tank contaminated

[JohnEd]

I have two tanks on a S&S that had gas in them for years while I was away.  It has turned into some nasty stuff that I threw away.  Unfortunately, the stuff left some crud behind.  Anybody have any thoughts on how to clean that stuff out or disolve it?  This is a majot badness as they are each 50 gal and I need them both.

Thanks for your help,

John

[Tom Y]

Have them steamed out if the tanks are out.  Tom Y

[gus]

There is a liquid carb cleaner that comes in gal cans from your nearest auto parts store.

It is Periman or something like that. This stuff will cut any kind of gasoline crud but it is nasty if you get any on your skin.

I would put a qt to 1/2 gal in each tank and slosh it around for a few minutes.

Don't let it sit after sloshing, just dump it so it doesn't settle and stick again.

[JohnEd]

Tom,

  I think your advice is solid and I will do that.  I want to convert them both to "sealed" non breathing tanks so i will have to add an expansion chamber and add a vent hole anyway and doing that with the tank out will be easier or just plain possible.

Gus,

I think you mean "Berriemans".  I know what you mean and I hadn't thought of using that.  You think that stuff is nasty?  You should have seen it 30 years ago before EPA in Ca. got ahold of their formula.  Now that was some SERIOUS carb cleaner.  Ah, memories.  Even nostalgia isn't what it used to be though, right?

Thank you guys,

John

[Lin]

Yes, it is called Berrymans B12.  I do not know what is in it.  I have always wondered whether they were packaging lacquer thinner at a higher price though.  There appear to be some references on line to using it to cleans gas tanks though.  I am also interested since I might want to get my bus ready for biodiesel and would want to clean the tank.  It would be nice if there were a way to do it without removing it though.

[JohnEd]

Lin,

I was also thinking about adding some bio to my gas as bio cleans the tank also as you said.  Must not disolve the stuff though as the filter fills with stuff. 

From the little I have read on it relating to converting from dino to bio in a diesel they say that you need to change filters out a few times.  That is a lot easier than dropping a tank in a bus though.

Where on line did you see references to Berrymans for cleaning tanks?

Thank you and good luck with the bio.

John

[H3Jim]

You might try Acetone, great stuff will disolve almost anything.  One of the few that mixes with both water or oil.  Pretty hot stuff, but even home depot sells it.  I bet a gallon of it would take that crud off.

[Lin]

I saw the thing about Berrymans on a couple of forums.  They were mainly talking about varnish though.  Acetone might do it, as might alcohol or lacquer thiner.  One site said something about mixing muriatic acid and water.  There are probably several common solvents that will attack the type of gunk we have in our tanks.  The problem would seem to be getting good coverage with the stuff in a 140 gallon tank without removing it.  I would guess that most of the problem crud will be on the bottom, so maybe if one emptied the tank, put in about 20 gallons of solvent, and ran a long paint mixer off a good drill for a while, you might be able to get rid of a lot of it.  You would certainly be able to tell something from the mixture when you drained it off.  You may still have to change a filter or two, but one would think there would be much less of a problem.  Maybe the drill thing would be too risky, sparks and all, but I'm sure there is someway to do this short of picking the bus up and shaking it.

[H3Jim]

Berrymans will dissolve that crud on contact.  Not much mechanical force needed.  Just keep it away from your eyes!

If you do use water - I recommend not - flush with acetone after as it will clear out all the water.  Its one of the things they use in the fuel additive to stop fuel icing.  It mixes with the water, breaks surface tension, so all the little droplets mix in with the rest of the fuel and are not concentrated.  Great for cleaning up after using water too, as it allows the water to become diluted with the petrol products.  Lacquer thinner or alcohol are very different and will not work that way.

[Lin]

My only experience with acetone was when working with resins.  We used it for cleanup because it dissolved  plastics.  Nail polish remover is (or was) perfumed acetone.

Jim, How much Berrymans or other solvent would you think one would need to put into the tank?

[scottwms]

If your tanks sat for years with gas in them they likely have rust too, mine did and I ended up having to remove it, etch it, and coat it with POR 15 and replace the old fuel lines, but now it is like new.

[junkman42]

I have found that a lot of radiator shops also clean fuel tanks.  It could save You a lot of time and money and provide a safe way to clean Your tank.  My .02.  John

[gus]

I like the idea of steam if it does the job. Way lots safer.

Acetone is so flammable I wouldn't want to confine it in a tank. If you use acetone be sure to keep anything electric like mixers away from the tank. A tank withf acetone inside is a bomb.

Acetone also evaporates so fast that it may just go and leave the gunk behind. This happens with spray carb cleaner too.

Thanks, Berriman's is what I was thinking of. It may be really flammable too, I don't remember, but I think it is probably not as bad as acetone. I don't see how it would take more than two gallons per tank of this stuff, it really does the job. Carbs or parts are only dipped into the cleaner for 5-10 min and come out completely clean. Whatever it is, it sure burns skin, so it must contain some kind of acid.

[Lin]

I am afraid that two gallons would only wet the bottom of my tank.  I'm sure steam would work if you could get a nozzle in so that it could aimed to get complete coverage.

[gus]

Lin,

You may be right but I remember that the instructions say Berriman's can be used over.

It is normally left in the gallon metal container and carb parts are dipped into it. I've had mine for years and have also used it to clean out clogged gas lines. I always caught the mess and dumped it back into the can.

Steaming may be very difficult since the holes are pretty small except for the fill hole. You sure don't want steam and gumk in your face!