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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

How do you get varnish out of a gas tank???

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Double A

01-04-2007 07:45:17




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I purchased a farmall H with a fuel problem. It would warm up then starve out. Ihad the carb rebuilt i emptied the gas tank out on my driveway(dont ask) Vaccumed out the varnish with a shop vac.blew air through the gas line. put it back together and still have the same problem.Pleaswe help me I'm not a mechanical genius I just love red Paint.OH and forest green and prarie gold.




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THEkyroastnear

01-04-2007 21:07:58




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
just about all the posts are useful info. i am with acouple of others you are lucky the shop vac.didnt turn out as we say "not too good". there is a product called c-l-r that does a good job you can get it at your hardware store to add help i use some marbles to beat the hanging stuff off.even after the cleaning i would go with the stand pipe think all of mine has one



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Hobo,NC

01-04-2007 18:54:32




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
I guarantee that brake fluid will clean it but will take a few days, it’s the only thang I have found that will clean fuel that has turned to tar or varnish, rince off wif water. I have a good stock of the good carb cleaner to, it want touch it.



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1936

01-04-2007 16:21:26




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
Asetone is an excellent solvent. Keep off the skin and put out your smokes before use out doors. Years back we used it to clean our hands.



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jake4

01-04-2007 12:34:45




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
Rubbing alcohol dissolves the varnish. I use a quart or 2, plug the ports, pour the alc in add a hand full of screws, leve it set for 2 days shaking it whenever you think about it. After the 2 days pour it out. the screws can be removed using a magnet probe. I"ve done quite a few all came out fine.



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Brokenwrench

01-04-2007 11:25:50




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
I have used "the Works" toilet bowl cleaner, on a couple of tanks. Take the tank off, plug the drain, and fill it with about a gallon of water. Then add a bottle or so of Works toilet bowl cleaner. Put the cap on and swish it around. Drain it, and maybe do it again if you need to. Rinse it out good, then I usually take alittle diesel fuel and swish around in the tank to grab the moisture, blow it out good. I thought this might be kind of a crock, but I had an old Massey 300 combine, rust and varnish and goo caked into the bottom of the tank. I tried this and was amazed at how well it worked. Be careful where you dump the stuff out. I did it over the floor drain in the shop and it ate the sealant off the cement, it`s some nasty stuff, but it`s only a couple bucks a bottle.
Might be worth a try, for the tank anyway. I still agree that the lines and stuff might still need attention. I also like the stand pipe idea.

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Glen in TX

01-04-2007 09:50:50




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
MEK, methyl ethyl ketone you can find with paint thinners at home stores will disolve it. It is flammable so don't use the electric vaccuum on it. There are kits available also from several places that come with tank cleaner acids, etcher and coating to line the tank with. Just do a google search for gas tank repair or sealer.



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Gerald J.

01-04-2007 08:55:09




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
Varnish isn't just in the gas tank, its in every part of the fuel line, especially the carburetor inlet screen. The fuel lines need to be rodded out, the screens replaced.

Gerald J.



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Tom R Ne

01-04-2007 08:30:04




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
Lot of good ideas on cleaning the tank posted here but even after it is cleaned in order to avoid future problems I recommend this.

Every old Farmall that I ever owned I removed the sediment bowl assembly from the tank and placed a short piece of copper tubing in the inlet to make a “stand pipe” that stuck up about ˝ to 3/4“ above the bottom of the tank so that you aren’t sucking up the crud off of the bottom of the tank.

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al bane

01-04-2007 08:13:10




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
Take the gas tank off, [its not a big job] Strap the gas tank on the outside of the wheel of another tractor ,buy about 4-5 lbs of plaster board screws and put in the tank and drive the tractor around for 15-20 minutes and it will do an excellent job in cleaning the inside .Dump the screws and rinse with water until all debris is out and then dry tank out. If I were you I would go to a motor cycle shop and buy a coating compound to where it would not rust again. Something else you can do is to buy the kit to clean and coat the inside of the tank and you get that from a motorcycle shop but its a good idea to take the tank off to do this.That kit used to be expensive but it's good.Either one works.Rusty tanks sure cause a lot of problems.

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JT

01-04-2007 08:12:10




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
One thing that can be used is muratic acid, clean it with muratic acid, then coat it with a tank coating. If you want it done right though, take it to a radiator shop, for 30-40 dollars, the will clean it, coat it, then you have to repaint your tank, but it will be done right, and done safely.



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glennster

01-04-2007 08:10:09




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
acetone will dissolve the fuel varnish



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Mike M

01-04-2007 08:02:31




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Double A, 01-04-2007 07:45:17  
I think your lucky that vacume cleaner didn't blow you up ! I guess the brushes in the motors can set off the gas fumes. If it is just varnish and not rust I pour some carb. dip cleaner in the tank and roll it around. I usually have a bucket of it around for doing carbs. NAPA and other parts stores sell it.



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russ hamm

01-04-2007 14:16:35




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 Re: How do you get varnish out of a gas tank??? in reply to Mike M, 01-04-2007 08:02:31  
yeah mike, that was mentioned before about using a vacuum and i said not to as i know somebody that did that and the vacuum did blow. i was put in my place for it as a wives tale. God looks after folks even when they do such i guess.



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