What is the best way to clean a gas tank on a 1956 buick?Look just like dirt and dirty gas..I read where some one said fill it half full of water and the half a gallon of muratic acid and let it sit over night.That sounds a little schkey to me what do you all think? Thanks Bruce.
I cleaned mine about a month ago. I just shoved a hose in it and moved it around until the water coming out was clean. I might have gotten lucky, but no problems so far.
tank out of the car, drained... pour a few gallons of white vinegar in it, slosh it around, roll it over, let it sit on each side... dump it out (not in your yard unless you're mad at the gr***) and rinse with water. vinegar strips surface rust pretty well. just rinse it thoroughly because it's an acid... if I'll be storing the tank unfilled for a while, I'll slosh some ATF around in the tank. I only do muriatic if the tank is particularly rusty... and never let that **** near any clean metal: just the fumes will rust everything in the shop.
I have cleaned them with a pressure washer. It's messy but it gets them clean. If there is any rust inside that is another problem. At that point it is better and cheaper just to buy a new tank.
Can't see a 1956 Buick gas tank being any different...... Do it right. Pull it out.Water and muratic acid along with a hand full of nuts and bolts. Slosh it around for the afternoon. Rinse well. Let dry. Or take it to a rad shop.
depends on what is inside of it. I did one car recently where someone had treated it with some sort of sealant and the sealant had come unstuck from the insides and was floating around, add to that the baffles inside were all rusted and crumbling, I replaced that one. another one sat for 10 years with about 1 inch of gas in the bottom. I put some kerosene inside, then put some chains in there and tossed it around a bit to dislodge the loose stuff, rinsed it out and was good to go.
I remove the tank, pull the sender, drop in a length of chain and some "purple" cleaner and slosh around till all the loose stuff is knocked free. Then rinse thoroughly.
Was kinda curious about this myself. I think I'm gonna try the vinegar and chains. It did ok on my rusty bolts. Minus the chains. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I've cleaned a lot of gas tanks in my half century of building hot rods,I've used chains,rocks and nuts & bolts,,I've used all kinds of cleaners,gas,lacquer thinner and they all work to a degree. I have had to learn the hard way after repainting and reinstalling the tank that sometimes it's just not as clean as I thought. I now take a gas tank to the local radiator shop and let them vat it overnight and they are always clean as a whistle. HRP
Well being on disabilty kinda cuts back on taking to to a shop.And ordering a new one well, this ones in a station wagon. so it kinda rare.I will try some of your tips and i do have a pressure washer so i guess thats a plus lol.Thanks Bruce.
the stuff the radiator shop uses is caustic soda ( sodium hydroxide) otherwise known as lye , the purple cleaner has it in it , so if you use it straight from the bottle and let it sit it will do the same thing as soaking it overnight in a hot tank and its not a rough on the metal as HCl . which will eat any terne coating thats present in the old tanks that prevent them from rusting internally, I just buy the bottled lye and mix it up with hot water and pour it in and let it sit for a day or so to melt the varnish out . when you dispose of it you should nuetralize it with diluted vinager in a bucket . and wearing safety gl***es is a must !!
Be careful with lye. I always have to look it up. Is it water then lye or lye then water. One way can get violent, blow up!
The washing soda and charger are line of site. If you don't have anything in the tank like rebar or what ever you are going to use. It won't work. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I did harley tanks with bb's when i was a broke *** 12-13 year old, i can imagine if i threw them on a paint shaker or a vibritory tumbler they'd turn out even better...
Beins your fuel system is on the line ,I'd take it to the radiator shop if its bad. Its around $100 and done. I'm doin one right now thats not bad, with the carb spray, Marvel,and rocks.
Take a plastic bucket of water and slowly sprinkle the lye into it. Stir with a wooden stick. Do not put anything made of aluminum or aluminum foil near lye. Wear rubber gloves, eye goggles, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Keep a jug of vinegar handy to neutralize the lye if you get any on you. Never put the water into the lye, it will all react at once and blow up in your face. When you pour the lye into the water go slow or it will get very hot.
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