How Can I Clean Inside A Very,Very Rusty Tank

[junjun01]

How Can I Clean Inside A Very,Very Rusty Tank

[plumber]

i took and put a couple handfulls of small bolts and some diesel fuel in the tank and shook the crap out of it and got them back out with a magnet this did a real good job of getting it clean enough to use. ive heard you can steam them out also but not sure if it will harm your paint?

[junjun01]

I'll Try That, Thanks..,Have To B Painted Anyways

[ange]

I would suggest a tube of BB's or ballbearings rather then nuts/bolts(too many sharp edges), along w/ some liguid to help carry away the debris.

Doing it this way is more similar to a metal polishing "tumbler" machine.

[junjun01]

Thank You Guys :)

[ejc042]

Thats the way I have done three tanks with good results.

[cpalm1]

my buddy used to work at a hardware store and had the ultimate solution for cleaning tanks. he used it for an old dirtbike he was fixing up and it did an awesome job. he took the tank and put a whole bunch of BBs in it. then he emptied a can of PB blaster in there. he made a styrofoam cradle for the tank and wrapped it in ducttape. He took it to the hardware store after closing, and put it in the big paintshaker (for 5 gallon buckets) for about an hour (with permission of the boss of course :) ). after that, the tank was cleaner than when it came from the factory.

[Billy Golightly]

If its extremely rusty, and you have the means I would do this: Take a cutoff tool that has a wheel, cut the bottom out of the tank (Not the whole thing, but I mean a big enough peice where you can look all inside of it), and then you have it all open where you can look at it and see things good. Get a wire wheel for your pneumatic diegrinder or electric, whichever you have. Sand blasting works good when its open too, just don't use to high powered of one or you will warp the metal from the heat. Clean it out real well, and then if you can TIG weld, weld it back in. If you can't, take it to someone who is compentate enough to be able to lay a clean enough bead to hold the fuel and not vibrate apart in the first hour. Its a little more time consuming job, but I believe its more thorough also.

[NOS_350X]

muratic acid is the only way to go. cleans out much better than nuts and bolts/ball berrings.

[legaleagle]

Take it to a radiator shop and let them clean it out, then seal it with an epoxy product (ask radiator shop). I did this years ago and it worked great!

[mudslinger]

I have a tank thats got alot of rust in it. I was going to use stones like the last 1 I did. It worked pretty good but a buddy of mine says marbles works better. So im going to try it on this 1 and see if he is right.