Tips for fuel tank cleaning

[flusher]

Looks like I'm going to have to clean the gunk out of the fuel tank on my MF-135 diesel.

I checked TBN for previous threads on this subject. Only found two threads, the most recent dating from 2004.

Anyone interested in sharing ideas/experience in this area?

 

[john_bud]

If you are going to take it off and coat the inside, people have posted that putting 20' of chain in it and strapping it to a rear wheel for a long ride gets all the rust, scale and stuff off. Then there are products like "creem" to seal the inside.

But, if you just want to clean out residue, and leave it on the tractor you have a bit more limited options. I would drain it, then take off the outlet and drain if it has one. Then pressure wash it. Hot water and soap. Use compressed air to help it dry, toss in a cloth and let it flop around in there to suck up more moisture. Then dump in a couple quarts of alcohol to help get rid of the remaining moisture. Drain and compressed air dry - good to go.

jb

 

[Giles Gurley]

How you clean the tank depends on what you are removing. If it is trash, I would just remove the tank and --rinse--rinse---rinse. If it is rust that is more complicated. Rust requires that you use acid for removal and this presents problems that have to be addressed.

 

[Redbug]

Hi Flusher,
If it is a metal tank...I would use Kreem. I have done a few gas tanks for the boats I have had, and this product works well. You have to get rid of the scale and rust chunks, first. I put some bolts inside the tank and rattled them around to loosen the chunks. Then dump out and wash clean with some MEK, and dry with the air compressor.

Using the Kreem kit, you will etch and clean up the inside metal with the acid supplied after general cleaning. Muriatic acid diluted (pool acid), will do if you have some already and don't want to buy the whole kit. Otherwise, buy the kit.

After etching, and drying the insides out with MEK again, you coat the tank with Kreem, rotating the tank as it dries to cover the entire surface evenly. It sets up pretty fast.

The Kreem will plug most small leaky holes in the tank, also.

Kreem Products for Gas Tanks - Instantop Inc.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Flusher,
When I was rebuilding my Super A I had rust and other crud in the tank that needed to be removed. I poured a box full of 1/4-20 locknuts into the tank and spun them along with some kerosene on a paint mixer for a few hours. I was originally going to coat the tank after that but when I looked inside it was so clean that I didnt even bother with that. No problems !

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Mornin Flusher,
When I was rebuilding my Super A I had rust and other crud in the tank that needed to be removed. I poured a box full of 1/4-20 locknuts into the tank and spun them along with some kerosene on a paint mixer for a few hours. I was originally going to coat the tank after that but when I looked inside it was so clean that I didnt even bother with that. No problems !

Howdy Scott!

1/4-20 locknuts heh? What if it was an English built Massey? Would you use metric nuts?

The last one I cleaned out, I used #6 shot (for reloading shotgun shells). I poured in about a 1/2 gallon of shot, put the fuel cap on, then strapped it to a rear wheel of another tractor. I jacked the rear wheels up off the ground and let 'er run for about an hour. After that I sent it out to a local radiator shop for the sealer. That was 15 years ago. The tractor is sitting out behind the barn now. (Ferguson F-40) It looks like a bomb went off under it, but I'll bet a nickel the fuel tank is still clean!

 

[Mighty Dodge]

I've done the same thing but used roofing nails....worked great.

 

[MadReferee]

Use ULSD fuel. It will do a good job of cleaning the tank.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Farm,
Im not sure I can talk with you anymore Bill, I see your Elite status now

To make this post legal I think my wallet had so many cobwebs in it, I just couldnt get myself to spring for the Eastmans coating

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Afternoon Farm,
Im not sure I can talk with you anymore Bill, I see your Elite status now

To make this post legal I think my wallet had so many cobwebs in it, I just couldnt get myself to spring for the Eastmans coating

WOW! I didn't notice that I'd "made the grade". Movin' on up! The Mrs. will be home in a few. She'll humble me right back to NON-elite in seconds.

That old F-40 was my dads. I'm thinking about dragging it around and shoving it in the shop later this month. Talk about your labor intensive restoration.... It's 50 years old this May. Dad wasn't much on keeping his tractors in like new condition. There's bird nests in the air cleaner, tires rotted plum off the front rims, and not a teaspoon full of paint left on the entire tractor. The fuel tank is probably the ONLY thing in good shape still.

Sure do wish dad was here to help me with it though.