The Ford Barn

Mitch Newman · 08-25-2010, 09:31 PM

I have a 1929 Tudor Sedan that I am now trying to get running and mechanically sound so that I can drive and enjoy it while fully restoring a 1930 standard coupe. When I looked in the gas tank, which I thought had been drained long ago, I found it still has quite a bit of very old gas in it. Some of it obviously has started to gel and become solid. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank to dissolve the old stuff. I do not want to remove the tank and do a full-on cleaning yet, if possible. Any suggestions?

FL&WVMIKE · 08-25-2010, 10:36 PM

Mitch Newman ...........................
I have heard that acetone will work as good as anything.
I hope someone can jump in, who has tried it, or knows of something better.
MIKE

Cool Hand Lurker · 08-25-2010, 10:58 PM

You could pour in more gas, preferably with ethanol. Shake it around to dilute the old stuff and the ethanol will help to clean out the gunk. Then drain it. Maybe do it again. The old gas makes good weed killer, drives away mice and bats when used in a squirt bottle, and keeps bugs out of the fruit trees if it is stored nearby.

Mitch Newman · 08-25-2010, 11:15 PM

I had thought about the new gas with ethanol but wasn't sure. I was also thinking of one of the stronger solvents but was not sure which one to try. A friend suggested MEK. The acetone is probably easier to get. Maybe someone has tried it and can let us know. Thanks!!

'29wagon · 08-26-2010, 12:15 AM

i'd try the acetone theory, breaks down petroleum based products pretty good.
mek seems a bit strong. what ever you choose, let it sit in there a while.

sonny30coupe · 08-26-2010, 02:25 AM

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The gas would be the safest thing and do the job by diluting the old gas and breaking it down.

roccaas · 08-26-2010, 04:39 AM

I used WD-40 successfully on an old Evirude with white, globular, brain like material in the tank that used to be gas.

The problem is getting enough into an 11 gallon tank.

I'd bet in the old days they just poured in some White Lightning and burned it all out the tail pipe!

Aerocraft · 08-26-2010, 07:29 AM

I had the same problem with a '31 Roadster that had been sitting with gasoline in it for 38 years. I (very carefully) used three gallons of MEK and let it sit for several weeks, rocking the car often. The MEK turned the mess into a liquid that did drain out. I did use a fresh air mask when I was handling the MEK. I then switched to unleaded gasoline and used five gallons at a time, repeating the rocking of the car. After two cleansing's with gasoline, the tank was clean enough to run the engine without any carburetor problems. Gar Williams

MrTube · 08-26-2010, 07:41 AM

I would think a large jug of carb cleaner would work great no?

Mitch Newman · 08-26-2010, 07:56 AM

Thanks guys for all the advise. Now I need to just get busy.

roccaas, I do live in Tennessee, so the White Lightning is still available. The problem with that is that I am afraid not all of the White Lightning would end up in the tank.

Ken Ehrenhofer · 08-26-2010, 08:06 AM

MEK is actually Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Acetone is a member of the same Ketone family of solvents. While both will evaporate very quickly Acetone evaporates faster and you will lose a lot if left open. I use MEK all the time as a wash solvent to clen my spray guns and the best degreaser you can find. Works great cleaning old carbs too.
Both are extremely flammabel please use with caution and ventilation. Both can be purchased at a local hardware store unless you live in California. I believe MEK is outlawed while acetone is an exempt solvent in the eyes of the AQMD (air quality managemant district).
by the way MEK is the largest component of lacquer thinner so lacquer thinner (altho a little slower vaporating) will probably also do the same job.
IMHO,
Ken

'29wagon · 08-26-2010, 08:44 AM

with that being said, thanks Ken, good point but we can still purchase MEK in California. that's the catalyst in surfboard glassing.
since Roccaas uses WD40 which is a petroleum byproduct how bout to go with just straight diesel fuel ?
Anyway, go the cheapest rout and something that can be recycled, cleaned and used again . That would be diesel right ? anything else would be costly.

1928Pickuppain · 08-26-2010, 09:14 AM

use some dissel pour about 3 gallins and a bottle of everclear in there mix with a stik and start her up the dissel will disolve the gelled gas and the everclear will thin the mixture. (you can run dissel in a model a) so adding some to old gass wont hurt it.

MrTube · 08-26-2010, 10:14 AM

does that mean Diesel?

1928Pickuppain · 08-26-2010, 10:21 AM

Yes Im just bad at spelling and cant figure out how to make spell check work.

Jack '29 Sport Coupe · 08-26-2010, 10:25 AM

MEK is very toxic and I would use a respirator with an element designed for toxic fumes such as the kind used when welding in a confined area. Good ventilation is
essential.

Jack

MrTube · 08-26-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1928Pickuppain

Yes Im just bad at spelling and cant figure out how to make spell check work.

no problem 1928, I wasn't sure if dissel was a chemical or not.

Cool Hand Lurker · 08-26-2010, 11:56 AM

The Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone is used as a solvent for fiberglas resins so it may attack any plastics in the fuel system if left in too long. Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone-Peroxide is used as the hardener for fiberglas resins like polyester and epoxy.

Carb cleaner is expensive but you can make your own a little cheaper. Get a quart each of Alcohol, Acetone and Xylol from the hardware store and dump it together in a used gallon paint thinner can. You then have carb cleaner. Works great at less than $15 total for 3/4 gallon.

By the way, alcohol, ethanol and white lightening are all the same thing, just distilled alcohol from fermented grain. The ethanol and alcohol you buy as solvents or in gas are "denatured" so they are undrinkable. The white lightening is drinkable..... hic....

Bruce Lancaster · 08-26-2010, 12:05 PM

If you can rig up a small auxiliary tank, I think driving the car would be an excellent way to slosh your solvents around.
Carla on Ahooga board long ago rigged up a small temporary tank for driving and also added a cheap electric pump and a a big expensive filter to the main tank that was being cleaned...the pump was rigged to continually pass the fuel and solvent from the tank through the filter and back in the top. The filter was the sort that could be disassembled and cleaned easily multiple times during the process. Seemed like a good idea.

cannon · 08-26-2010, 07:30 PM

i had good results using a steam cleaner: my .02 worth.

08-25-2010, 09:31 PM	#1
Mitch Newman Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Middle Tenn. Posts: 36	Old-No-Very Old Gas I have a 1929 Tudor Sedan that I am now trying to get running and mechanically sound so that I can drive and enjoy it while fully restoring a 1930 standard coupe. When I looked in the gas tank, which I thought had been drained long ago, I found it still has quite a bit of very old gas in it. Some of it obviously has started to gel and become solid. Is there anything that I can pour into the tank to dissolve the old stuff. I do not want to remove the tank and do a full-on cleaning yet, if possible. Any suggestions?

08-25-2010, 10:36 PM	#2
FL&WVMIKE Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Daytona Beach, Fl & Spencer, W. Va, Posts: 4,449	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas Mitch Newman ........................... I have heard that acetone will work as good as anything. I hope someone can jump in, who has tried it, or knows of something better. MIKE

08-25-2010, 10:58 PM	#3
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,580	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas You could pour in more gas, preferably with ethanol. Shake it around to dilute the old stuff and the ethanol will help to clean out the gunk. Then drain it. Maybe do it again. The old gas makes good weed killer, drives away mice and bats when used in a squirt bottle, and keeps bugs out of the fruit trees if it is stored nearby.

08-25-2010, 11:15 PM	#4
Mitch Newman Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Middle Tenn. Posts: 36	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas I had thought about the new gas with ethanol but wasn't sure. I was also thinking of one of the stronger solvents but was not sure which one to try. A friend suggested MEK. The acetone is probably easier to get. Maybe someone has tried it and can let us know. Thanks!!

08-26-2010, 12:15 AM	#5
'29wagon Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: H.B. California Posts: 451	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas i'd try the acetone theory, breaks down petroleum based products pretty good. mek seems a bit strong. what ever you choose, let it sit in there a while.

08-26-2010, 02:25 AM	#6
sonny30coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kansas City KS Posts: 255	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The gas would be the safest thing and do the job by diluting the old gas and breaking it down.

08-26-2010, 04:39 AM	#7
roccaas Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,300	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas I used WD-40 successfully on an old Evirude with white, globular, brain like material in the tank that used to be gas. The problem is getting enough into an 11 gallon tank. I'd bet in the old days they just poured in some White Lightning and burned it all out the tail pipe! __________________ 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, and Bob Hope. Now we have no Cash, no Jobs, and no Hope...please don't let Kevin Bacon die!

08-26-2010, 07:29 AM	#8
Aerocraft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 1,387	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas I had the same problem with a '31 Roadster that had been sitting with gasoline in it for 38 years. I (very carefully) used three gallons of MEK and let it sit for several weeks, rocking the car often. The MEK turned the mess into a liquid that did drain out. I did use a fresh air mask when I was handling the MEK. I then switched to unleaded gasoline and used five gallons at a time, repeating the rocking of the car. After two cleansing's with gasoline, the tank was clean enough to run the engine without any carburetor problems. Gar Williams

08-26-2010, 07:41 AM	#9
MrTube Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,471	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas I would think a large jug of carb cleaner would work great no?

08-26-2010, 07:56 AM	#10
Mitch Newman Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Middle Tenn. Posts: 36	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas Thanks guys for all the advise. Now I need to just get busy. roccaas, I do live in Tennessee, so the White Lightning is still available. The problem with that is that I am afraid not all of the White Lightning would end up in the tank.

08-26-2010, 08:06 AM	#11
Ken Ehrenhofer Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Woodstock, Illinois Posts: 597	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas MEK is actually Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Acetone is a member of the same Ketone family of solvents. While both will evaporate very quickly Acetone evaporates faster and you will lose a lot if left open. I use MEK all the time as a wash solvent to clen my spray guns and the best degreaser you can find. Works great cleaning old carbs too. Both are extremely flammabel please use with caution and ventilation. Both can be purchased at a local hardware store unless you live in California. I believe MEK is outlawed while acetone is an exempt solvent in the eyes of the AQMD (air quality managemant district). by the way MEK is the largest component of lacquer thinner so lacquer thinner (altho a little slower vaporating) will probably also do the same job. IMHO, Ken

08-26-2010, 08:44 AM	#12
'29wagon Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: H.B. California Posts: 451	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas with that being said, thanks Ken, good point but we can still purchase MEK in California. that's the catalyst in surfboard glassing. since Roccaas uses WD40 which is a petroleum byproduct how bout to go with just straight diesel fuel ? Anyway, go the cheapest rout and something that can be recycled, cleaned and used again . That would be diesel right ? anything else would be costly.

08-26-2010, 09:14 AM	#13
1928Pickuppain Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Billerica, Ma Posts: 461	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas use some dissel pour about 3 gallins and a bottle of everclear in there mix with a stik and start her up the dissel will disolve the gelled gas and the everclear will thin the mixture. (you can run dissel in a model a) so adding some to old gass wont hurt it.

08-26-2010, 10:14 AM	#14
MrTube Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,471	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas does that mean Diesel?

08-26-2010, 10:21 AM	#15
1928Pickuppain Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Billerica, Ma Posts: 461	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas Yes Im just bad at spelling and cant figure out how to make spell check work.

08-26-2010, 10:25 AM	#16
Jack '29 Sport Coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 798	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas MEK is very toxic and I would use a respirator with an element designed for toxic fumes such as the kind used when welding in a confined area. Good ventilation is essential. Jack __________________ Cincinnati, Ohio

08-26-2010, 11:56 AM	#18
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,580	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas The Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone is used as a solvent for fiberglas resins so it may attack any plastics in the fuel system if left in too long. Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone-Peroxide is used as the hardener for fiberglas resins like polyester and epoxy. Carb cleaner is expensive but you can make your own a little cheaper. Get a quart each of Alcohol, Acetone and Xylol from the hardware store and dump it together in a used gallon paint thinner can. You then have carb cleaner. Works great at less than $15 total for 3/4 gallon. By the way, alcohol, ethanol and white lightening are all the same thing, just distilled alcohol from fermented grain. The ethanol and alcohol you buy as solvents or in gas are "denatured" so they are undrinkable. The white lightening is drinkable..... hic....

08-26-2010, 12:05 PM	#19
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas If you can rig up a small auxiliary tank, I think driving the car would be an excellent way to slosh your solvents around. Carla on Ahooga board long ago rigged up a small temporary tank for driving and also added a cheap electric pump and a a big expensive filter to the main tank that was being cleaned...the pump was rigged to continually pass the fuel and solvent from the tank through the filter and back in the top. The filter was the sort that could be disassembled and cleaned easily multiple times during the process. Seemed like a good idea.

08-26-2010, 07:30 PM	#20
cannon Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: macclenny, florida Posts: 71	Re: Old-No-Very Old Gas i had good results using a steam cleaner: my .02 worth.