17 replies to this topic

[phildward]

Left the mini in the front garden for 20+ years and it's looking a bit sad.  Pulled the fuel tank out today and emptied out a few litres of foul smelling brown liquid.  It’s a bit rusty in there so filled it with molasses mixed 1 to 9; it’s a bit cold here in the UK so thought I would leave it 5 weeks.  

 

Thought I would be asking questions about cleaning out and finishing, however are rusty tanks really written off: http://www.theminifo...st#entry2516580 ?

 

 

 

[mini13]

The Por15 tank sealer kits are good, the come with a cleaner and de ruster that works really well.

[carbon]

Before doing any serious work to refurbish the old tank check that you can get liquid to flow out of the small feed pipe at bottom of the tank.

 

I've had this fuel feed line block up on a car which was laid up for about 10 years, and no amount of air pressure would shift the muck. There's a mesh filter on the end (5 gallon tank) and I think this is what caused the problem.

[lapider]

I had a car with a degrading fuel tank, no matter how many times you drained the tank and cleaned the file lines and filter it would still clog a few days later. 

 

I've had family members do this on old landcover tanks and tractor tanks, (slightly different as they have flat sides) but fill the tank up with tacks, roofing nails, old bolts and diesel, then shake the tank on all sides. I've heard of people lodging motorcycle tanks in their tumble dryer to help matters.

[panky]

Or strap it to a cement mixer, if you happen to be laying a new drive

[DomCr250]

I had a car with a degrading fuel tank, no matter how many times you drained the tank and cleaned the file lines and filter it would still clog a few days later. 
 
I've had family members do this on old landcover tanks and tractor tanks, (slightly different as they have flat sides) but fill the tank up with tacks, roofing nails, old bolts and diesel, then shake the tank on all sides. I've heard of people lodging motorcycle tanks in their tumble dryer to help matters.

You can do the same thing with stones and big bits of gravel ... Give it a good shake and it tends to loosen everything off
.

[phildward]

Like it - fuel tank on a cement mixer :). I can see that would work.

The tank is currently full to the brim with mallosses. I'll give it four weeks and see what results and then make a decision on gravel or tank paint. Is there a tool to remove the fuel level sender?

[panky]

And leave it running all night to impress the neighbors 

[mini-geek]

The tool is a screw driver and a hammer

[mini13]

How much did a tank foll of mollasses cost!!

I would have gon with this instead.

 

http://www.demon-twe...CFZMK0wod_1QMXQ

Edited by mini13, 23 November 2016 - 10:14 AM.

[phildward]

Before doing any serious work to refurbish the old tank check that you can get liquid to flow out of the small feed pipe at bottom of the tank.

 

I've had this fuel feed line block up on a car which was laid up for about 10 years, and no amount of air pressure would shift the muck. There's a mesh filter on the end (5 gallon tank) and I think this is what caused the problem.

 

Good call carbon - getting nothing out.  Poked a length of coat hanger a reasonable distance into the tank before hitting a solid barrier.  I suspect there is a mesh filter.  A little surprised it is so badly messed up though as there was petrol in there.  However if it’s not repairable thankfully I have not spent much on it.

 

 

 

The tool is a screw driver and a hammer

 

Yes I have those special tools :)

 

How much did a tank foll of mollasses cost!!

I would have gon with this instead.

 

http://www.demon-twe...CFZMK0wod_1QMXQ

 

£8.50 to make up 50 litres and it appears to be working.  However the tank is currently blocked and molasses has not yet cleared that problem.  I had planned to treat the inside with POR15 Tank Sealer, could the painting of the inside of a tank block an otherwise good tank???

[gazza82]

Can you put an airline on the fuel pipe and blow it through?

[phildward]

Can you put an airline on the fuel pipe and blow it through?

 

6 bar and not shifting one jot of air.

 

The hammer and screwdriver did the job (and the sender still gives a variable resistance):

 

 

Here is the inside of the tank:

 

 

Firstly it is not rusty; it is covered with a black gritty deposit that moves mechanically, you can see how a leght of wire pocked down there has moved the deposit (may be able to jet wash it out).  Definitely can’t be painted due to the pick-up filter seen on the end of a steel pipe.  Unless I can clean that and clean it well then all other efforts are a waste of time.

[MrBounce]

Having sealed a tank with the POR15 Frost kit I can tell you that it's amazing what crud their "Marine Clean" cleaner will shift, and also that you REALLY need to remove the gauze filter. I didn't. I now have a different tank.

[phildward]

Got the jet washer out and cleaned the muck out nicely, just one or two spots that I missed but can get them if everything else works out.

 

Still no flow from the outlet pipe.

 

Compressed air still will not blow up the pipe.

 

I decide there must be a non-return valve so pressurise the tank; no air flow out

 

Right boiling water and Fairy washing liquid goes in; black tar started dripping from the outlet pipe

 

I retrieve some tar on a length of wire:

 

 

Used the tar to find a solvent that may dissolve it:

 

Petrol No

 

White spirit No

 

Xylene No

 

Acetone Yes

 

I fill the pipe with acetone and cap it off.

 

The tank is filled again with molasses, it least it won’t go rusty and I’ll wait a few days to see what happens.  Suspect I’ll be looking for a good used tank.