Hey Grandpa….

[glennster]

As the resident Cub-a-holic, how are you treating rusty fuel tanks? Are you installing liners or doing something else. I have a 41 b I am resurrecting and the tank is in less desirable condition. I am soaking it in e85 to get the goo out now. Tia.

 

[DaveBN]

I am a grandpa but not the one your looking for. I can tell you though that those tanks are hard to clean. There is a baffle at the rear and it is hard to clean behind it. I fill them with water, maybe one quarter full then slosh the water around. Maybe add some ball bearings to act as an agitator. Then empty the water out and stuff a couple of rags in there and blow them around with compressed air. That will clean as well as dry the tank. I've never added a tank sealer.
Dave

 

[J.Wondergem]

I'm a greatgrandpa, but I've used paint thinner to remove gum that I had in one gas tank.

 

[glennster]

I am a grandpa but not the one your looking for. I can tell you though that those tanks are hard to clean. There is a baffle at the rear and it is hard to clean behind it. I fill them with water, maybe one quarter full then slosh the water around. Maybe add some ball bearings to act as an agitator. Then empty the water out and stuff a couple of rags in there and blow them around with compressed air. That will clean as well as dry the tank. I've never added a tank sealer.
Dave

There is also rust in the tank. In the past I have sent the tanks to a radiator shop to get cleaned and liners installed. The DIY liners seem to have a higher failure rate and removing the failed liners in an issue.

 

[grandpa Love]

We have a bucket with 100+ marbles in it, we dump those and a couple gallons of vinegar in the tank and shake it several times a day for a week or so. Then we drain it ,hot pressure wash with dawn dish soap until the water drains clean. If we ain't installing it and adding gas right away we dump a cup of transmission fluid in and roll it around to coat the inside. Then we use this screen in the sediment bowl. Works great for us.

 

[grandpa Love]

We have a bucket with 100+ marbles in it, we dump those and a couple gallons of vinegar in the tank and shake it several times a day for a week or so. Then we drain it ,hot pressure wash with dawn dish soap until the water drains clean. If we ain't installing it and adding gas right away we dump a cup of transmission fluid in and roll it around to coat the inside. Then we use this screen in the sediment bowl. Works great for us.

E-85 works great to eat up the nasty, gummy old gas ......

 

[kshansen]

I doubt it would work due to the size of a Farmall tank but over on some of the motorcycle forums there are people who use a cement mixer with tank filled with something like ball bearings, marbles or small stones. If you had one available that was not really needed I guess a little time with a cutting torch would be an idea...

 

[47fivewindow]

E-85 works great to eat up the nasty, gummy old gas ......

We have a bucket with 100+ marbles in it, we dump those and a couple gallons of vinegar in the tank and shake it several times a day for a week or so. Then we drain it ,hot pressure wash with dawn dish soap until the water drains clean. If we ain't installing it and adding gas right away we dump a cup of transmission fluid in and roll it around to coat the inside. Then we use this screen in the sediment bowl. Works great for us.

The screen in the sediment bowl intake is the ticket..As you use it rust will collect in the bottom of the tank and you can siphon it out . The only problem is you can still see a little fuel in the bottom when it is actually out of gas.

 

[used red MN]

If you had one available that was not really needed I guess a little time with a cutting torch would be an idea...

No need to torch up the mixer. The tank can just be strapped over the opening. If need be some angle iron or flat iron can be bolted on across the opening and sticking out beyond the mixer opening. Now if you get up to a 40-50 gallon tank or bigger it might get a little awkward spinning around.

 

[Mrfred54]

We’re fortunate here in mid Michigan. We have a business called Gas Tank Renu. They cut 3 inch holes in the tank, sand blast, seal it, weld the holes back and you get a brand new tank and can’t hardly find where they cut the holes, there amazing

 

[MeanGene1]

I just use one of those little 12V box fuel pumps, a hose out of the tank with one of those opaque 3/8" Fram inline fuel filters, into the pump and a length of hose back to the tank with a couple feet extra so I can swish it around in the tank. Put a gallon of fresh gas in the tank with a bottle of Seafoam and let the pump run, swishing it around once in a while. When the filter has picked up a pretty good load, swap it out for a new one, repeat as necessary until the tank is clean and the filter no longer loads up

 

[used red MN]

one of those opaque

Better check the meaning of “opaque” you probably intended to use “transparent” Like the engines in your Ford racers, you want them to remain opaque and not transparent.