cleaning a gas fuel tank

twomanycasese · Apr 26, 2010

i just bought a john deere 1010 gas utility. the tank sat full of gas for the last 9 years. how do you clean all the varnish and crude out ? whats the best way to clean it thanks.

Mike M · Apr 26, 2010

I have cleaned them by dumping carb. cleaner in them. Good place to use the old cleaner that's too dirty for carbs.

Patsdeere · Apr 26, 2010

I have poured out the old stuff (that would come out) and then poured in some newer gas. I let it sit and every day or so give it a good shake. After a week or so it was some smelly looking gas, but the tank was clean.

Ed Bashaw · Apr 26, 2010

Throw in a quart of 3/4 minus gravel and shake the hell out of it!

Anonymous-0 · Apr 26, 2010

i had one with brown crud in it, let it sit with e85 in it and the alcohol cut it loose then power washed it, I heard simple green works, never tried it though

AVERY · Apr 26, 2010

Use paint thinner and small chain

ldj · Apr 26, 2010

Careful putting a chain in there if opening isn't big enough to get you hand in. I did that ONE time and shook the snot out of it. Went to take chain out and it had all tangled and knotted up. It was a big ball of tangled chain way to big to come out the filler hole. Took me several days trying to untangle that chain working through that little filler opening. OH I guess if you are a gynecologist that wouldn't be a problem.

lucas boy · Apr 26, 2010

your tank may be to big for this, but ive seen guys put ice in motorcycle tanks to shake it around,the ice melts and runs out.. I used some concrete cleaner acid inside a tank and it cleaned it,but took off the galvanized also..

willys53allis · Apr 26, 2010

took my A/C CA gas tank to the radiator shop and had it cleaned. the guys didn't beleive me it was for a tractor not a motorcycle.

flying belgian · Apr 26, 2010

Throw some nuts and bolts in there and strap it to the wheel of your other tractor and go for a ride.

hoosier boy · Apr 26, 2010

Hoppes powder solvent will do a good job, just pour it in and shake some.

bc · Apr 27, 2010

Pour a gallon or two of muratic acid in it. Stuff is cheap. Fill with water. Don't splash any acid on you and don't breathe over the top of the tank as the fumes are toxic.

Then a final rinse with a mix of phosphoric acid from Behr's concrete etcher and water to seal the tank metal from flash rusting. A final spray of wd40 on the metal won't hurt either.

olgentdc · Apr 27, 2010

good luck with the 1010 , jd mistake ...I would run a full taNK E -85 thru it sloshing around with a can of seafoam added ,,, That will either cure or expose everything needing fixed ,, if tank leaks , wash out with hi pressure water , dry and use duct tape on holes then use RED KOTE , ,,, ALLOW 1 WEEK OF LIGHT BULB DRYING ... DO NOT BE IN A HURRY TO REMOVE DUCT TAPE ,,,

cleaning a gas fuel tank

twomanycasese

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Mike M

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Patsdeere

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Ed Bashaw

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Anonymous-0

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AVERY

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ldj

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