MF 205 diesel fuel tank cleaning

[Tdelsanto]

Does anybody have a good way to clean the interior of a diesel fuel tank?

I've got a fuel tank from a 1962 MF 205 that has a bit of a rusty sludge on the inside, not to bad but enough to bother me. I'm assuming it was from water at some point that the previous owner never bothered to clean out. Keeps gunking up the fuel filter and I would like to make it right.

Has anybody used white vinegar to soak the interior? It was something that was suggested to me from a motorcycle guy who used it to clean gas tanks. I'm just hesitant in screwing up the old tank causing me more pain than it was worth.

Anybody have a suggestion?

Thank you...

 

[J Hamilton]

I have used E85 gasoline with good results

 

[Tdelsanto]

Thank you sir...
I'll try to find some. I'm in Northern California and I don't see it around here very often, if at all.

 

[Steve@Advance]

2X on the E85. Also, you can strap it to a concrete mixer and tumble it with bolts, nuts, chain, rocks,
anything to grind the rust away.

But... If it's seriously rusted your efforts may finish it off and start pin hole leaks!

I believe a new aftermarket tank should be available for that.

 

[Tdelsanto]

(quoted from post at 16:02:26 08/30/22) 2X on the E85. Also, you can strap it to a concrete mixer and tumble it with bolts, nuts, chain, rocks,
anything to grind the rust away.

But... If it's seriously rusted your efforts may finish it off and start pin hole leaks!

I believe a new aftermarket tank should be available for that.

Thank you for the info. The tank isn't to bad, in comparison to an old Oliver gas tank that I did 20 years ago. That one just opened up a bunch of pin holes like you said. I'll look for the E85. Would you recommend "coating" the inside once it clean? or is that over kill?

Has anybody tried a product called "Evaporust" on a diesel tank?

Thank you