Cleaning Gas Tank |
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Keeganino
Grand Poobah Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Posted: July-10-2010 at 2:10pm |
When I took my boat apart in January I siphoned most of the gas out of my tank, then it sat for about 2 weeks on the porch with a little bit of fuel still in there before I taped up all the holes. WHen I started messing with it the other day to put it back in there is something rolling around in there. Maybe my daughter threw a rock or BB in there I dont know, but I figure I need to dump the rest of the fuel and hopefully whatever crap is in there.
So my question is- What should I use to rinse it out if the foreign object does not come out with the little bit of fuel? I have an aluminum tank. I searched a while on fuel tanks and it seems like a good idea to clean the anti siphon valve while I am in there. I have a haz mat dump station near my house so I can dispose of it properly. Any other maintenance I should perform on the tank before installation? |
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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DrCC
Grand Poobah Joined: April-12-2004 Location: at home Status: Offline Points: 2867 |
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Take the sender out and shake. I've found all kinds of neat stuff in gas tanks.
AT |
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FrankT
Senior Member Joined: September-07-2006 Status: Offline Points: 245 |
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As the Dr. noted remove the sender so you can look inside. For as much gas in in there you can just pour it on an impervious surface and let it evaporate. I just washed mine out with a high pressure water spray, rinsed several times and air dried with compressed air. You might be suprised what comes out. I do not have a siphon valve and don't know what purpose it serves. My tank sat for 10 years and I had some problems with the screen on the draw tube getting blocked. I have taken this out and am using an inline filter to catch any residual gunk. Mine is galvanized not the aluminum you have. Yours should have an infinite life.
FrankT |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Keegan, Ha! Kids!! My son was very young and outside helping dad. I had just finished pouring a concrete base for a large yard light. It was a dirt pour except for the top at which I had made a sheet metal form sort of like a spring form cheese cake pan that was held together with nuts and bolts. I turned my back on him for a minute and he had taken the just removed nuts and put then down the 1/2" 90 degree conduit that I had placed in the concrete pad to fish the electric through. Damn, the nut's were wedged in and locked up inside that pipe. It took me several hours to get them out. High pressure water, compressed air while using the fish tape!! But kids do do amazing thins at times! Yes, I concur with pulling the sender and taking a look inside. Look for white rust (aluminum oxide) on the inside. Tell us what you find. A acid etch may be needed. |
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Keeganino
Grand Poobah Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Thanks guys. I will let you know what I find.
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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behindpropeller
Platinum Member Joined: July-31-2006 Status: Offline Points: 1810 |
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Some BB's and MEK.
Tim |
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DrCC
Grand Poobah Joined: April-12-2004 Location: at home Status: Offline Points: 2867 |
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Eeek! I wouldn't use any kind of acid in an old aluminum fuel tank.
Maybe penetrating oil. AT |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Al, Why not? The aluminum tanks are always of a heavy gauge and decent welding. I've used the acid etch on old tern (or galv) plate tanks as well and then used the coating on them. Very common with the restorations where originality is key. |
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behindpropeller
Platinum Member Joined: July-31-2006 Status: Offline Points: 1810 |
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Best thing to do with any tern plate tank is put it in the garbage and fabricate a new aluminum one out of 5052.
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Tim, True if the boat had a tern plate tank but if it was judged, and the judge found a aluminum replacement it would be a point deduction. Now in Keegan's case, the aluminum came from the factory so it's cool to refresh the original by just cleaning it up. BTW, tern plate tanks were just used for maybe 10 years in the 60's. galvanized before that and then the aluminum became popular. Also of interest, a 73 can be judged under the current ACBS guidelines. |
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Keeganino
Grand Poobah Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Nothing too exciting in there. I had about a quart of fuel left and dumped it into a metal fire pit I have and it was gone by the afternoon. I took all of the attachments off and sprayed it out with water and put it in the 95 degree sun and let it dry out for 2 days. I dont have an air compressor but I did hook the shop vac up to it for about 10 minutes and let it pull air through it before putting it out in the sun. The sun worked best.
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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MartyMabe
Grand Poobah Joined: February-21-2006 Location: High Point,NC Status: Offline Points: 3980 |
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Keegan
No You-tube video of our day out on Oak Hollow Lake Saturday the 10th? Took Keegan out for a ride in the 'ole 66 Skylark! All he sent me was 1 pic. |
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kapla
Grand Poobah Joined: March-27-2008 Location: BA, Argentina Status: Offline Points: 6148 |
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<a href="">1992 ski nautique
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Keeganino
Grand Poobah Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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I cant figure out how to get the high def video onto you tube. My Sony camera records in true 1080 and saves to a .MTS file and I cant figure it out. Any techies out there have any suggestions. We did a sustained 36 mph and I did catch it all on video.
Thanks Marty! I needed some time on the water! |
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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Keeganino
Grand Poobah Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Just took me a day to figure it out! Thanks Marty! Listed on off topic as Mabe's '66 Skylark |
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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