Cleaning inside if diesel tank

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Shippers

Well-Known Member
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10,693
Location
Algarve
S2 tank had 20 odd litres of varnish smelling diesel in it been standing 10yrs plus...
What is the best liquid to disolve this gunge...going to put heavy chain in tank and strap to cement mixer and let it spin for a while...TIA...Rob...
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Was thinking along the lines of vinegar or do have 50l of diesel\petrol mix we have removed from hire\customers cars they filled up wrongly...but this gunge is like thick glue can get acidico from builders merchants that we use for cleaning brickwork...but wondered if anyone had done this before...thanks for replies...
 
Was thinking along the lines of vinegar or do have 50l of diesel\petrol mix we have removed from hire\customers cars they filled up wrongly...but this gunge is like thick glue can get acidico from builders merchants that we use for cleaning brickwork...but wondered if anyone had done this before...thanks for replies...
Haven't done it before, Shippers. Do you think there has been anything else in there other than diesel? If not, I'd think petrol would make a good solvent. Just presuming though :eek:
 
Haven't done it before, Shippers. Do you think there has been anything else in there other than diesel? If not, I'd think petrol would make a good solvent. Just presuming though :eek:

Dont think so...all the pipes up to lift pump were choked with the brown gunge and even soaking some of the unions in petrol took ages to clean out...rigged up mixer today so will strap it on and start with diesel\petrol mix and long length of chain and work up from there...
 
Dont think so...all the pipes up to lift pump were choked with the brown gunge and even soaking some of the unions in petrol took ages to clean out...rigged up mixer today so will strap it on and start with diesel\petrol mix and long length of chain and work up from there...
Good luck. Love the mixer idea! :D
 
My sedimenter had that tar like substance in it and I use thinners to clear it out, but it still took a bit of time to work,
 
Pour some petrol in there or better still some citric acid and water finished off with some acetone ;)

Can get muriatic acid here v,cheap so think will soften the shi,te with the free mix i've got then acid then petrol to clean then the free mix to finish..really enjoying this resto as were in lockdown brought loads of parts and panels to my home workshop to sort and customer is happy work is going ahead...
 
Can get muriatic acid here v,cheap so think will soften the shi,te with the free mix i've got then acid then petrol to clean then the free mix to finish..really enjoying this resto as were in lockdown brought loads of parts and panels to my home workshop to sort and customer is happy work is going ahead...
Sounds like you're having a good time ;)

Lockdown isn't too bad so long as you have something to do ;)
 
My sedimenter had that tar like substance in it and I use thinners to clear it out, but it still took a bit of time to work,

Yes I cleaned a joint that was solid took bloody ages and that was after soaking in petrol for a week!! over Christmas!...
 
Dont think so...all the pipes up to lift pump were choked with the brown gunge and even soaking some of the unions in petrol took ages to clean out...rigged up mixer today so will strap it on and start with diesel\petrol mix and long length of chain and work up from there...
Just a thought but rattling chains around in a tin tank with petrol sounds a little risk. What if a spark was created?
 
Just a thought but rattling chains around in a tin tank with petrol sounds a little risk. What if a spark was created?

Agree...the mix is more diesel as it came from cars we fixed after they stuck petrol in at the pump...and the chain is galvanised and will be sloshing about under the mix dont think you can get a spark metal to metal in that situation...mixer is at bottom of garden...lol
 
Get pressure washer Lance in there, preferably hot or steam

Had lance in there no go dont have steam option...left it in sun today 75f still stuck like glue on drain tap in pic and that was scraping with screwdriver after leaving in petrol!!...
 
Didnt really clean much out but did soften it a bit...going to get some cheap gun clean tomorrow and try that...
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@Shippers , 10% hydrochloric acid will clear this [readily available on eBay] But do be careful with HCL, on skin and in eyes and especially the fumes...so wear correct PPE. Pour in 5ltrs and leave to work, seal all outlets and give the tank a swirl/leave upside down and swirl some more. Once gunge free, empty and rinse with warm water. When rinsing be very careful with the fumes and waste gunge...both will eat skin.
 
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