The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk gas tank cleaning

the gas tank on my '47 (frame mounted tank) is in a pretty sad state of affairs. After a close inspection of the exterior it doesn't seem to have any rust holes, and it doesn't leak. The inside is a different story, it's still damp w/gas from I would say around 1960. Has anyone ever resurected a tank from this condition succesfully, and if so what chemicals and methods did you use? I'm afraid once I get the inside clean, I'll find out just how thin the bottom of the tank is.

yeah there's a simple and safe way to do this. TAKE IT TO A RADIATOR SHOP, AND HAVE IT BOILED OUT AND TESTED! if you have a doubt, then there's a good reason for it. better to not mess around with gas, don'tcha think?

most radiator shops can coat the tank with this stuff that prevents corrosion from ever starting again. good investment. most of the time the tank comes back with all the paint gone, so it's a good time to prime and paint the thing, before the rust starts again.

I would never ever never never try to clean a gas tank. They can blow up like a lot of dynamite. Take it to a shop that can do a professional job on it. It will be done right and you will still be alive.

If you transport the tank to a shop, take along all the filler pipes and such. Do your level best to either get rid of the fumes before transporting, or plug the holes during. Transport the tank in an open pickup bed - NEVER inside a closed vehicle (like the back seat!).

If you are trailing vapors and they find a spark you will not be able to outrun the flames.

Years ago I saw a truck carrying acetylene/oxygen tanks and a bunch of other stuff down the freeway light up like a candle all of a sudden. By the time the truck got stopped, the ox-acetylene was torching about 15 feet high, everything on the bed was awash in flames, and long before the fire department arrived, tires, paint and all the fuel was comsumed, for the most part. Made it easy for the firefighters.

I couldn'g believe people were trying to pass by the conflagration, but if you know California freeway drivers, you know they will find a way, even if it means slowing down a bit!
n

took it to the nearest radiator shop, acid cleaned it, and the back side of it is full of holes :confused: now the search is on for a replacement. I think the original tanks are kind of ugly to be exposed anyway. I'm now trying to find about a 20-25 gal. round tank. Since it will be right out in the open, I think it will look better. If I find an original style I'll probably wind up fabbing a cover to hide it anyway.

Keith