cleaning gas tank

[95tclipser]

I dropped my gas tank today, I need to know the best way to clean it.

 

[clang1114]

Really vague on the info. Some details will help us provide you with better assistance.

If your talking about cleaning inside it. The best thing to do is just use gasoline and a rag. Most likely the inside isn't dirty. The inside of gas tanks don't rust usually and there shouldn't be any foreign materials in there unless you drop something in.

If your talking about cleaning the outside. I would use degreaser or brake clean with a rag. Then undercoat it when your satisfied with it.

 

[bryanwheat]

What are you trying to clean from it?

 

[96' Eclipse GS]

To add to the below, you can also use Red Kote to insure you do not have a leaks or cracks and will seal right up. There are some chemicals and tools that you can use at home that will give you a passable result. While not necessarily as effective as some professional methods, it will be cheaper and safer for home use. Use a homemade dilution of citric acid by mixing about 3.5 tablespoons of citric acid with a liter of water. Pour it out into a bucket and neutralize the acid by mixing in baking soda. This ensures that it is now safe for disposal. Rinse the remaining mixture out of the tank with water, allow it to dry and then use a store-bought tank liner to seal the tank against any future rust. These tank liners are available at most auto parts stores and are poured into the tank where it then coats the sides and dries into a protective layer.

It is kind of long, but great trick to use with the sealer being Red Kote.

 

[95tclipser]

What are you trying to clean from it?

I am trying to clean sandy looking sediment on the inside bottom, & corrosion on the inside walls of the gas tank. I am thinking of using gas to clean it, or should I have it hot tanked. Thanks for your reply.

 

[mattasi]

I took the gas tank out of my parts car last month, it's a 97 gst. The thing has 240K miles on it.

Anyways the inside was so perfect and clean that it totally surprized me, not one speck of dirt or corrosion. So I wonder what it is that is in your tank that need cleaned out. Maybe someone poured something into the tank that wasn't suppose to be or something.

Yea gas and rags to clean the inside.

 

[Vladimir]

When i got my talon i had to clean out the gas tank because it was sitting for about 5 years and somehow the gas got mixed with water and some other cr@p.
It was all black and sticky on the inside, also smelled horrible. What i did is first put rocks and regular soap and was shaking it for about an hour trying to get all the dirt out, it did the trick ( my whole drive way was sticky and had dirt all over it). After i went to the gas station got e85 and spent another hour cleaning it. When i looked in the morning it looked good but not perfect so i went to home depot and had to buy mineral spirits, i mixed them with tranny fluid and cleaned out the rest.......it looked like new...... (well almost). I couldnt fix the fuel pump and the sending unit, the looked like one piece that came out of the titanic.......

I say use mineral spirits and trannyfluid together, that will for sure clean your tank, do wear gloves tho....that stuff is bad for your hands.

P.S- you dont have to use tranny fluid, its just safer for your skin if you add it.

 

[95tclipser]

Maybe I will try what you said vladimir. Thanks for your reply.

Really vague on the info. Some details will help us provide you with better assistance.

If your talking about cleaning inside it. The best thing to do is just use gasoline and a rag. Most likely the inside isn't dirty. The inside of gas tanks don't rust usually and there shouldn't be any foreign materials in there unless you drop something in.

If your talking about cleaning the outside. I would use degreaser or brake clean with a rag. Then undercoat it when your satisfied with it.

Sorry for being so vague. I am trying to clean the inside of the gas tank, looks like there is corrosion on the inside walls & sediment on the inside botton of the tank. Also, when I removed the fuel pump it there was the pump, & corrosion & rust on the bracket. Thanks for your reply.

 

[buddytron]

hey guys can i use a gas tank of a 95 turbo on a 99 non turbo? cause i got one but they are not the same the one of my car 99 has more hoses than the turbo

 

[Vladimir]

I dont recomend doing that. You can probably still do it if the fuel feed and return lines are in the same position and if all the brackets match to fit it. But if you had more lines (probably emissions) on the 99, you cant realy put the gas tank from the 95, cause the check engine light will go on. Also its not safe to do.