Cleaning 190 gas tank, what to do?
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=145939
Printed Date: 29 Apr 2025 at 6:54am
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Topic: Cleaning 190 gas tank, what to do?
Posted By: Leon B MO
Subject: Cleaning 190 gas tank, what to do?
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 6:07pm
I'm working on an early 190 gasser for my neighbor. He said "about 5 years ago the fuel line choked up so we put a marine gas tank on the fender." He bypassed the mechanical fuel pumg and added an inline electric pump. Hhhhhhhhhhey.....Now he wants to add a second remote and loader so I said I'd look into the tank while I've got the platform exposed. Worst tank I've seen, it doesn't leak but internally, it's bad. I have the tank on my cherry picker. About 10 gallons of varnish came out after removing the bowl and driving a punch through the hole, now I have a slow drip of tar coming out. Looking through the fill cap and fuel gauge hole looks like black barnacles all over. So, is this tank salvageable, could a radiator shop boil it, or should I try to find a decent used diesel tank, if I try clean it myself, what is the best thing to use? It's beyond the chain rolling around trick. Right now I have 3 qts of atf soaking at the bottom. Thanks Leon B MO ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Replies:
Posted By: ACman formally 220
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 6:22pm
| I have cleaned a couple of 200 tanks (same as 190) when they were set up with that garbage soy diesel. Nice hard crap, I used lacquer thinner worked great. Learned that for Neil down in Red Bud. |
Posted By: SteveMaskey(MO)
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 6:33pm
| If I remember right they have a baffle in them so they are hard to clean. Lacquer thinner like ACman said would probably be the best |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 6:42pm
|
Yes it definitely has a baffle, fill hole on one side and fuel gauge hole on the other. Leon B Mo ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: darrel in ND
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 7:06pm
| I think that I would find a radiator shop that boils em out. Darrel |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2017 at 7:59pm
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Yep, first is a rad shop.....second would be lacquer thinner AND acetone.... Maybe add some borax after the above is added...say 6 hours later. ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 3:57pm
| Electrolysis?? I've only read about that process on here, but never tried it. Maybe gasoline fumes & precipitants would cause a potential fire hazard - not sure?? |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 3:59pm
| http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/rust-removal_topic78227.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/rust-removal_topic78227.html |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 4:04pm
|
This link is about cleaning a gas tank http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/electrolysis-tutorial_topic140734.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/electrolysis-tutorial_topic140734.html |
Posted By: TimNearFortWorth
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 4:09pm
| I would be surprised if a radiator shop would take it with the gunk still in it as it would ruin their solution in the hot tank. If access to a heated pressure washer, bung it off before sticking the wand inside and let her rip for an hour as hot as you can get it. Drain, see if any progress and repeat by letting it run over the top again for another hour if you have the place to do it. Maybe open about 15-20 dishwasher tabs and pour em' in, add hot water until 1/4 to 1/3 full to get em' dissolved well and let it sit a few days before "boiling" it out again with the heated pressure washer in the soap solution. Then take it to a rad shop. I have cleaned some nasty tanks with those dishwasher tabs . . . . |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 6:03pm
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I'll admit, I'm no chemist. So rather than take a chance of fumigating myself, I'll try the thinner and acetone. If that don't work well enough then hot water and soap pods. I don't have access to a Hotsy but have a garden hose. Then take it to the local radiator shop to see what they say. This stuff isn't rust. It's like tar dripping out and looking inside the tank, I see 40 years of gunk stuck to every surface. I'll post what I wind up doing. Thanks all. Leon B ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: LeonR2013
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 8:52pm
| How fast is it dripping? If I wasn't in a big hurry let drip until it stops. That will make less you have to deal with on the inside. Get the cheapest a hottest thinner you can get and add it. No use putting anything else in until later. Strap it to a concrete mixer and turn it loose. (It may fit inside) I wouldn't strap it to anything that I didn't want to mess up because you are bound to have some leakage and that hot thinner will can create all kinds of trouble if you're not careful. |
Posted By: mintenfarmer
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 9:15pm
| If you were closer to Minnesota I have 1 from a diesel on a scrap pile and one still on a parts tractor |
Posted By: amac
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 9:24pm
| Had one of those junked up from biodiesel. Took it to a radiator shop and I paid for not getting it clean. Tried rocks and mounted to my wd rear wheel. No luck. Finally sandblasted through the fill hole and the gauge hole and cut a piece out of the bottom of the tank between the baffles and blasted the center. Welded the piece back and it was spotless inside. |
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2017 at 11:42pm
| For the tar,I would plug it up,lay it level and put at least 2 gallon of acetone in it and cap it up for a few days. |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 6:37am
| Would a steam jenny melt the stuff? |
Posted By: ACman formally 220
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 7:02am
Like I said before lacquer thinner is the safest way to go, check with Neil at Northside Salvage in Red Bud Illinois. He has probably cleaned more Allis tanks than most of you have seen. There are people on here that are stupid enough to use a match, put a little gas in it grab a torch look in the fill hole then light it. Problem solved. 
|
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 7:04am
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I'm with Leon and others, 1/4 full of acetone or thinner and rotate, for 3-4 days ? Having a baffle makes it a challenge sop you gotta shake it up. get some of the 'tar' and test which 'thinner' works to brake the tar down into runny mess... and it WILL be a mess.... be interesting to see if boiling water(well, real HOT) would lossen/melt the tar. Water is safe and cheap, especially if time is not important. I'd use a bright LED light and mirror to see inside, one of those 'endoscopes' would be real high tech viewing ! My concern is that EVERY drop and bit of the 'tar' HAS to come out so you have a challenge on your hands. ------------- 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 |
Posted By: polarbear
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 6:37pm
| plain white vinegar and dawn dish soap and good ole super hot water |
Posted By: DougG
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2018 at 12:46am
| Ive done a few and they are aggravating with the baffles in , if its real bad Id cut a hole in the side , clean it and weld it back shut |