Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4..

[jjzepplin]

Make a new tank?

[mongocanfly]

Possibly....I searched the net last night for gas tank cleaning...there are a few options out there...several companies that do it actually cut holes in the tank and sandblast the inside...then weld the patches back in ,and then seal the tank inside and out....I sent a quote request to a place in Ga..I'll see what they charge....if it's to high I may do it myself...or build a new tank....like I needed more to do...

[68Timber]

I wonder if CLR would dissolve it?

[mongocanfly]

Hadn't thought of clr John..I'll grab a jug and pour in it...but I have my doubts...

[68Timber]

Yeah I’m guessing at it. But you’d think there’s something simple and available otc that will dissolve that stuff.

[mongocanfly]

i think the epa got rid of all the good over the counter stuff...dang epa

[68Timber]

Last guess. Reckon Berryman Chem dip would clean it up?

[Ol Blue K20]

I'm thinking cutting the hole and sandblasting is gonna be the answer.

[mongocanfly]

I poured a gallon of apple cider vinegar in the tank this afternoon...gonna let it soak and see what that does...
at work we have a keylite chemical cleaning tank I thought about trying..its some stout stuff..will eat up aluminum..wont hurt metal...but I'm not sure how the filler neck is attached (its not welded,, I think it may be soldered)and worried about it coming loose...
ive got some carb and parts cleaner ,,not sure what brand it is though...no label left on it and ive had it for awhile...

[rgunlock]

I had a carburetor full of crusted up gunk and it was suggested to me (on this forum) that I soak it in hot Pinesol. I didn't actually heat up the Pinesol, but I was pretty amazed by how well it cleaned up the carb. One guy said he diluted the hot Pinesol 20:1 although I just used it straight. Might work for your tank???

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

I had a carburetor full of crusted up gunk and it was suggested to me (on this forum) that I soak it in hot Pinesol. I didn't actually heat up the Pinesol, but I was pretty amazed by how well it cleaned up the carb. One guy said he diluted the hot Pinesol 20:1 although I just used it straight. Might work for your tank???

Funny you mention that. I had a CB750 about 12 years ago and it had 4 carbs. The guys on the CB750 forum swore by soaking your carbs in Pinesol if you ever let the bike sit and the carbs gunked up.

[mongocanfly]

Funny yall mention pinesol...when you suggested berryman,I googled it and a video popped up on berryman vs pinesol....https://m.roadkillcustoms.com/carbur...k-alternative/

[mongocanfly]

Well it seems like the vinegar may be working...I dumped a gal in yesterday and checked it today...it was sitting on the bottom and the bottom looked fairly clean...but the tank bottom was the best looking part of the tank...I dumped in another gal and have it on its side now...we'll see how it does on the worse looking stuff....

[nitroracer]

If the deposits are more rust than foreign material you might be able to try electrolysis. Fill up the tank, find an anode and run 12V through it.

[mongocanfly]

thanks nitro...right now its the deposits that I cant get loose...
ive seen a lot of gunky gas tanks in my time, but ive never seen one this bad...
gonna add 5 more gallons of a.c.v. in the morning and let it sit...we'll see what happens

[tune_1]

I’m not sure if it would make a difference but hienz makes a cleaning vinegar that is 6% acid instead of 5. Looking forward to your results

Dwight

[mongocanfly]

thanks for the info Dwight...I didn't know there was different % on a.c.v...I just always grab the Walmart brand...I know the name brand stuff is nearly double the cost of wm..I use a.c.v. in my meat marinades for my smoker...

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

thanks for the info Dwight...I didn't know there was different % on a.c.v...I just always grab the Walmart brand...I know the name brand stuff is nearly double the cost of wm..I use a.c.v. in my meat marinades for my smoker...

This is news to me. Now I'm going to check and see if the % is different between cheap and name brand. I also use it a lot for marinades for the smoker.

[mongocanfly]

Well I checked walmart,kroger,and heinz brands of both white and apple cider vinegar...all of them are 5%...

On another note..the vinegar ain't working...the tank bottom is somewhat clean but it's not cutting anything of the sides or ends....looking more like I'll be cutting holes in it and sandblasting ....

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Well I checked walmart,kroger,and heinz brands of both white and apple cider vinegar...all of them are 5%...

On another note..the vinegar ain't working...the tank bottom is somewhat clean but it's not cutting anything of the sides or ends....looking more like I'll be cutting holes in it and sandblasting ....

My bottle is a cheap store brand. It's 5% also. I was hoping it would clean the tank. Refer to my signature below.

[8man]

IMG_0176 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
I found this vinegar, but it has some herbicide stuff in it too. I've used it, but make sure it's outside, well ventilated and you don't wash it off near any plant life and you NEED to wear proper PPE when using it. It's NASTY stuff!

IMG_0175 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
This is the vinegar I use when I want to get rid of rust. 9% is as strong as I've seen if it's just straight vinegar. I don't know what it would do for that tank, but it took some chrome off of a wrench that was rusting. I soaked it for a day to kill the rust. It's now black.

Maybe you could look for this on line before you cut into the tank. If you think it's worth a shot. You may be tired of waiting on this tank and be ready to get it done.

[Ol Blue K20]

I stand corrected, sum beach!

[mongocanfly]

yikes !!!!! 20%....thats some stout stuff...

[Scott2]

Maybe just seal/ coat the inside of the tank? You could lock all the garbage I under the sealer?

PS - you’re running all new fuel line - right?

[mongocanfly]

Scott , i talked to the guy i got the tank sealer from and sent him pics of what the tank looks like inside...he says i need to have a almost 100% clean tank for the sealer to work properly...it sticks to bare metal..not the gunk i have...and yep ..all new -6an fuel lines
i got a ruff estimate from boyds tanks on building a custom aluminum tank..but there are a few things that the new tank will have to have to fit properly and work, fill spout location and angle,recessed sending unit and pickup, and theres a locating rib in the tank middle,...all that may drive a new tank price to high...
looks like ill be cutting holes and sandblasting...