Re: Re: Re: Cleaning a Gas Tank

Posted by Don(PA) on August 03, 2000 at 18:24:24 from (205.188.199.204):

In Reply to: Re: Re: Cleaning a Gas Tank posted by Brian Schmidt on August 02, 2000 at 19:41:43:

I just finished cleaning a tank off a 44 M -- it was nasty rusty inside! I had tried course sand and agitating it on a chain rig in the shed, but it was so bad that I got out only the loose stuff - a couple of cups! I then followed Spencer Yost's suggestion of using roofing nails (it sounded strange, but it was effective!). Just dump a bunch (I probably had 5 pounds in that big tank) in and agitate the heck out of it. Since the gas cap was already pretty beat up, I wnet ahead and used it to seal the opening - don't want nails all over the farm! A pipe plug closed off the outlet where the strainer was removed.

The agitation was the problem, as hand shaking while suspended just wasn't sufficient. My Dad made a little rig for the side of another M wheel, and everybody took turns driving it around. CAUTION - THAT TANK STICKS OUT AND IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, SOMEONE CAN GET REALLY HURT -- USE YOUR WIDE OPEN SPACES!!! Also be sure it is tied and bolted down TIGHT or it will wiggle around and fall off - damaging something! GO SLOW!

Did that a few times with water, draining and hosing it out with clean water, then using Naval Jelly (phosphoric acid) and water. Keep agitating and when the water gets really rusty looking, drain and flush out. Took me all day! I pulled the nails out with a magnet on a handle -- worked really well. If you keep rotating the tank, they will all come out - just be sure to twist the tank so that the nails can slide down the top of the tank (the baffle is very close to the bottom, but not the top).

But when it was finally done, the inside looked clean for the first time in 8 years! Dry it REALLY well immediately, though, or the water will rust the inside -- then let it sit in the sun open for several hours or days...

Then apply your Kreem or whatever sealer. As bad as the rust was, it did not leak through!

Good luck, and hope however you clean it works out for you. Don(PA)

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