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Cleaning boat fuel tank
Posted on 7/7/20 at 8:28 pm
Posted on 7/7/20 at 8:28 pm
How hard is this? Looking at a boat that needs to have the fuel tank cleaned of old gas and some residue.
Have seen some DIY videos where you just put in some additives like Star Tron and after letting it sit, you circulate the gas with a fuel pump and filters.
Thoughts or suggestions? Should I just have it done professionally?
Have seen some DIY videos where you just put in some additives like Star Tron and after letting it sit, you circulate the gas with a fuel pump and filters.
Thoughts or suggestions? Should I just have it done professionally?
3
Posted on 7/7/20 at 8:46 pm to zbrous4
Doesn't ethanol fuel remove all the crap sitting in the bottom? I could be wrong.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 8:57 pm to LEASTBAY
Sounds right......
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:10 pm to LEASTBAY
quote:
Doesn't ethanol fuel remove all the crap sitting in the bottom? I could be wrong.
Not sure this is correct. Ethanol fuel will create water, which will sink to the bottom of the tank. How would it remove that crap?
There’s no good way to do this without removing the tank, IMO
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:17 pm to Motorboat
I think he was being sarcastic. I know I was.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:38 pm to zbrous4
I’ve never had one done professionally but I did get one clean myself after removing it. PITA I know but there is really no other way to do it properly.
I used regular dish soap and gravel. Rise off 4-5 lbs of gravel and put in with few good squirts of soap and liter or so of water. Grab it and twerk that thang like it’s your next x wife. Empty rinse and repeat till you are satisfied.
I used regular dish soap and gravel. Rise off 4-5 lbs of gravel and put in with few good squirts of soap and liter or so of water. Grab it and twerk that thang like it’s your next x wife. Empty rinse and repeat till you are satisfied.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:41 pm to Purple Spoon
Well this is the built-in gas tank....don't think it's removable.
That's why I'm looking at "flushing" it using an additive that breaks down any build-up.
Just don't have any experience doing it, but ole boy on youtube made it look pretty easy....just wondering if that's the case though.
That's why I'm looking at "flushing" it using an additive that breaks down any build-up.
Just don't have any experience doing it, but ole boy on youtube made it look pretty easy....just wondering if that's the case though.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:46 pm to zbrous4
I saw a guy cleaning one with a plumbing snake with shop rags on the end. Would take a while but you could get it done eventually. Once the sludge is broken up I would feel better about the additives being effective
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:47 pm to zbrous4
First get yourself a flexible snake with the grabbing arms at the end and some heavy duty shop rags, I like the blue ones. Drain the tank completly and clean out what you can with a wet dry vac. Then put some of the heavy duty rags into the tank and take an air compressor and blow them around. The rags do a pretty good job of getting into the crannies. Rinse and repeat with fresh rags.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:51 pm to zbrous4
quote:
I think he was being sarcastic. I know I was.
Fresh ethanol fuel can absorb water. IIRC about 0.5% by volume. So 1 gallon =128oz can absorb .64oz of water. 20 gallons can absorb 12oz.
But if your ethanol fuel separated you are going to have to drain that out of the tank first.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 9:54 pm to zbrous4
I fought mine for a year and it sucked. You will need to pull the sending unit and syphon as much of the gas out as possible. Next get a snake and zip tie multiple rags to swab out the remaining fuel. Add an inline filter with the clear bowl and watch it like a hawk. Any trash in the bowl needs to be drained ASAP and element pulled and drained every fourth or fifth trip. Eventually you will see zero trash or water in your fuel.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 10:39 pm to zbrous4
quote:
Well this is the built-in gas tank....don't think it's removable.
in that case use vinegar, it is caustic and will eat the varnish and dissolve any scale so it can be drained out.
start by draining all the gas out then flush out as much debris as you can with straight water, follow that with a soapy water flush to neutralize and remaining vinegar left behind, followed by a clean water flush, then let the tank fully dry and it should be clean as new.
built in tanks are a PITA to clean but its doable
This post was edited on 7/7/20 at 10:41 pm
Posted on 7/8/20 at 8:37 am to keakar
quote:
start by draining all the gas
What does everyone do with the drained 40+ gallons of gas? (or should I not ask
)Posted on 7/8/20 at 9:01 am to Shexter
Properly dispose of it all of course! We would never use it as a weed or grass killer 
Just pumped my tank dry Sunday (don't ask why ), but it was only a 30 gallon tank and didn't need to get it bone dry.
Just pumped my tank dry Sunday (don't ask why ), but it was only a 30 gallon tank and didn't need to get it bone dry.
Posted on 7/8/20 at 9:04 am to Shexter
Craigslist add for free old gas. Has always worked well for me.
Posted on 7/8/20 at 9:23 am to Shexter
As long as it is clean and doesn't have gunk floating in it start adding a few gallons to your cars and trucks to burn up the fuel. When you get to the last 1/4 tank put it in a couple of 5 gallon buckets and let it evaporate.
Posted on 7/8/20 at 11:06 am to Shexter
quote:
What does everyone do with the drained 40+ gallons of gas?
thats easy, run it to a gas can with funnel and paper towels so you filter out any trash
get the bulk of it and reuse for putting right back into the boat or use it in the lawn mower
the remaining few gallons will be mostly trash so that goes on top of weeds or ant hills to kill them
you cant avoid wasting some gas so expect around 10% to go to waste
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