Cleaning the rust out of the gas tank on my tiller.

[m_fumich]

As I’ve mentioned in another thread, I’m trying to get my tiller running after letting it sit for 2 years. There’s quite a bit of rust in the gas tank.

I soaked the tank in Evapo-Rust. What I can see inside the tank looks pretty good but there’s still some rust. But what I can feel inside but not see is unacceptable. I used ER because I heard great things about it. I’ve never used it before. I decided to see if The Project Farm had done a comparison with other products and they had. I should have watched that first. It looks like Krud Kutter would have done a better job. I’m going to see what a couple hands full of sand will do. I’ll wait until I’m done with the tiller for the year then I’ll take the tank off and clean it again with Krud Kutter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DeadNutz]

I cleaned a tank one time with pea gravel and a little water and shaking the heck out it.
Didn't get it perfect but it was serviceable.

[m_fumich]

I cleaned a tank one time with pea gravel and a little water and shaking the heck out it.
Didn't get it perfect but it was serviceable.

That’s what I’m going to attempt but with sand. It might take a bit longer but I want a smoother result.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RustFarmer]

Years ago I had a radiator shop hot tank and coat the interior and exterior of a gas tank from a Ford 8N.  This also repaired a bunch of pinholes. 

Not sure what they used to coat the tank, but there are several DIY products for this.  Eastwood sells some. I later found a new repop tank for about the same price as I paid the shop.

I wonder if a plastic tank from another small engine might be the way to go.  It wouldn't look stock, but who cares, its a tiller.  Would save a bunch of work.

[m_fumich]

I wonder if a plastic tank from another small engine might be the way to go.  It wouldn't look stock, but who cares, its a tiller.  Would save a bunch of work.

If the gas tank were simply a gas reservoir, I’d consider that. But this is one of those engines where the carb bolts to the top of the tank and sucks gas directly from it instead of having a fuel line between the tank and the carb.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ron350]

I have herd of using Krud kutter and a few hundred B-B’s.

Will you ever be able to get all of the sand out?

[m_fumich]

I have herd of using Krud kutter and a few hundred B-B’s.

Will you ever be able to get all of the sand out?

I got all the loose rust out. Sand shouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t thing about using BB’s. I have a box of those.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[m_fumich]

The sand proved to be too fine of a medium to get the job done as quickly as I’d like. I’ll try the BB’s tomorrow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[muddy]

The best I've seen is get your abrasive in side. And strap the tank to a tractor wheel and run the tractor in gear. Make sure you have it up on sturdy jack stands of course.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

[ken w.]

It's been my experience with putting sand in a gas tank is you can never get the sand out. There is always grit in the tank. I have had good luck with muiatic  acid . It doesn't take long. And as long as you keep gas in it it shouldn't rust again.

[m_fumich]

It's been my experience with putting sand in a gas tank is you can never get the sand out. There is always grit in the tank. I have had good luck with muiatic  acid . It doesn't take long. And as long as you keep gas in it it shouldn't rust again.

I tried the sand. The only way I had to agitate the tank was by hand. That was going to take WAY too long. I dumped the sand and rinsed out the tank. I did get every bit of the sand out. Once that tank was dry, there wasn’t the slightest bit in the tank. There’s still rust in the tank but I’ll clean it with muratic acid when I’m done with the tiller for the season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nonhog]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

[m_fumich]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

I’m not rude how much rust is left. I can’t see it but I can feel it when I stick my finger in the top and feel the area around the opening.

I used Evapo- Rust. The only think that removes rust better is Krud Kutter and muratic acid. Check out this video from Project Farm. He did a comparison of several products including vinegar and Coke.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pep]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

So what if it's toxic......... and how ?

Fumes avoid inhaling it, he's not going to drink it.  Seems to be the logical and common sense way of avoiding the toxicity. If it were true and it very well maybe, and I say again so what ....?

The suggestion put forth, vinegar calming, insinuating is a better method. You have no clue if it even works.

Suggest you try it, and get back to us, if it fails, you have only wasted your own time.

All these nannies today are the toxic ones. Without facts or experiences,  pollute conversations.

[m_fumich]

Vinegar has its uses. I believe more than one of you has used it to clean rust from tools. The major down side is that it takes LOTS of time is only really effective on light rust.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mdlbldrmatt135]

RedKote works wonderfully to seal tanks after you get the majority of the rust out.   I used it on my MEP-016A generator.

[m_fumich]

RedKote works wonderfully to seal tanks after you get the majority of the rust out.   I used it on my MEP-016A generator.

Thanks. I’ll check it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nonhog]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

So what if it's toxic......... and how ?

Fumes avoid inhaling it, he's not going to drink it.  Seems to be the logical and common sense way of avoiding the toxicity. If it were true and it very well maybe, and I say again so what ....?

The suggestion put forth, vinegar calming, insinuating is a better method. You have no clue if it even works.

Suggest you try it, and get back to us, if it fails, you have only wasted your own time.

All these nannies today are the toxic ones. Without facts or experiences,  pollute conversations.

you enjoy being a dick? i'm out

[muddy]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

So what if it's toxic......... and how ?

Fumes avoid inhaling it, he's not going to drink it.  Seems to be the logical and common sense way of avoiding the toxicity. If it were true and it very well maybe, and I say again so what ....?

The suggestion put forth, vinegar calming, insinuating is a better method. You have no clue if it even works.

Suggest you try it, and get back to us, if it fails, you have only wasted your own time.

All these nannies today are the toxic ones. Without facts or experiences,  pollute conversations.

you enjoy being a dick? i'm out

No he's just an ornery old Nam vet.


Id like to see your results with vinegar. What did you use it on? Was it straight vinegar? Surface rust? Deep rust?  It's a good cleaning agent but I don't think it'd work that well for rust.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

[m_fumich]

Id like to see your results with vinegar. What did you use it on? Was it straight vinegar? Surface rust? Deep rust?  It's a good cleaning agent but I don't think it'd work that well for rust.

Vinegar is only good for light rust and you’d use it straight, not diluted. Watch the Project Farm video I posted the link to. He included vinegar in his test.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nonhog]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

So what if it's toxic......... and how ?

Fumes avoid inhaling it, he's not going to drink it.  Seems to be the logical and common sense way of avoiding the toxicity. If it were true and it very well maybe, and I say again so what ....?

The suggestion put forth, vinegar calming, insinuating is a better method. You have no clue if it even works.

Suggest you try it, and get back to us, if it fails, you have only wasted your own time.

All these nannies today are the toxic ones. Without facts or experiences,  pollute conversations.

you enjoy being a dick? i'm out

No he's just an ornery old Nam vet.


Id like to see your results with vinegar. What did you use it on? Was it straight vinegar? Surface rust? Deep rust?  It's a good cleaning agent but I don't think it'd work that well for rust.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

I used it many times with great results. It does take patience. I cleaned out my 49 GMC fuel tank after a soap and water rinse with a small chain to knock down any bigger chunks. Don't recall how long I soaked it but it was days not hours. Even being a nanny (LOL) I have used muriatic acid on other projects. I also have used the POR 15 tank renewal, just to be clear, I've tried it! Used vinegar (straight) on some engine main caps that had sat around and the machine shop refused. Soaked and no problem, again it was years ago so sorry no pics.
So will it work for every instance no, never said it would. Hence the question mark.     
Worth trying? Depends on the time available, its cheap and its weak compared to other products. It was just a thought.
OP good luck with the project!   

[muddy]

still rust? how much? wonder if vinegar will do? works great just not as fast or toxic.

So what if it's toxic......... and how ?

Fumes avoid inhaling it, he's not going to drink it.  Seems to be the logical and common sense way of avoiding the toxicity. If it were true and it very well maybe, and I say again so what ....?

The suggestion put forth, vinegar calming, insinuating is a better method. You have no clue if it even works.

Suggest you try it, and get back to us, if it fails, you have only wasted your own time.

All these nannies today are the toxic ones. Without facts or experiences,  pollute conversations.

you enjoy being a dick? i'm out

No he's just an ornery old Nam vet.


Id like to see your results with vinegar. What did you use it on? Was it straight vinegar? Surface rust? Deep rust?  It's a good cleaning agent but I don't think it'd work that well for rust.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

I used it many times with great results. It does take patience. I cleaned out my 49 GMC fuel tank after a soap and water rinse with a small chain to knock down any bigger chunks. Don't recall how long I soaked it but it was days not hours. Even being a nanny (LOL) I have used muriatic acid on other projects. I also have used the POR 15 tank renewal, just to be clear, I've tried it! Used vinegar (straight) on some engine main caps that had sat around and the machine shop refused. Soaked and no problem, again it was years ago so sorry no pics.
So will it work for every instance no, never said it would. Hence the question mark.     
Worth trying? Depends on the time available, its cheap and its weak compared to other products. It was just a thought.
OP good luck with the project!

I assumed it would take a bit longer then other harsher chemicals.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

[bmwrd0]

Jabber swears by viniger and salt, don't know how well it works. But, to get all the loose rust out, put a cup of gas in it and a length of chain. Then shake the snot out of it. Like, paint shaker type shaking. That will get the loose flakes off, and after that evaporust!

[muddy]

Jabber swears by viniger and salt, don't know how well it works. But, to get all the loose rust out, put a cup of gas in it and a length of chain. Then shake the snot out of it. Like, paint shaker type shaking. That will get the loose flakes off, and after that evaporust!

I live salt and vinegar too.....on my chips!

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

[Kenneth07ex]

Have you considered electrolysis? That's supposed to work very well for rust. Afterwards you could coat the inside. Probably have to paint the outside anyway, after the electro bath.