Cleaning Out A Fuel Tank

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   With any luck I'll have this fuel tank off my AC 185 tomorrow. It's been a pain. I let it sit a couple years while I was in college and the whole fuel system gummed up. The last piece to clean out is the fuel tank. I thought I'd done this. It was empty when I started this a month or two ago, so I put a few gallons of white cleaning vinegar in the tank to strip out any gum or rust. I drained it a few days later with a lot of crud. I then rinsed the tank out with diesel fuel several times, until the sludge quit. I've now got it running good but I can't run it ten minutes without the sediment bowl filling with crud. I've dumped the fuel and re-rinsed the tank three times and it just won't quit. So now I'm pulling off the tank to clean it out right and maybe glaze it with a kit from the farm store. 
My question is: what is the right way??? Used to be, we'd take it up to the radiator shop and they'd boil it out, but I don't even know of a radiator shop anymore. Heck, these new radiators would probably melt in those old time chemicals they used. I saw one guy put cleaned gravel  and water in his, hang it up, and swing it around and around for hours to scour the inside. I bet you smart guys know a dozen better ways to do this.

Thanks for all the help!!

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McGatha185 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Bronze Level Joined: 10 Nov 2016 Location: Missouri Points: 48	Post Options Post Reply Quote McGatha185 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Cleaning Out A Fuel Tank Posted: 18 Feb 2017 at 10:51pm
	With any luck I'll have this fuel tank off my AC 185 tomorrow. It's been a pain. I let it sit a couple years while I was in college and the whole fuel system gummed up. The last piece to clean out is the fuel tank. I thought I'd done this. It was empty when I started this a month or two ago, so I put a few gallons of white cleaning vinegar in the tank to strip out any gum or rust. I drained it a few days later with a lot of crud. I then rinsed the tank out with diesel fuel several times, until the sludge quit. I've now got it running good but I can't run it ten minutes without the sediment bowl filling with crud. I've dumped the fuel and re-rinsed the tank three times and it just won't quit. So now I'm pulling off the tank to clean it out right and maybe glaze it with a kit from the farm store. My question is: what is the right way??? Used to be, we'd take it up to the radiator shop and they'd boil it out, but I don't even know of a radiator shop anymore. Heck, these new radiators would probably melt in those old time chemicals they used. I saw one guy put cleaned gravel and water in his, hang it up, and swing it around and around for hours to scour the inside. I bet you smart guys know a dozen better ways to do this. Thanks for all the help!!

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jaybmiller Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Greensville,Ont Points: 24453	Post Options Post Reply Quote jaybmiller Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Feb 2017 at 6:10am
	'gas' they sell these days will start 'gumming' up after 2 months ! Also called 'varnish' it is a pain to say the least. Some guys will toss a few bolts into the tank and tie onto other tractor and ride around for an hour! The idea is to mechanically break the crud off the inside of the tank. Chemical will work, but slower...layer by layer. You can use a power washer on low pressure or fan nozzle and regular water. Then blow dry with compressed air.Whatever methods you use do it 3-6 times. Yeah I know real pain BUT you MUST get ALL the crud out. With my D-14s I can take the gauge out and put an LED flashlight in see in the filler hole. Once you've convinced yourself it's 'good enough' , pour a 1/2 quart of acetone in and swish it about for 5 minutes, take a break, swish again for 5 , then drain.Be careful of th efumes, best done outdoors! I'm betting the liquid will be brownish....use air to blow dry. Spending 1/2 day cleaning a tank is not out of line. While you're at it , remove the gas line and spray brake cleaner through it as the varnish does build up on the innner walls of the line. Jay
	3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water