Steel Gas tank cleaning PSA

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

Good Sunday Morning everyone,

Had a real crusty steel tank on a walk behind leaf blower. Used tanks where $50 + and new 3 times that. Guy I'm fixing blower for didn't want to spend that much.

 

Went on Amazon looking for rust dissolver products and happened to see these 1 gallon jugs of 45% vinegar easily available and 75% available if you could wait about a week. 

 

I knew people used vinegar to clean rust but wondered about the heavy duty stuff... bought a gallon and filled the tank right to top. Let it sit 5 or 6 hours and shook it gently with BBs in tank.

 

Drained it and rinsed it out with hot water and dang.... its like brand new inside.

 

Ran the drained stuff through a coffee filter and saved it for next time.

 

The stuff does sting your hands and you don't want to catch a whiff... but man does it clean.

 

Tony

[ebinmaine 67,519]

I didn't know that was a thing.  

Very interesting.   

[peter lena 8,631]

@Docwheelhorse  add STA BIL  fuel storage , to all of my fuels , zero debris / crud , after an initial clean out , never returned , pete

[JoeM 7,874]

thanks Tony,

I have used regular vinegar with sub par results and ended up using muriatic acid. 

Have to give that high test vinegar a try. 

 

 

The owner being frugal would not want a inside coating. For those looking for a tank coating. On my own stuff i use POR gas tank coating. Just a half once on the small ones and a little rotation. This has held up the really good.

 

[RED-Z06 2,221]

Ive been using Evaporust for a few years with excellent results myself, its safe to handle, non-toxic, and works well as long as the parts are cleaned off of grease or oils.  Vinegar also works very well if not faster, but it flash rusts almost instantly.

[Andy N. 2,154]

1 hour ago, RED-Z06 said:

Ive been using Evaporust for a few years with excellent results myself, its safe to handle, non-toxic, and works well as long as the parts are cleaned off of grease or oils.  Vinegar also works very well if not faster, but it flash rusts almost instantly.

 

I too have used Evaporust with great results.

 

I was also just made aware of Corroseal. I haven't used this product, but it looks like it does the job too as long as the surface doesn't have paint on it. Fast forward on this video to about the 25 minute mark to see it in action. 

 

 

 

 

 

[wh500special 2,184]

On 11/12/2023 at 7:16 AM, Docwheelhorse said:

 

 

The stuff does sting your hands and you don't want to catch a whiff... but man does it clean.

 

 

Just as a precaution, higher concentrations of organic acids can have a delayed damage response to skin compared to things like hydrochloric (Muratic), Sulfuric (battery acid), phosphoric, etc. that tend to be acutely painful and damaging.  In other words, damage and blistering can occur some time after exposure meaning you can’t rely on discomfort alone to save your hide. 
 

Keep this stuff off you and don’t breathe it. 
 

If you find the 45% stuff works well there would be little reason to bump up to 75%.  And resist the temptation to foray into the world of glacial acetic acid (100%). 

 

Steve