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)?

 

[Don87]

That is a pic of the inside of his tank.

 

[Zephrant]

I did find a small 1/2 chip in the tank that I got out- I snapped it in half, and have it soaking in gas still. I might be able to get some more off with some dikes or a chisel.

Those pictures are with the camera looking though the fill hole down to the bottom of the tank. For scale, the big piece is about 10" across the long way, and about 1.5" thick at the thickest part, much thinner at the edges.

 

[Don87]

Whatever it is, it has the same shape as the tank bottom.

 

[CurlyDave]

1. If you warm the piece you have, does it melt?

2. A lot of tanks are plastic these days, I would be careful about what I put in there to try to dissolve it. If it attacks the tank, you may need a new one, which is a worst case right now.

3. Will a tool like this one: Deluxe Gopher Pick Up and Reaching Tool fit in your filler opening and allow you to grab pieces of it? You don't have to get a HF tool, that was just the first picture of one I could find.

 

[Zephrant]

I've got the tank removed from the tractor now, so I can turn it upside down and shake it and all. I pounded pretty hard with a long screwdriver, and didn't even make a dent in the material.

I've not been able to melt it at all either.

I don't have any MEK or any other solvents (carburetor cleaner did nothing to it), so I've about exhausted what I can find around the house on it.

I agree on the plastic tank- but at this point I'm on the verge of ordering a new tank already, so nothing to loose.

I'm going to try a hammer and a chisel- maybe I can break it in to small enough pieces to get it out, although I seriously risk holing the tank.

Thanks for all the suggestions-

 

[CurlyDave]

Try reaching in with a loop of wire. For instance pass wire though a piece of small diameter pipe or even steel tubing, leaving a loop sticking out of the far end.

By wrapping both ends of the wire around pieces of wooden dowel or equivalent you may be able to cut it into chunks. Sort of like a garrote.

 

[beenthere]

Another thought, in lieu of breaking it up or buying a new tank, is to leave it in there
.....but put a bridge over the outflow drain so it cannot act as a plug. Not sure if that would be easy to do.

But I think I'd also just go after a new tank and chalk it up to cost to get it right. Sure is a mystery material.

 

[Gary Fowler]

When it burns does it totally consume the piece or leave something behind like charded plastic. It looks like wax or something, but if it is that hard, I would suspect someone has poured a quart or so of epoxy like material into the tank. If you can get it upside down, you may be able to get a sawzall in with a long blade and saw it into smaller pieces. An airsaw would be my choice but with diesel, you shouldnt have to worry about sparking the fuel to flame, but do it outside in the cold just to be on the safe side.

 

[Egon]

Consider using an air nibbler to chew through it?

As you have suggested replacing the tank may be easiest!

 

[Don87]

Hard to believe that it was in there for 2 years and never caused a problem, that's wild.
A new tank is what I would do also.