Rusty Gas Tank

[Chris Coon 17]

Apologies for a "non-auto" question, but I figured it was close enough. 

My help has been requested to get this Farmall Cub running after sitting for many years. There was about 3 gallons of nasty gasoline in the tank along with a fair amount of rust and some grayish color goo on the bottom. 

So my question is... What have others done to successfully clean out a tank?  someone told me to fill it with Apple Cider Vinegar ?  

I asked my staff what to try, but they were no help!

Im certain I'll get some great suggestions here

Thanks 

[ALF1920 12]

I have a 1933 Franklin with the same problems. Had the liquid drained and sent to a county hazardous waste site. Had the tank opened and sandblasted and then coated with a sealant. The removed metal was soldered back on.

[RansomEli 266]

Sorry, I didn't see a tractor in your photo - just two cute dogs. What breed are they? Have they been trained to restore?

 

 

[Chris Coon 17]

I knew the dogs would steal the topic ?   Golden Doodles, The Mom is pretty helpful, the son is more interested in chasing squirrels    

 

 

[Friartuck 109]

This article maybe of help for the DIY:

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public4/gas-tank-cleaning-1.cfm

 

 

[Roger Walling 579]

 Even if you are able to remove all rust from the tank, unless it is coated inside, it will produce fine rust in the fuel.

 A filter is going to be necessary.

 Note,

I once had a tank that had been coated on the inside and all the product gummed up and sealed the outlet over the years.

[BuicksBuicks 122]

Until I learned about rust in the gas tank, my "new" '37 Buick appeared to run out of gas every two or three miles. The fuel filter clogged daily. Before the gas tank was sent out for splitting, sand blasting, and lining, my mechanic showed me a large pile of rust he had poured from the tank.  Gas with alcohol= water in the tank.

[Robert G. Smits 455]

I have had 3 tanks done by Gas Tank RENU out of Waller, TX with excellent results.  The oldest one 15 years ago.  936 372 9107.  I think this is a national franchise but have heard that results vary.  About $400 per tank.  Bob Smits

[JimKB1MCV 77]

This is where you'll find specific help with your cub project.  http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

The tank is part of the cowl and will have to come off, not a terribly difficult job depending on how much rust you find on the fasteners. You should have a manual for reference, though. I think there are manuals online, try google.

Fun little tractor, introduced after WW2 to do the work of two horses, which it does.

I use mine  for plowing my driveway in the winter.

Good luck.

Jim/KB1MCV

 

 

 

[auburnseeker 4,333]

Not sure how many gallons your tank holds,  But I have used Evaporust on my 1948 Plymouth gas tank and on a small tank that looked just like your tank when I opened it up.  Let it sit in there for a couple of days then drained it out for reuse and flushed it.  Looke like fresh raw steel inside.You can do half then turn it over to do the other half if it holds more than a couple of gallons. 

[Chris Coon 17]

I have used Gas Tank Renu in the past and have been very satisfied, but this tank is fairly nicely painted. 

 

So, I drained it and scraped as much of the Goo off the bottom as I could reach.  Next I ran some solvent through to clean out all the sticky stuff (its hard to believe that this stuff used to be gasoline). Then I poured a couple gallons of Evaporust in the tank and sealed up the tank. I left the Evaporust in there for 2 days and rolled the tank around 3 or 4 times a day. Drained, and rinsed it out with water and WOW, it looks great!!  

 

I had used Evaporust before, but mostly to clean up hardware. I am very pleased with the job it did inside that gas tank.  

 

Thanks for the suggestions

Even the Dogs were impressed

[auburnseeker 4,333]

No problem.  You want to see something just as amazing.  Take some old scuzzy chrome door handles that aren't too pitted and throw them in the evaporust for a day or so.   You will be amazed at how nice they come out.  I bought a door handle display with probably 30 handles on it.  I really didn't want to steel wool (which scratches) them all clean then polish them.  I threw them all in evaporust and all I had to do was a light run over with a tooth brush when I rinsed them.  They all looked just short of brand new and it took longer to take them off the display than to clean them.  

I just wish someone would have recommended the stuff to me,   years ago,.  It would have saved me days and days worth of labor cleaning up parts to resell. 

[mercer09 1,198]

vinegar works fine, but you need to give it about 6 weeks. it is a very slow process and works well in rads as well.

 

For sealer, I use the Hirsch white stuff. It is used in planes and Ive never had a problem with it. others dont work as well.............

[Stude Light 287]

On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 11:34 AM, Robert G. Smits said:

I have had 3 tanks done by Gas Tank RENU out of Waller, TX with excellent results.  The oldest one 15 years ago.  936 372 9107.  I think this is a national franchise but have heard that results vary.  About $400 per tank.  Bob Smits

 

Gas Tank RENU did my tank also.  Very impressed with the results.  $325 for me.