anything. If not, what would you recommend. Prefer to stay away from muriatic acid if at all possible due to the strong effects it will have on the metal and possibly ruin it before I can neutralize it.

JMOR · Oct 5, 2023

Are there paddles/whatever inside the mixer drum that you could attach the straps? I was just working rust, so only used water and a small bucket of assorted bolts, nut & screws.

RTR · Oct 5, 2023

(quoted from post at 00:19:44 10/06/23) Are there paddles/whatever inside the mixer drum that you could attach the straps? I was just working rust, so only used water and a small bucket of assorted bolts, nut & screws.

I'll have to check and see.

DanielW · Oct 5, 2023

I strap a piece of plywood against the front of the mixer by strapping to the paddles inside the drum, then
strap the tank to the plywood with separate straps. I've been using the same piece of plywood for a while
now. It allows me to drill new strap holes for every new tank I put on there if I want to, so I can get
them positioned wherever it makes the tank most secure. The plywood also prevents metal-on-metal contact so
it doesn't scratch the paint on the tank quite as much. Not that I often care about scratching it - usually
if I'm doing this, the tank's quite old with a worn paint job anyway.

I'm a big fan of doing one tumble with a strong degreaser, then doing the next with muriatic acid/naval
jelly for rust. In my experience, the rust removers will be very ineffective unless all the gunk/crud is
cleaned out first. Then I rinse out with water, wash out with methyl hydrate, dry as best as I can with an
air gun, and do one final wash with WD40 to displace any remaining moisture and coat the whole inside and
prevent rust.

DanielW · Oct 5, 2023

I should also add: I only tried Xylene once, but wasn't too impressed. The industrial degreasers (I like Super-Clean) were far, far more effective than anything else I tried (Xylene, acetone, methyl hydrate, Varsol) for cleaning the tank. If you don't want to use muriatic acid you could one of the milder commercial rust products like 'Evap-o-Rust'. Whatever the case, I've found after cleaning many tanks that a two part cleaning is necessary. The first one for dirt/varnish/crud, and the second for rust. No product does both well.

RTR · Oct 6, 2023

(quoted from post at 01:07:01 10/06/23) I should also add: I only tried Xylene once, but wasn't too impressed. The industrial degreasers (I like Super-Clean) were far, far more effective than anything else I tried (Xylene, acetone, methyl hydrate, Varsol) for cleaning the tank. If you don't want to use muriatic acid you could one of the milder commercial rust products like 'Evap-o-Rust'. Whatever the case, I've found after cleaning many tanks that a two part cleaning is necessary. The first one for dirt/varnish/crud, and the second for rust. No product does both well.

Ended up using a couple of rubber tarp straps to secure tank to inside of hopper, and I filled it with some Purple Power. I think it was a little bit diluted, but it was all I had. About 2 gallons of it. Been sitting all night. Gonna go over at lunch and let the tank spin for my 30 min break.

Stephen Newell · Oct 6, 2023

Couple rolls of duct tape should do it.

RTR · Oct 25, 2023

(quoted from post at 02:33:35 10/07/23) Couple rolls of duct tape should do it.

I put some MEK in there after running it with the degreaser. The degreaser got it pretty clean, but after an hour of tumbling with the MEK; boy is it shiny clean. I let it soak all night and going to go check it in a little bit at lunch today. Other than what is near the top, it should be clean as a new tank or close to it!

Cleaning a Fuel Tank with Concrete Mixer - Need Suggesti

RTR

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JMOR

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DanielW

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RTR

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Stephen Newell

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