Gas tank rusk
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=142638
Printed Date: 20 May 2025 at 4:22pm
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Topic: Gas tank rusk
Posted By: NEB-KC
Subject: Gas tank rusk
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 12:13pm
| Any suggestion on how to remove rust and sludge from a gas tank. My tractor is a WD45. I tried a baking soda/vinegar solution with no obvious results. I rinse the tank more than a dozen time. Each time more sludge comes out. |
Replies:
Posted By: Bull
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 1:22pm
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I use a toilet bowl cleaner called "the works". Very effective but you need closely monitor as it will eat through weak thin metal. ------------- WD45 Diesel, RC,CA,IB, B, G, 616, Early B-10, D-10, Terra Tiger, 95G spreader, SC blade |
Posted By: NEB-KC
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 4:23pm
| Thanks for the suggestion. The possibility of metal damage worries me as this is a 60 year old tank. I'll check it on the internet. |
Posted By: NICKMI
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 5:18pm
| Father in law was using apple cider vinegar on a cockshutt 20 that sat for a long time with good results I think the baking soda neutralizes the acidity of the vinegar haven't tried it myself |
Posted By: Play Farmer
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 5:23pm
| When Dad was alive he used to put a small amount of pea stone in the tank, then secure it in a cement mixer (pack blankets around it) and let it turn for a time (hour?). It cleaned them like new, gently, and pretty easy on the labor side. |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 6:03pm
Somewhere on here there is a picture floating around of a WD tank, bolted to a wheel, with a chain inside, and some solvent. Guy was plowin and cleanin, all at once...
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Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 6:17pm
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The tank on the tire was Dan (MO) on one of his 45's. Another option is to review littleMarv's posts on electrolysis cleaning on a WC tank. I have used electrolysis on several WD gas tanks with pretty good success. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: DSeries4
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2017 at 8:21pm
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Take it to a garage. They can soak it with myriatic acid. If there is still rust inside, they can also coat it. Had it done to my WD45 and it came back as good as new. Clean as a whistle. ------------- '49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080 |
Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2017 at 6:19am
Here's how I used to clean them, I have built a tank cleaner that rotates at 1 rpm.  ------------- 3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep. |
Posted By: NEB-KC
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2017 at 9:48am
| Thanks for the suggestion. I would never have thought of that method. |
Posted By: Steve in NJ
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2017 at 11:00am
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Drop by your local Radiator shop. Some Radiator shops hot tank and re-coat the tank. Can't get any cleaner than that. No muss, no fuss.... Steve@B&B ------------- 39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife |
Posted By: HoughMade
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2017 at 4:38pm
You mean vinegar followed by baking soda, right? Used at the same time, that will form, basically, water and a salt as the soda neutralizes the acid, meaning it's not doing much of anything. My practice clean out the organic sludge with kerosene or another solvent, then rinse and get the rust with something like "Metal Rescue", vinegar (for a week)or a phosphoric acid treatment like "Prep and Etch" for 24 hours or so. If i used vinegar or Works or Muriatic as suggested above, I would neutralize with water/baking soda and rinse really well. No mater what I used, I follow it with the "Prep and Etch" to leave a phosphate layer (it's the first few microns of steel, converted to iron phosphate) which does not flake off, to prevent flash rust, or even re-rusting over time assuming the layer is not scratched (hey, it's inside the tank). followed by a couple of good fresh water rinses and thorough drying. The "Prep and Etch" really doesn't have to be neutralized if it is rinsed well. My personal practice is to not coat unless I suspect it's about ready to break through already. Good luck!
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NEB-KC wrote:Posted By: NEB-KC
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 3:18pm
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Steve - I am reasonably good at responding, just not very punctual. As you suggested, I had my WD45 gas tank cleaned and coated at a radiator shop in Kansas City. It was expensive, but quick and effective. Thank you for the suggestion. |
Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 4:56pm
Hard to beat Don(MO)'s way. I did it the old sweat and back breaking way with 3 pounds of cheap nuts and bolts from the farm and home store. |
Posted By: wbecker
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 7:02pm
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I cut out about a 6" x 6" section out of the bottom of the tanks then sand blated the whole inside and tig welded the bottom back. But on the last one, I cut the whole tank in half right below the seam, blasted and tigged it back together, that worked great if you have a sand blaster and a tig machine. ------------- Allis B, IB, Low B, G, D10, JD M, 8KCAB, C152 |
Posted By: Dusty MI
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 8:02pm
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For loose rust put a magnet on the outside bottom of the tank, and continue to use the tractor. After a day or two, and after setting for a while/over night. Remove the magnet and then use a magnet that's mounted on the end of a shaft to remove the pile of rust where the other magnet was. Dusty ------------- 917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express" |
Posted By: LeonR2013
Date Posted: 12 Nov 2017 at 9:39am
| You can get the tank as clean as possible, then pour in about a cup of muriatic acid and slosh it around until all rust is gone, Keep it down wind because a good dose of it will take your breath away. When it is done, set the tank back up and fill it all the way up with water. Slosh it around a little bit and drain. this will test your soldering skills. Then put it back on and add a can of heat. It will absorb any water drops and no water problem. Give him the best you have. No more than these tractors are run it's it's a good idea to run something like Stabill all the time. PM me if you have a further problem. |