Deutz D4006 Clogged Fuel Tank

I was bush hogging today when our Deutz D4006 seemed to have lost all power - no matter how much throttle I gave to the tractor it still just died in the field. I disconnected the fuel line coming directly out of the fuel tank and nothing came out - no fuel at all. So I took a stick and moved it around inside the tank, brushing the stick up against the bottom and fuel started to just pour out of the open line! So this appears to be a clogged fuel tank issue. I was then able to start the tractor and then move it back inside the barn.

We know that moving a stick around inside the fuel tank is not a good solution so we are looking for how to better solve this problem.

Our questions:

1. Can the fuel tank be cleaned without removing it? If yes, what is the best way to clean a fuel tank still on the tractor?

2. Is it hard to remove the fuel tank on the D4006? (It looks kinda hard but maybe there's a good way to remove it)

3. How do you clean a fuel tank that is off the tractor?

4. How do we know that we have thoroughly cleaned the fuel tank? In other words, what should we be looking for when examining the inside of the tank?

5. Should we buy a new fuel tank instead of trying to clean this one? (Deutz Boyz may have one)

Any help would be appreciated!

1. Can the fuel tank be cleaned without removing it? If yes, what is the best way to clean a fuel tank still on the tractor?

I don't really know of any safe or efficient way to do it on the tractor.

2. Is it hard to remove the fuel tank on the D4006? (It looks kinda hard but maybe there's a good way to remove it)

No clue.

3. How do you clean a fuel tank that is off the tractor?

Depends on what is in it.

If it's diesel slime, dump it, put some E85 gas in if you can find it, or gas with 10% ethanol will work. Slosh it around, if you can access the inside through the filler or gauge hole, swab it around with a rag and a stick, dump, repeat until it is clean. You can blow the gas out with compressed air or a leaf blower. But under no condition try to vacuum it out with a shop vac!!!

If it's rust, you can try dumping some bolts and nuts in, tumble it, shake it, try to free up all the loose stuff. But, good chance it will leak afterward. There are some liquid liners, some are supposed to be really good, some aren't. I've never tried. You may get some recommendations from some who have successfully used it.

And you can also take it to a heavy duty radiator shop. They can chemically clean it. But again,if rusty, it may leak.

4. How do we know that we have thoroughly cleaned the fuel tank? In other words, what should we be looking for when examining the inside of the tank?

If it's just slime or dirt, the inside will appear clean. Try to get some rags inside to mop it out, look with a flashlight, you don't want any loose flakes or trash left behind. There may be a strainer on the outlet, be sure to remove it, clean or replace it, clean and test the valve.

5. Should we buy a new fuel tank instead of trying to clean this one? (Deutz Boyz may have one)

That is always an option, especially if it is rusty. I suspect anything you buy will be aftermarket, they are know for not being exact replicas, could be some fit and quality issues.

So you took a stick moved it around a bit and fuel came out. Could it be that you have a foreign object like a piece of seal off of a fuel treatment can drifting around. Can you screw a pipe nipple into the tank about an inch or so? The crud will then be below the intake. Does this fuel tank have a sump that can be removed?

Two of my old Fords are diesel. One, when I got it, had a lot of crud sloshing around in the bottom. I siphoned it out. It took just a few minutes, the tank has never been off, and I run the tractor a fair amount.

Yeh I had a Volvo tractor once with your symptoms and it turned out to be the cap from a fuel conditioner can that would sit over the fuel out let hole from time to time . I used a flash light and a mechanics claw to retrieve it. What ever you do DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner -- I read a story on the cinder block farming forum where a guy did this and had a very bad day -- sure made for a good story though