fuel tank cleaning

[mickharrow]

a while back there was a post about fuel tank cleaning but the link to the halfords product was not working.
amyone suggest a good project to clean inside a fuel tank that has stood empty for a long while?

[tom400f]

I used the tank repair kit from Frosts - write-up is here: http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,4758.0.html

If your tank only needs cleaning then you can buy the Marine Clean separately. Their website includes the datasheet for it which tells you its composition, so may be you can compare this with the labels on Halfords products...

[LesterPiglet]

Vinegar. 

[the-chauffeur]

Hammerite Rust Remover

Halfords only sell the half litre bottles now, which is probably why the older link doesn't work (that was for 1ltr bottles).

[LesterPiglet]

I wonder is this the same.  Hammerite gel

[Waggles]

+ 1 ( sort of ) for the Frosts products, I used their 'Marine clean' followed by 'Metal ready'

Incidentally, I found the surface submerged in metal ready was completely rust free but when left went rusty again very quickly ( which if it truely left a layer of zinc on it I don't think it would! ) so once treated and drained I recommend spraying with WD40 or something to protect it until you fill it with petrol ( or fill it with petrol straight away of course )

[Seamus]

Used to be an article on cleaning/derusting the inside of a tank electrolytically on the US site, but a quick look on google shows some youtube vids that look promising.
(May have the article saved somewher, but will have to look)

[Waggles]

Yes, seen that on an old episode of 'Cafe racer' ( unfortunately after I had cleaned mine ) worked very well. I beleive they just used an old bolt as an electrode connected to a battery charger, can't remember what they used for electrolyte tho.

[Seamus]

I am pretty sure that washing soda was the electrolyte.

Still have some digging to do

[kifer]

Have cleaned a couple of tanks by putting in some washed fish tank gravel then wrapping with bubble wrap and any old blankets coats etc then putting in cement mixer making sure it won't move switch on and no effort req'd just reposition a couple of times empty and rinse out. Had very good results.