Farm Fuel Tank

[idaho04]

I got ahe 200 gallon fuel tank from a farmer for $30. Does not leak but has a loose rust and dirt inside. I'd like to use it for farm fuel, either gas or diesel. What is the best way to clean it? Should I rinse it with gasoline or diesel? Is there any other cheaper solution?

[egon]

How much rust? Have you tapped around on the outside using a small hammer to check for soft spots, exspecially the bottom? Are the bung nozzels solid?

The ideal situation would be involve steaming, pickling and then appliying a coating to the inside of the tank.

In real life can it be filled and flushed with water several times and then use used motor oil for a final flush?

Egon

[CJDave]

I used a large quantity of hex nuts to "beat up" the inside of a fuel tank and get the rust out. of course it was only a two gallon tank. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[cowboyjg]

Ya know it's funny. I've read alot of the threads on this subject both here and on TBN. I have a tank that came with the property and I have considered the same thing. The general conensus is that buying used tanks is just not the thing to do!!! Of course each situation is specific and knowing from whom you've purchased the tank can make a difference. It's unlikely that your gonna get an answer other than seeking professional help except for the most basic testing methods. If you are gonna use that much fuel GET A GOOD TANK!!! Don't mess around with the potential problems unless you are in a position to make the necessary repairs. You could end up spending $ to fix things (The tractor) you didn't anticipate.

IMHO.

[egon]

Now that is the best advice yet! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon

[lynxpilot]

The only thing that would concern me is a thin wall that might give way. You spill 200 gallons of diesel and you're in for a mess, besides wasting liquid gold (these days). If it were solid, I'd fabricate an extension for the shop vac and get the bigger hunks out that might clog the hole where your hose takes suction. Other than that, the hose should have a built-in filter with the handle or your can install an in-line. I'd install it at the tank end with a valve up line to allow changing. People get all worked up about stuff in their fuel or oil but don't consider that both, under normal circumstances, have filters. Certainly your tractor and/or truck has very fine particulate fuel filters (which of course you change regularly). Water, on the other hand, is something to worry about.

[Pat]

I have a 300 gal overhead tank. I paid $75. I have been using it for over 3 years. It is currently over a cinder block containment vessel capable of holding a full tank plus 18 inches of rain before overflowing. the floor cost a littel $ and the walls were made of used block. I have a drain valve to drain any water out and leave it closed for just in case.

Phosphoric acid (active ingredient of Naval jelly) is what to use on the inside of the tank after you have cleaned it a bit mechanically. Neutralize the acid with a couple rinses of water. Next rinse with acetone and air dry. You can coat the inside of the tank with "CREME" a plastic fuel tank coating used in auto restoration and motorcyle tanks etc. It is typically available at motorcycle shops with parts departments. It works fine. I have used it successfully on gas tanks but it is fine for diesel or jet fuel or heating iol or...

You will need to roll the tank around a bit to get a complete coating on the inside. Once dry, the fuel and any contined water from condensation doesn't touch the metal anymore so corrosion is prohibited. This stuff will even fill pinholes you might find when cleaning the tank (better than trying to weld wasted metal.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

Pat,

Here's another product used to seal and prevent rust contamination in fuel tanks. I work with someone who's husband sells this stuff. I'm passing along the information as a service. I have no experience with the product and have no financial interest.

<font color="purple"> Kwik Poly is a 2-part polyurethane product that dries to a hard plastic in a few minutes. It is very thin to start with and makes a great gas tank sealer. It is impervious to any fuels and most acids. Only prep necessary is to use a 50/50 mix of water and muriatic acid to rinse out the rust, then rinse with cold water and allow to dry thoroughly. The two cans of Kwik Poly can be dumped in together. You will need to slosh the liquid around to mix together and ensure coverage over the entire inside of the tank. If not much is left inside, you can turn the tank over on the top so the excess will dry where rust usually occurs the most. If you have anything larger than pinholes, they can be addressed by using the Kwik Poly and fiberglass cloth. They are mostly a mail order business unless you catch them at the street rod shows or Carlisle/Hershey antique car show weekends in October. Their website is www.kwikpolyllc.com. </font color>

[Pat]

Gary, Seems pretty much the same as the stuff I have used. When you acid etch an old tank to clean out excess flaky rust you may end up with a tank so full of pin holes and worse that you wonder how it held together. as long as you can put something on the outside to basicly plug the leak you can coat the inside and have a leakproof tank.

My air cooled VW dunebuggy had a tank with the sealing properties of cheese cloth after I "preped" it. I tried welding and brazing prior to the coating but did not seal anywhere near all of the pinholes before adding the coating. It has held for a few years perfectly now and is subjected to a lot of off road banging around.

I had a tank in a sailboat that I treated but had to try to "paint" the inside with a pump up sprayer reaching in through the sender mounting hole. I did NOT get a good sealing job and when I filled the tank it sprayed gasoline a foot in the air from 15-20 pinholes. That made for a few tense minutes until I lowered the gasoline level with a Jackrabbit pump. I had a replacement tank built of fiberglass but using the appropriate epoxy resin NOT POLYESTER resin. Fiberglass made from polyester resin is quite porus to galoline. Although you may never see any liquid drops form on the outside of the tank, a lot of gasoline does pass through the ttank walls and evaporates from the surface. THIS IS QUITE A FIRE/EXPLOSION HAZARD!!! So if anyone is contemplating fiberglass repairs to a gas tank... use epoxy resin not polyester.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] PAT [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

Yep, polyester resin and hydrocarbons don't mix. Or maybe they do mix and that's the problem!

We used to make fiberglass/epoxy fuselages for model sailplanes by shaping a foam plug and covering it with epoxyglass. Then add gasoline to melt out the foam.