the other day i picked up a FREE GSL-SE gas tank!!! the only catch is that its sat for 19 years...with gas in it. the gas has turned to a pliable black tar and the inside of the tank is completely coated in tarry gas. before i send it out and have it professionally boiled, i was wondering if there is anything that i can use here at the house to clean it out that would save me the time and money from having it professionally cleaned(which i know is always the best thing to do but money is tight). here are a couple pics of the tank:

tank:



looking in the pickup hole:

 

the gas tank in my NSU spider looked like that!

i tried to clean it myself, seemed like a chisel worked the best. i eventually took it to a radiator shop, and they boiled it out and had to replace part of the floor

so try a spot, maybe oven cleaner?

 

it flakes off fairly easialy..its just tarry and hard to get to...

 

I had mine looking like that.what i did threw away and got another one for $50 dollar.i think it would be better getting another one

 

i would but here in ohio non rusty tanks are scarce as hens teeth..that and i dont need it for anything any time soon so i have plenty of time to clean it.

 

You can boil it at home. It's not terribly difficult. Go to home depot or Lowes or whatever hardware store you have near you. Pick up a gallon or two of Muriatic acid, some thick rubber gloves, a nose mask, and some eye protection.

After you have all that it's a few simple steps

1) put all of your protective equipment on.

2) fill the tank with 4-5 gallons of water

3) pour 1/8 to 1/4 gallon of muriatic acid into the tank while keeping face away from the holes.

4) close the tank back up

5) Shake tank pretty well

6) Let it sit for a few hours

7) Drain tank into something that you can dispose easily.

8) repeat until tank is clean.

 

^^that doesn't sound like a bad idea. the muriatic acid is safe for the inner tank and will not corrode it?

 

Be very careful with muriatic acid. Eastwood.com does say that muriatic acid can be used to clean a gas tank though.

http://forum.eastwood.com/upload//sh...highlight=tank

Eastwood sells a gas tank seal kit once it's clean.
http://www.eastwood.com/gas-tank-sealer-kits.html

 

Be VERY VERY careful with that muriatic acid. It is NASTY stuff.

 

I have the same problem in my rx3. Ham is sooo right, I've worked with muriatic acid before it is some Evil **** ! Just take it to the rad shop. They will dispose of all the waste & clean the kak out, I believe there is a resin coating also they can put it thru (?) if you do use the acid get some bisquine (thick plastic drop cloth)from depot for possible collateral & BAKEING SODA to neutralize the acid afterwards.

 

I've got a tank that's worse than that photo. It's got a 1/2" of crud on the bottom.
I never thought of using acid to clean it, I was going to scrap it.
Lime is cheaper than baking soda for neutralizing the waste.
Read this good info on the acid, http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infmur.html

 

you should smell this tank...or rather not.. its awful. i had my truck parked next door (neighbors moved and wanted me to park something there so it makes it look like someone is there..theft deterrant i guess...free parking for me) and i could smell this nasty thing from my front door. i promptly took it to my shed...which is near unbearable when you open the door..

 

Since gasoline is a petroleum derivative, as are are many paint and wood finish products are, the same solvents can work for a varnished tank. MEK, lacquer thinner, acetone, the 'hotter' thinner/solvents will cut the varnished fuel.

I would stay far away from muriatic acid as it can eat metal, flesh and lungs. It only takes a 10% solution to etch concrete.

 

I've used the POR-15 tank sealer kit on several tanks. I have also used their Marine Clean degreaser to clean several others. You pour a few ounces in the tank and add a couple of gallons of boiling water. After swishing it around soaking at various angles for 24 hours rinse and repeat. One of the tanks I cleaned looked just about that bad. I repeated the process three times. Inside looked like new when I finished. After its clean flood it with water and drain. Open all the holes. Turn your wet vac around to blow and stick the hose in one of the holes. It is usually bone dry and ready to use after 12-24 hours. FWIW I recently removed a tank I had sealed and another I had only cleaned. The insides looked like the day i finished them after 2 and 3 years of use.

 

can you tell me what the ID is of three rubber fuel lines that come off the top of the tank??

 

Throw some chains in there for good measure too.

 

Big one is fuel pickup, medium one is the return and the small one is a vent. The plate is on its side in this picture.

 

ID or internal diameter of the rubber hoses ( I meant)

From the picture, it looks like GLSE hoses' internal diameter will be different from the GS (12a engine) hose's???