Large block of solid fuel in my tank, blocking pickup

[Zephrant]

I have a 2210 that I bought used 2 years ago. I've been having fuel issues today- the fuel filter glass fills up with air, and the engine dies. Sometimes I can go 15 minutes, sometimes less than 5.

I cleaned the filter (I'll get a new one on Monday), with no change. So I started looking at the tank. I drained it (drained VERY slow), and found a solid block of crap in the bottom. About 1" thick, the size of the tank, and SOLID. It actually rattles around when I shake the tank. It is so hard I can't even chip it with a screwdriver.

The temp is around 32f, so I don't think it is solid diesel, although it is a diesel yellow color, with some nasty brown mixed in.

Any ideas on how to get that out of there? Can I dissolve it with something? Gasoline maybe? I can't get my hand in the fill hole, and it is a once piece plastic tank.

Thanks for any suggestions-

 

[Raspy]

Could it be ice?

 

[MikeInEburg]

Find out if there is an access plate on the top of your tank - maybe where the fuel gauge sender goes in. If so, you're in luck. Empty and drop the tank.
Mike

 

[Zephrant]

Not ice- I got a tiny chip out, and it does burn. But man, it is tough. It is very much like solid epoxy.

The sender hole is smaller than the fill hole. Both are too small for my hand.

I put the chip in a dish of gas to see if it would dissolve.

If I can't dissolve it somehow, I think I'm out of luck.

 

[Thomas]

If you think temp causing solid can you locate tank high temp area and see if solid thaws,if so than suck solid out and flush w/diesel cleaner..if you can remover tank would be better.

 

[Don87]

That tank wouldn't have a 'baffle' in it to keep the fuel from sloshing around when moving, would it?
That kinda sounds like what it is.

 

[shade tree welder]

Not ice- I got a tiny chip out, and it does burn. But man, it is tough.
It is very much like solid epoxy...If I can't dissolve it somehow, I think
I'm out of luck.

Try some gas line antifreeze or that concentrated alcohol for window
washers if you can locate some. I've had good luck with the methanol
dissolving dried up fuel residues.

My first thought make sure it is not ice.

My second thought was who'd you piss off that is messing with your machine?

Epoxy in the fuel tank is nasty, good thing it set up before it got to your
pump and injectors.

Suggested solvents:

Water
Lacquer thinner
MEK (methyl ethyl ketone)

If none of those work, buy a new tank. If you can test the solvents on
a chip of the residue that would be great; test it in a small mason jar or
similar that would be ideal.

 

[Zephrant]

Thanks all for the suggestions-

When I burned a chip, it did not melt. Just burned. It also has not dissolved in gasoline, after 4 hours, so that doesn't look promising.

I may have some old methanol (for model airplane engines), I'll have to look.

Here are some pictures:

I don't think someone messed with me (I live in the sticks, and the tractor is somewhat protected and miles from the nearest public road). But I did buy the tractor used, and I suspect it was a rental tractor. So who knows....

 

[Willl]

Can you grab an edge of it and get it closer to the filler neck ?

Then maybe reach in with some wire cutters and start taking pieces off it ?

 

[beenthere]

Do you think you can break it up into smaller pieces?

Are the pics looking into the tank, or is this a piece you have removed (can't tell the scale of what we see)?