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Old 01-14-2014, 08:02 AM   #1
Wick
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Default Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

I,m Told car (31) has been started every 2 years. Tank should be drained ..(.I think it's empty.)
The glass bowl has some gas in it,no varnish. Should I just open the line and see what comes out? What do I flush the tank with?
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Old 01-14-2014, 08:49 AM   #2
RonC
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

How old is gas? Try this first. Drain and add a couple of gallons of new gas.
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Old 01-14-2014, 09:03 AM   #3
26Tguy
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

As I type this, I am doin an acetone flush on my 29 sport coupe that I just bought. The seller told me the last time it ran was 91. Last sunday I removed the fuel petcock and was surprised to drain over a gallon of thinner-smelling, iced tea-looking liquid. The inlet of the petcock was gummed up, yet the fuel lines were clean.

I put a pipe plug into the hole where the petcock was and carefully poured 5 gallons of acetone in to hopefully breakup the sludge. Every few hours I rock it side to side, and let it do its thing. I empied it sunday and filtered it before pouring it back in for another go at it.

Last night when I empied it, the acetone did come out with a deeper brown color... so it must be doing what I want it to. So... I threw it back in and will empty it again tonight.

Im hoping in a few days I will throw some gas in the tank and see what happens. I have removed the sediment bowl and plan to run a clear fuel filter on it until I am happy with the color of the gas.

Hope that helps.

Last edited by 26Tguy; 01-14-2014 at 09:10 AM.
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Old 01-14-2014, 09:03 AM   #4
Steve Wastler
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

I had good luck flushing one with 2 gallons of e85. I let it sit for a couple days, it dissolved a thin layer of crud on the bottom.
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Old 01-14-2014, 11:58 AM   #5
Purdy Swoft
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

I've used Marine clean with good results. Mix the marine clean with hot water as lable instructions. Let sit over night and slosh tank several times. In worse cases use lacquer thinner or acetone first.
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Old 01-14-2014, 12:30 PM   #6
H. L. Chauvin
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

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Hi Wick,

Guesses without seeing an 80+ year old fuel tank means one is just guessing as to what you may or may not have.

If someone followed the printed 1973 MAFCA Tips recommendation to seal Model A gas tanks with Permatex thinned with alcohol, the new 10% ethanol gas will break down the Permatex coating mixed with rust, & will cause different gas line & carburetor clogging problems.

Do not be afraid to experiment to determine what you actually have -- a fuel tank's bottom full of unwanted chips & large & small grains of junk may mean calling an expensive tow truck when you are stranded perhaps 100 miles from home.

Hope this helps.
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Old 01-14-2014, 02:03 PM   #7
Wick
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

This is a fully restored car and I dont want to hurt the paint or take the tank out. I will look inside the tank this weekend.
Thanks
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Old 01-14-2014, 03:53 PM   #8
nhusa
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

I still need to do our Model A that is just coming out of storage after 50 years.
When I did the T a few years ago I removed the gas line, put the end of the air hose in the tank, and let it blow for about 30 minutes - moving it around a bit
It was hard to believe how much "stuff" came out but after about 10 minutes the air seemed clean.
Next I plugged the hole at the bottom and filled the tank most of the way with gas.
Then drained it thru an old T shirt.
I did the fill and drain a few times then used the gas to start the car.
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Old 01-14-2014, 05:27 PM   #9
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Cleaning Tank after long Storage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wick View Post
This is a fully restored car and I dont want to hurt the paint or take the tank out. I will look inside the tank this weekend.
Thanks
When we just need to flush (no rust) a tank, we just use a steam cleaner to flush old gas. Hot steam and Dawn dish soap will do a great job of flushing old gasoline. Screw a fitting into the tank's drain valve and attach a length of hose so the water will just drain to the outside of the car. Air blow out the tank when clean and add some denatured alcohol when you fill with gasoline to absorb the residual water.
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