Clean inside of boat gas tank

[givetoget]

Hello all.

I use an original steel 6 gallon gas tank for my johnson 35hp. The other day I came across another one and thought it would be nice to have a spare as that 35hp is a gas guzzler for whatever reason.The problem is it had been sitting for 6 years or more with no more than a cup of gas in it. Now its full of rusty looking crud inside. Is there a good way to clean this out before i use it on the boat.

Thanks for any ideas and help.

[Hoffer]

First thought.

Get rid of your original steel gas tank all together and dont buy another steel one.

Donate it, recycle it ( if possible) or whatever.

Then buy a new plastic one that wont rust and corrode.

[Macgyver55]

The old trick I use with cruddy tanks is to put a coarse sand and water mix in it and shake it vigorously for a bit. (The amount of shaking time is based on how bad it is). After doing this, dump out the mix, rinse well with water and blow it out with the air compressor.

I've done this many times and it works well.

[merkman]

Muratic Acid from your local big box store.

Dilute the acid with water (add the acid to water not the other way around), fill the tank to the top and let it soak.

Follow all safety precautions and do this outdoors and stay away from the fumes.

Or the sand/chain links/lugnuts with diesel fuel route others have spoke of.

If you get too much money invested it would be cheaper just to buy a good used one, checking for rust before you pick it up.

Nothing wrong with cleaning it up and reusing it yourself though... In my opinion too many live in a throw away society today...

Clean it up and make it work for ya!!!

[amateurfishing]

yea, i actually prefer the old steel opposed to the newer plastic as well...they hold there shape & dont cave in as gas gets sucked out of them...i hate all the newer portable gas holders that have comeout for your little engines, even my 2 gal mower gas can expands in summer all the time & does not hold shape

[givetoget]

Thanks for the replies. But my first thought is why would i throw them out if the first one works great, dont leak a drop, fits in the boat corner very nicly and as amateur stated does not cave in. also easy to fill.

The most i have invested in the spare tank is the effort to lift it off the guys shelf and carry it to my truck. Good ideas with the acid /water and sand and water. Its worth a try as it aint rusted to bad, and i have the acid and coaurse blasting sand here allready. Besides it would be a good project to do with my son( the shaking of the sand and water oops did i say that out loud )

Thanks much guys

[Hoffer]

Dont misunderstannd...if you prefer to reuse it and keep it going...more power to you

I am all for "recycling".

My suggestion to go new and plastic was simply due to the possibility of continued corrosion getting sucked up slowly but surely with the gas and causing damage to the engine. In the long run thats a much more expensive fix and also a headache for sure. I am sure many will say that if you do the cleaning methods they suggest you wont have that issue. I just would have a nagging worry that once you get it nice and clean there will inevitably just be more corrosion around the corner and then your out on the lake one day with an engine that wont start.

Thats my main reason for going new and plastic.

[Dave]

My son used Mac's idea with the gravel/water mixture in an old snowmobile tank and it worked quite well. Add an in-line filter after, too. The filter got brown and lessened over time as the rust kept washing away as the sled was used.

[givetoget]

Thanks for the help all.

And Hoffer I apoligize if that came across wrong that was not the intent.Trust me I would not make a good speaker or writer. I do agree with your concern of reacurring rust. If I would put an inline fuel filter in the line, is there a chance I could restrict the fuel to much.

Here is what I did, washed it in parts washer solvent and then washed out with some idustrial degreaser(nasty stuff), that got out the oily gunk on bottom.splashed a half gallon of hydrochloric acid around in it for about ten minutes,helped some,rinsed that out wich came out nasty brown. Then I dumped in a 1 1/2 jugs of CLR and a coupl pounds of #24 sandblast sand and sloshed that around and then let it soak, did that for about an hour. It came out looking pretty darn good.

Thanks again all. It worked great.

[Hoffer]

No need to apologize

we are all on the same page here...and just trying to help. Some suggestions may be good and some not so good...but we all try to help.

I dont know about the fuel filter questions...as I have never tried that myself.

However, if you can confirm from someone that may work....its sure worth a try and may save you some headache down the road.

I can appreciate your hard work to make this tank work for you. Too often we take the easy way out.

Hope all works well for you.

Hoffer

[chris63]

Good advice to install a fuel filter.(Even though marine engines usually have one).Sometimes "new"fuel has sediment and foreign matter in it from the refinery/tanker or storage tank under the gas station.c63