Cleaning out a gas tank

Philt · Dec 8, 2012

I have a Farmall H that the carb leaked allowing the gas tank to drain and dry out now I am getting a lot of junk plugging the carb should I put an in-line filter on it or try to clean the tank if so what is a good way to clean the tank as there is a baffle in the tank.

Tom Fleming · Dec 8, 2012

There are quite a few posts in the archives, and can be found by searching this site. However, the thumbnail is: take all fittings off the tank. treat with muriatic acid (using all safety measures). Do the "triple rinse" with water. Last rinse with acetone. Dry thoroughly. Use your favorite tank coating, I prefer Caswell, but there are others. After acid treatment it is very important to coat the inside of the tank to prevent rust.

Or you can send the tank out to places that specialize in tank cleaning/coating.

If you don't want to go through all that, at least remove the tank and rinse and invert the tank multiple times using acetone, gasoline, diesel, etc. This will get most of the "crap" out of the tank. If there is scaley rust in it, put a small handful of drywall screws in, a little gasoline, and close up the openings. Agitate the tank the best way you can, so that the drywall screws loosen all the scale. Then do the multiple rinse steps. You still need to consider sealing the inside of the tank to stop/prevent future rust.

Others will post with their prefered methods. Bottom line, tank the tank off the tractor and get the crud out, and rinse.

Baelee05 · Dec 8, 2012

Pretty much everything Tom said. I just had mine off my M
professionally cleaned and sealed. They hot tanked it and did
the muratic acid and acetone thing before sealing it. I think it
cost me about $85. The only downside to this is that the hot
tanking takes all of the paint off. This wasn't a concern for me
since the tractor is going to be painted anyway. I have
cleaned an H tank before using pea gravel and agitating the
tank as much as possible. DO NOT put an inline filter on the
tractor. They usually cause more problems than they do good.

Dean Olson · Dec 8, 2012

See next post,"mechanical/physics questions"

Tom's post is the best way. The cheap way is to leave the tank on
the tractor. Remove sediment bowl and pressure wash from top.
I use Dawn dish soap and let run water till its clear. Let it dry out
for a day or so and install assembly pictured in the next post.

I try to keep the tank mostly full to keep more rust from
developing.

I use inline filters on everything. I've never had any of the
problems with inline filter talked about in these forums.

sflem849 · Dec 8, 2012

(quoted from post at 02:48:30 12/08/12) There are quite a few posts in the archives, and can be found by searching this site. However, the thumbnail is: take all fittings off the tank. treat with muriatic acid (using all safety measures). Do the "triple rinse" with water. Last rinse with acetone. Dry thoroughly. Use your favorite tank coating, I prefer Caswell, but there are others. After acid treatment it is very important to coat the inside of the tank to prevent rust.

Or you can send the tank out to places that specialize in tank cleaning/coating.

If you don't want to go through all that, at least remove the tank and rinse and invert the tank multiple times using acetone, gasoline, diesel, etc. This will get most of the "crap" out of the tank. If there is scaley rust in it, put a small handful of drywall screws in, a little gasoline, and close up the openings. Agitate the tank the best way you can, so that the drywall screws loosen all the scale. Then do the multiple rinse steps. You still need to consider sealing the inside of the tank to stop/prevent future rust.

Others will post with their prefered methods. Bottom line, tank the tank off the tractor and get the crud out, and rinse.

Yeah, what he said. I usually hit mine with the hot water pressure washer befoer all that.

Jim Becker · Dec 8, 2012

Since you mention "junk" but don't say anything about rust, I assume your problem is just dried deposits from the evaporating gas. If so, a cleaning along the lines of the pressure washing that have already been described is adequate. The acid etch, coating, repainting is beyond the need.

Just clean it out and make sure your sediment bowl has a good screen.

Tom Fleming · Dec 8, 2012

Jim, good point. I made the assumption that the junk was chunks of rust. I agree, if it is just old fuel deposits, then a quick wash with at least acetone will clean and disolve most of it. Pressure wash is always a good thing!

Cleaning out a gas tank

Philt

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Tom Fleming

Well-known Member

Baelee05

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Dean Olson

Well-known Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

Jim Becker

Well-known Member

Tom Fleming

Well-known Member

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