Topic: F gas tank cleaning help

[Cevan]

I'm trying to clean an F gas tank.  A PO did a #$%*ty job with a coating job and it's coming off everywhere.  The tank itself is very solid and no dents or dings. 

The problem is the recessed filler makes it difficult to get the solid pieces of the old tank liner out.  I'm also afraid to throw a bunch of screws inside for fear of not getting them out.  For those familiar with this tank, there's limited visibility inside the tank thru the filler.  And I'm doubtful that the screws would remove all the liner anyways.

Is there a chemical solution  that would dissolve the liner?  I don't know what was used.  I've tried boiling a tank at a radiator shop but it didn't touch the old liner.

[seanbarney41]

yea, don't use a bunch of screws and don't ask why my f is known as the rattler....maybe a length of chain?

[Maurice]

About leaving screws in the tank... I had that dilemma until I thought of using one of them magnets on a telescoping wand. Works amazing. Unless you used stainless screws, in that case, well...

And that's '78 550 tanks, which have the same recessed PITA filler neck.

[atm cycles]

Even better then telescope magnet. Attach magnet to a length of fuel line type hose. More flexible. But chain works well


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[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

For visibility use a dental mirror and a pen light. Small but effective.

[greenjeans]

Aircraft stripper will get to that liner.

*** Very important that you DO NOT seal the tank when putting it in there.  It will develop pressure quickly.

Of course it's easy to mess up the paint on the outside unless you are very careful.    It was still a pain in the arse.

[Cevan]

I think I will try the chain method first and then the stripper.  Maybe wrap the tanking in a couple of moving blankets and throw it in the dryer.  No heat of course.

The tank is getting sand blasted so I don't care what happens to the outside. 

[Duanob]

All the suggestions I had have been mentioned already.

Acetone works great to remove old liner material. Its not cheap and you need a couple of gallons at least. Plug all holes. I use a shaved down wine cork for the fuel tap. And the gas cap knowing I will replace the rubber gasket. Just set it in different positions every few hours to make sure to get all of it for 24 hours or more. It will liquify most of it but there will be some large flakes to try and get out of the filler hole. A brass brush helps on a long flexible handle. I tried many different things including a bunch of small bolts. In the end I didn't 100% but I derusted the tank and lined it with Caswells which can be used over old liner material. So far so good.

[calj737]

+1 on Acetone or MEK. Chemically strip the liner. Either of those products will dissolve the old liner and leave the metal in tact.

[Cevan]

Quick update.  Threw a five foot piece of chain in the tank and shock it around.  It really didn't do too much.  I sized it up for going in my dryer but these tanks are pretty long and can't fit all the way in sideways. 

So I did a little experiment with acetone and it appears to dissolve the liner pretty quickly.  Looks like I'll be buying a couple of gallons.  Thanks everyone. 

[calj737]

1 or 2 gallons is plenty. Soak, drain/strain and refill.

[atm cycles]

I'm doing electrolysis on one now where I knew there was a powdery rust under it. It's working


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[calj737]

Looks more like a Burmese Python was living in that tank... and shed it's skin-