Cleaning out gas tank question.

[Tuff Gong]

Whats the best way to clean the old gunk out of your gas tank without removing it. The tank is fine just need to flush it clean. Any thoughts?

[72blu]

No real way to flush it with the tank in the cab. Take it out and get it properly flushed/coated.

[Redneck Rydes]

Has to come out,When I did mine I put in so,e 3/4 crush clean gravel and sloshed it around,and then some small chain,cleaned up pretty good.

[Astro-Balls]

Will Radiator shops flush out tanks?

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by Astro-Balls

Will Radiator shops flush out tanks?

Most will, or they should. I'm lucky to have one in my town that will do it, I'd check around. Some places will also put a coating inside too. Generally you end up spending more or less the same as you would on a new tank.

Thats not always a good value proposition for some folks, but for me, I'd rather spend it on an old tank I know fits and is OEM than some new piece of junk.

[Tuff Gong]

I think they will. I’m trying to avoid pulling the tank all the way out because it’s not that bad

[Tuff Gong]

I think I’m just going to drain the gas change the filter and call it good. I know it’s probably not the right thing to do but I’m sure at a work

[Dan-K]

Been down that road , save yourself the headaches and buy a new tank.

[Tuff Gong]

What kind of problems were you having because of the bad tank you had

[Dan-K]

The truck had sat for twenty plus years . I took the tank out filled it with gravel and vinegar and shook it , then flushed it several times and re-installed it . I put a large filter between the tank and the fuel pump and another after the pump before the carb and also the one inside the carb (Rochester). What I did filtered out the large particles but I kept getting small rust particles through all the filters that eventually clogged up the carb internally . So after my experiences I would say pony up and buy a new tank .

[Tuff Gong]

So I got the tank out. Now I just need to decide if I’m going to buy a new one or clean this one out. It doesn’t look terrible but it’s hard to get a good look inside

[Getter-Done]

I tried using a rusty - dirty tank once.
This was years ago.
After that experience I would replace it.
By the time you buy 10 fuel filters you will have the tank paid for.
One more thought do you want to carry a spare filter with you
and not know at any moment you may have to change it (Rain or shine )
(Hot or Cold) .
IMO it will give you peace of mind.










.

[Tuff Gong]

Overall the tank is in decent shape but suspect. The sediment that came out was yellow, then milky white. I beat on the bottom of the tank with a rubber mallet and you could see flakes floating out as I flushed it. The radiator shop quoted me $160 to clean back to bare metal. I ended up just buying a new aftermarket tank.

[vitamin_c95]

Best I can say is, call for quotes. I called two local shops. They quoted me $255 and $250 for a flush and seal. Eff that. I can drive an hour to brothers or classic industries and get a new tank cheaper. I even tried to.flush it myself but it's a PITA to get the water out. So I'm going to get me a new tank

[Tuff Gong]

I already snag a new tank and will install it this weekend. Hopefully the swap out is as easy as the removal. After hearing all the comments sender like the safest way to go.

[Tuff Gong]

So my new gas tank doesn’t have any vent line provisions. Do you not need them anymore

[burb71]

Originally Posted by Tuff Gong

Whats the best way to clean the old gunk out of your gas tank without removing it. The tank is fine just need to flush it clean. Any thoughts?

I would say avoid doing it if you really don't have to, unless you use oil or gas as the liquid with a chain to do the scouring.

I used soap and water, bad idea!!!
There is sort of a baffle with the fuel necking, and you can't get all of the water out it starts to flash rust and you can have a bigger problem than you started out with.

[Tuff Gong]

Here is my original tank with venting and new tank without. So weird.

[AussieinNC]

What year model is the truck?

There are two tank styles, vented and non vented....
Does the truck fuel pump have a return line back to tank?
Is there a breather system passenger side door pillar?

[Tuff Gong]

My truck is a 70.

[AussieinNC]

Should be a vented tank....but I dont think the original tank is actually the correct one....

The EEC vent pipe is usually on the filler tube, not in the body of the tank itself...

Would you mind posting the brand and part number of the "new" tank...thanks

[Tuff Gong]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Should be a vented tank....but I dont think the original tank is actually the correct one....

The EEC vent pipe is usually on the filler tube, not in the body of the tank itself...

Would you mind posting the brand and part number of the "new" tank...thanks

All the hard venting lines are there so I think my tank is stock. I will post specs on the new tank if it is on the box.

[LockDoc]

-
If you still have the charcoal canister, return line on the fuel pump, and all of the other emissions stuff then you need the vent lines. If not, the vent lines aren't doing anything anyway and you don't need them. If you plug or cap the vent outlets just be sure you use a vented gas cap.

I have always cleaned my own tanks and I have had some pretty crappy ones. Take the cap off and the sender out, make sure all of the old gas is out of it and take it to the car wash. Use the soap solution on it first in both openings then high pressure rinse. Take it home and empty as much of the water out of it as you can and blow it out with a long air nozzle, put a couple of bottles of HEAT GAS LINE ANTIFREEZE in it and slosh it around and dump it out. Put the tank in and fill it up. You can put another bottle of HEAT in it when you put gas in it if you want to.

I have never had a tank coated. I don't know about the newer coatings but years ago a friend of mine had his tank cleaned and coated with Sherwin Williams "Sloshing Compound" gas tank sealer. 6 or 7 months later he started having all kinds of problems with the stuff flaking off and plugging up the fuel lines.

LockDoc

[weim55]

[QUOTE=LockDoc;8618897]-

put a couple of bottles of HEAT GAS LINE ANTIFREEZE in it and slosh it around and dump it out. Put the tank in and fill it up. You can put another bottle of HEAT in it when you put gas in it if you want to.

Does the heat antifreeze seem to remove the last of the old varnish in the tank?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[Redneck Rydes]

Make sure you use a new vented gas cap