Best way to clean a Plastic fuel tank?

[Mercboy]

Hi all. Pulled the 27 gallon permanent plastic tank out of my "new" old bass boat today. Got rid of the 1/4 tank of gas left in it for 9 years, and Holy S***!!! The whole bottom of the tank is covered in a red varnish like gloppy substance. Also, the sending unit is ruined, as is the pickup hose and screen. How do I get this nasty stuff out of the tank??? Thanks for any advice. I'd really like to save this tank as it is formed to the shape of the transom of my boat (an 89'18 foot fiberglass basstracker)

 

[Capt. Bob]

Re: Best way to clean a Plastic fuel tank?

Being plastic you are limited in the ways to safely clean the tank without damaging it. One way is steam cleaning. Radiator shops, engine shops and others have steam cleaners. Pressure washing will loosen the sediment and then something like Gunk engine cleaner or some other grease remover that is safe for the poly tank. Hopefully others will offer experience or more ideas.<br />Good luck!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Best way to clean a Plastic fuel tank?

I would be VERY careful using steam on plastic. Most radiator shops have dealt with plastic cores and may have a chemical treatment I know that the hot dip tank will melt it away.<br /><br />Why not try the same method we use on metal tanks? Get a bag full of nuts and bolts and use them inside the tank as an abrasive. Shake like heck. When you need to remove the nuts and bolts they should come out easy and a magnet will help.<br /><br />You might also try a paint thinner as a cleaner with the nuts and bolts. Buy the thinner that comes in plastic just to be safe.<br /><br />Bob

 

[sloopy]

Re: Best way to clean a Plastic fuel tank?

little trick mix some nitro in there (go to any high performance car shop, bring the tank they will inject some in there!) this will eat threw it then fill it up with keroseen and let sit. then emty, next pressure wash the tank. Just joking the nitro will burn threw it! use this exept the nitro part.!

 

[SpearTub]

So would sticking my water pressure washer in there be ok? How would it be best to dry the inside out to avoid watter etc?

The lid with the fuel gauge has a long stem which appears to have a filter at the end. looking at the size of the black bits inside they would not go through the mesh filter but I dont like bits of what might be plastic (but hard to tell) sitting in there. Its odd as one area almost looks like black Mould on the bottom but dont see how that would occur inside petrol.

 

[cyclops222]

Plastic tanks ALWAYS become a disaster. In many different ways.

 

[airshot]

Buy a couple quarts of carb cleaner, do a small test on the tank to be sure it is compatable, but with today's plastic tanks, I am sure there won't be a problem.