Cleaning Tank Interior

[sextonjd99]

The inside of my tank has some sorta residue on it that i can't get cleaned out. Gas, concentrated degreaser, and a muratic acid mix won't remove it, but i can wipe it off with my finger around the float and petcock holes? anyone have any other ideas?

[David F C]

is it like some sort of gue stuff or solid particles?

[sextonjd99]

It feels oily or greasy?

[Kreylyn]

Sure, here is the easy fix.

Put the fuel level sensor and petcock back in so the tank is sealed and will hold fluid again without leaking.
Purchase a box of washing soda (sodium bicarbonate). Arm N Hammer makes it, find it in the same isle as other clothes washing machine soaps. Pure Soda Wash works best.
Cut the top off of a 2 liter soda bottle ( or something similiar shaped).
Purchase/find a piece of regular steel bar about 1 foot long. (rebar works great, from any home improvement place, and is super cheap.
Acquire a manual battery charger (if it's automatic, it won't work.)

In a bucket, mix 1/2 cup soda wash with warm water. Make sure it's fully disolved.
Pour into gas tank.
Add more water until gas tank is completly full.
Bend the steel bar into a sort of S shape.
Put the steel bar into the bottle top so that the bottle top is in the middle of the S.
Put the bottle top into the top of the tank, top down so it looks like a funnel, with half of the rod inside the tank. Make sure it's positioned so that rod can NOT touch the tank.
On the bottom of the tank, attach the negative lead someplace where you can get a good ground. If it's on the bottom, you can wiggle it so that it makes contact through the paint.
Positive lead goes on the steel S bar in the top.
Turn battery charger on.
Let run 24-48 hours. Check water levels periodicly to make sure it's to the top. Add as needed.
Remove all of the connections, rod, bottle top.
Dump the solution in the tank. It's enviro safe at this point, so you can dump down the drain, or on your bushes in the yard. They will really like it as it's iron enriched water now.
Remove the fuel sensor and petcock.
Use a pressure washer (go to a manual car wash if you don't have one) and spray out the tank from both top and bottom.
Drain all water as best possible and dry tank. (1 cup acetone sloshed around will absorb all water, dump... blow dry... tank will be completely dry in 2-3 mins.)

The tank is now perfectly clean, and ready to have POR-15 applied to make it permanently sealed, and never have an issue again. Never use Kreem!

WARNING!!!!!

Do NOT use stainless steel for the bar insert... that makes a chromium solution that is very very bad.
Do NOT put any kind of salt... that makes a chlorine gas that is very very deadly!
Only do this in a well ventilated area. The normal process makes hydrogen gas. As long as it's well ventilated, it won't build up and is not a problem.
DO NOT SMOKE around this process.

Follow the instrctions, and your set. More info and pics can be found in the "Electrolysis cleaning" thread or by google searching that term.

Krey

[randyt26]

WOW
great info.
Randy

[David F C]

...Only do this in a well ventilated area. The normal process makes hydrogen gas. As long as it's well ventilated, it own't build up and is not a problem.
DO NOT SMOKE around this process.

Follow the instrctions, and your set. More info and pics can be found in the "Electrolysis cleaning" thread or by google searching that term.

Krey

I was thinking of that as I read. Thinking about a closed garage and someone fliping a light swith. tiny spark and BOOOM!
Be carefull , do it outside and happy cleansing

Most dishwasher and clothe washing detergents are good on this kind of problem, just depends on how bad it is.

[ep87]

Try this stuff from the Eastwood co. I've used it before on a Duster tank I thought was beyond bringing back with great results. https://www.eastwood.com/ew-gas-tank...-for-cars.html They make a kit for bikes also, and I believe they may have a video on there site.
Richard