Gas tank smudge

[ACowboy]

I let my gas tank sit too long with gas in it. It is not rusty and is in very good condition, but has a lot of smudge due to allowing the old fuel to sit for too long (smells like kerosene!). What special potion do I use to the clean out the smudge/gum in my fuel tank? I think that the make/model of the car doesn't matter here. But, in case you are curious it's a metal gas tank of the 20's generation.

[MCHinson]

With a Model A Ford that was stored for 16 years before I bought it, I hooked a hose up to the gasoline valve, drained the "goo", closed the valve, put a gallon or so of fresh gas in it, sloshed the gas around a bit (by pushing the car back and forth), opened the valve, drained it, removed the valve and let the last residue drain.

I then replaced the valve, used a modified gas line with a modern filter for the first month or so, and then hooked it up with the original gas line and have had no troubles at all.

[Shop Rat]

Save the stuff you drain out. My husband says that when you mix that with old motor oil it makes a penatrant for old rusty parts like he has never seen. We bought a 1939 Dodge that had been sitting for quite a while with gas still in the tank. When nothing else will separate two parts he uses that.

[Guest windjamer]

I think por15 sells a kit to clean and seal a gas tank. I used it on a caddy tank that had set over ten years and the stuff I got out was unbelevable.I have also used murattic acid.Bottom line, if its worth cleaning clean it clean.

[ACowboy]

Thanks Windjamer. I just ordered the Tank Restoration Kit from por15.

[Guest windjamer]

I assume the tank is off the car. When you get the kit put a short piece of chain (that you can retrive ) in the tank with the cleaner and slush it awrond. The chain will help remove the hard stuf. I think directions will tell you to flush good after use and let dry a day or two, then add sealer. Good luck

[R Walling]

I had a tank that had a sticky sludge left in the tank after a "restoration"product went bad

after many years. I placed several handfulls of rocks, sand and gravel into the tank. I then

used a pressure washer (1500#) and "sandblasted" the inside. It took off everything including

rust.After removing all the sand (which took hours of flushing) I put in a few cans of dry

gas and re-instaled it. Perfect!

[Jim Bollman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I had a tank that had a sticky sludge left in the tank after a "restoration"product went bad

after many years. I placed several handfulls of rocks, sand and gravel into the tank. I then

used a pressure washer (1500#) and "sandblasted" the inside. It took off everything including

rust.After removing all the sand (which took hours of flushing) I put in a few cans of dry

gas and re-instaled it. Perfect! </div></div>

A friend of mine had good luck loading up with similar material as you, closed off the filler hole and sender unit hole and strapped it in a cement mixer. Ran the mixer for awhile and then pressure washed it all out.

[R Walling]

Its most important to rinse out the tank first and then make sure that

you have enough water in the tank to prevent sparks from blowing up

the tank!